Configurable precompile step

ID:2510769
 
Sep 18 2019, 11:05 am
Applies to:Dream Maker
Status: Open
Issue hasn't been assigned a status value.
A basic configurable precompile step would be useful for tooling for some of the larger projects. Something as simple as specifying a script to be run that dreammaker waits to finish would work enough.

The simplest way would perhaps be to define something in the dme
#define PRECOMPILE_WINDOWS "precompile.bat"
#define PRECOMPILE_LINUX "precompile.sh"


Doing this would allow us to add linting, compilation of sub projects, or dependency management to the regular workflow of people building directly with dreammaker. If we could also output to the compile messages we could also make it much more visible when there are errors in those sub projects.

There are definitely security concerns with this; currently it is safe to at the very least compile the project. One way this could be solved is for a message to pop up asking the user if they wish to run precompile if the project they're building includes it, with this message being disabled by user pref.

Strictly speaking we can easily work around this with other tools, this is just a request to make it more convenient for starting coders.
Sep 18 2019, 9:16 pm
I also would like this.
Oct 9 2019, 12:31 am
One could write a script that performs actions, and then calls the DreamMaker utility on the .dmb file subsequently to achieve this functionality.

For usage inside of DreamMaker as a GUI, it would be nice to write a custom compilation command to be followed.
Oct 9 2019, 9:10 pm
Yes it is functionally possible to do this already but the main reason this would be useful is to include it without friction to the normal workflow when developing. If it gets run automatically as a precompile step then the various tools that are already used to compile and work on projects don't need to be reconfigured for different precompilations.
Oct 9 2019, 9:32 pm
I would argue that having a separate file for precompilation steps would be wiser in the first place. Separation of concerns and whatnot.

And being able to write a custom compilation command and have it be supported by the gui assists current workflows and offers as much, if not significantly more, flexibility.
Oct 14 2019, 8:18 pm
There are definitely better options for a precompilation step, I was merely giving the most basic of examples that added as little as possible. The better option yeah would be to have an actual compile options file of some sort.
Oct 18 2019, 10:29 am
I'll donate $50 if we get this, this would make a lot of development easier
Oct 19 2019, 12:32 am
It should be noted that the driver for this feature request is pressure to "only require DreamMaker to compile the project", which prevents solving things by having a build system call into dm.exe instead.

I should also note that batch files have no inbuilt means to download anything and powershell scripts are disabled by default, which means any useful functionality will involve arbitrary .exe execution.
Oct 19 2019, 6:52 pm
this isn't byond's problems and I don't think you should lean on the engine to fix issues you have with the host
Oct 19 2019, 6:58 pm
Yeah it will require something else but dream maker triggering that something else smooths out the workflow