Build Configurations in VS / Atmel Studio
Visual Studio and Atmel Studio allow you to define build configurations
which are sets of build parameters (=build settings). By selecting one
configuration as active, all parameters that are stored in this configuration
become effective.
By switching between build configurations, you can change many parameters
at once, without being forced to change them painstakingly one at a time.
Visual Studio/Atmel studio provide two configurations as a default:
Debug
This configuration is typically used while you develop your program.
You can enter debugging settings in your project properties to control
if and how Visual Micro debugging works.
Release
This configuration is typically used to build the program for final
release (hence the name). In this configuration, all debugging settings
are left disabled.
Initially, all parameters for Visual Micro have
identical values for the Debug and Release configurations. In order to enable
debugging in the Debug configuration, you must change the respective
values in the Project Properties.
Please remember that "Debug" and "Release" are only names given for two sets
of build parameters. It is up to you how you set the parameters in these configurations.
How to change the configuration
The available configurations can be selected in the "Standard"
toolbar:
Which settings are stored in a build configuration?
Visual Micro uses three kinds of settings:
Project specific,
configuration specific parameters
These parameters are configuration specific. As described above,
if you change the configuration, let's say from "Debug" to "Release",
these parameters change the values according to the values stored
in the chosen configuration.
These parameters are also project specific, so every project can
have different parameter settings.
All parameters of this category can be found in the
Project
Properties Window.
Project specific,
configuration independent parameters
These parameters are not affected by a configuration change. However,
they are stored project specific, so every project can have different
parameter settings.
All parameters of this category can be found in the
Project
Properties Window.
System wide parameters
These parameters are stored centrally and apply to all projects
and configurations.
All parameters of this category can be found in the
Tools > Options Window.
How can I change a parameter in a build configuration?
Regardless whether a parameter is configuration specific or not, simply change
it in the Project Properties
Window or in the Tools > Options Window,
respectively. Those parameters that are configuration specific will be stored
in the configuration that is currently active (determined by the toolbar
control).
Adding more configurations
Two configurations, Debug and Release, are normally sufficient. If you want
to add more configurations, click on the "Configuration Manager" menu item of
the toolbar
control. The built-in configuration manager of Visual Studio/Atmel Studio opens
and lets you manage configurations. Do not confuse this manager with the
Visual Micro configuration
manager!