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.

Note IconNote:

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:

Configuration in 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  Debug Toolbar control  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  Debug Toolbar control  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!