How to override the Arduino build or upload events

Visual Micro uses the flexible build configuration system process of the Arduino Ide and also supports the extensions of Teensy and some other hardware manufacturers.

Teensy Example #1 - Extend the upload process

The boards.txt that is installed under the teensyIde/hardware/ avr or teensy folders contains a list of boards. You can copy these entries enaming the first part of each board property. For example Teensy3.name= becomes MyTeensy3.name

Each board entry defines the uploader exe name. The uploader exe is passed a few paramaters such as com port mcu etc. as normal program args[]

So it is easy to set the upload to use a different uploader program which might first call the "real upload" and then can then run any windows program as required or show it's own form/user controls. 

Teensy Example #2 - Replace the standard process

Instead of adding a custom boards.txt entry the existing compile or upload command supplied with the Arduino Ide can be renamed and a small windows program can be used in its place. The windows program can call the renamed original first, causing compile or upload to occurr prior to performing other tasks or launching another program.

Manual Controls

It is also possible to add your own short cuts and menu items to Visual Studio that run macros or programs. You can also register external tools.

Debugger Extensions

The Visual Micro debugger is the first component in Visual Micro that supports open source extensions. You can read more about adding your own C# or VB graphical extensions in the wiki