Rebuilding

I often use Plato for work on a single file, without projects but using include files. However, when I change in the source of one of the included files I am unable to get the program to recompile. It claims that the Executable is up to date, and the Rebuild dependencies option is blanked out!

Is there a way to force a rebuild, short of correcting the main file?

The only way I can think of is to change the configuration (release, debug, checkmate) and then change it back again; unless you use a 'touch.exe' program to change the date stamp on the main file without changing the code.

I will take a look to see if it makes sense to enable the 'Rebuild' command when a project is not in use. As a general rule, include files are not used for source code but for header information such as interfaces to external functions etc.

The main use of INCLUDE files is to list COMMON definitions. If PLATO does not recognise that the include files have changed and identifies the dependency of the main code on these INCLUDE files then delete the executable. Surely this would cause a rebuild ! I use a batch file to rebuild and start by deleting .exe and all .obj and .mod files. Static .lib libraries are great for reducing compile time. Selective rebuilds don't belong in 2011.

John

I have enabled Rebuild for the next release.

I appreciate that Rebuild will become enabled. A little explanation:

My main use of Plato is in connection with a 3-week course where the students come from all over the world. They work in the practical part with writing programs of increasing complexity, where some precompiled modules are also used. Subprograms written by the students early in the course but used later are often put in include files to facilitate the work without loosing the overview by working with an excessively large file.

Errors may then turn up in these subprograms such that they require revision. It is here the need for a rebuild comes in.