MSF for Agile Software Development Visual Studio 2005 Team System logo

Activity:

Fix a Build

Participating Roles

Responsible:

Developer

Overview

Entry Criteria

    Dependencies:

    • A build failure has occurred.

    Sub-Activities

    1

    Isolate Compile Errors

    • Make sure the build scripts clean up all unwanted files in the build area prior to compilation. Compiling source code into components on a build machine may fail, even if it has been successfully built on a developer’s machine.
    • Isolate the component where the compile errors occur: If the problem is caused by missing dependent modules necessary for compilation, investigate the reasoning for the missing files and the justification to include the missing modules. Inform the developer of the component team about the problem.
    • If the problem is caused by any other errors, inform the developer responsible directly and through the bug report about the problem.

    2

    Inspect Run-time Errors Found

    • Identify any run-time errors encountered and inform the developer responsible directly and through the bug.
    • Determine if the components are built using improper or out-of-date internal interface references between them.

    3

    Inspect Contents

    • Compare the contents of the build and the bill of materials to see if there are any unwanted or omitted files in the build.
    • If necessary, consult component teams to verify the contents of each component has been properly identified in the bill of materials.

    4

    Inspect Installation Scripts and Executables

    • Check installation scripts and mechanisms to see whether files are being placed in file system locations specified by the build and bill of materials.
    • Check whether component libraries and modules are properly registered in the operating configuration.

    5

    Inspect Version of Dependent Modules

    • Determine whether the proper version of dependent modules, such as third-party libraries, is used by the components. Improper versions may produce unexpected results during application run time.

    6

    Fix and Rebuild Build

    • Once the problem is identified, fix it and rebuild the build as soon as possible to minimize disruption to parties that rely on the builds.

    Exit Criteria

    The build problem is fixed and installation of the fixed build is successful.

    The build passes the build validation tests.

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    Version 4.1.0