Compiling an Application

Programmers can write or modify the source code (.SRC files) for applications. This source code must be compiled before VTS can run it as an executable application. Compiling an application is the process involved in turning an application's script code into the run-time format stored in a series of .RUN files.

When VTS developers configure an application by adding tags, employing drawing methods, and drawing objects on your pages, VTS is working behind the scenes to keep the source code and .RUN files updated automatically. While developers rarely need to compile their applications, there are situations under which a VTS developer might be forced to run a compile.

One (very rare) situation is in the event that VTS crashes and the application then begins to behave erratically. For example, if you've drawn an object on an application page but the object seems to disappear from the page. Such erratic behavior may be due to the fact that the .RUN files have become out of date with the application's source files due to the crash. In this situation you would have to stop and compile your application. Once you've done so, your application should again run smoothly.

Another situation where you may be required to compile your application is if you are working with a remote application and have updated the application's main source file (AppMod.src). In this situation, you will receive a messages indicating that you must stop and compile the remote application, after which all other workstations sharing the remote application must restart their application.

Yet another situation is when an older application is being added to a newer version of VTS. After being added to the list of applications in the VAM and before running, the application should be compiled.

If you must compile the application, follow these steps:

1.   Stop the application if it is currently running.

2.   Select the application in the VAM.

3.   Click the Compile button. VTS automatically checks for changes made to the source code.

4.   Run the application.

 

If VTS has detected no changes to the application's source code, the following dialog will inform you that no changes were detected. Even so, it is recommended that you compile anyway.