Version Strings

Methods

Compiler define: Set a preprocessor define passed to the compiler.

Keyword substitution: Provide a header with keywords into which substitutions are made.

Template header: Provide a template with keywords which are processed and output to a generated header.

Tools

TortoiseSVN?: SubWCRev?

svn: svnversion

git: git-describe

Implementation

Compiler Define

Subversion

-D`svnversion`

Requires svn command line tools (not installed by default with TortoiseSVN?).

Git

-D`git describe`

Keyword substitution

• An anti-pattern
• Unsuitable for VCSs? with no global version id (SVN).

Template Header

Subversion

Create a template header file "version.in" of the form:

and in the build script run

SubWCRev . version.in version.h

The generated output looks like

Git

No equivalent?

Problems

• No way to pre-process the variables in the build script.
• Windows platform only.

Generated Header

• Dependency problems

Links

• http://stackoverflow.com/questions/1704907/how-can-i-get-my-c-code-to-automatically-print-out-its-git-version-hash