VSoft Technologies BlogsVSoft Technologies Blogs - posts about our products and software development.https://www.finalbuilder.com/resources/blogsCase Study: Mitov Software and FinalBuilderhttps://www.finalbuilder.com/resources/blogs/postid/767/case-study-mitov-software-and-finalbuilderCase Study,FinalBuilderSun, 21 Aug 2016 00:25:00 GMT<h2>Case Study:  Mitov Software and FinalBuilder</h2> <p>Boian Mitov, owner of <a href="http://www.mitov.com/">Mitov Software</a>, explains how FinalBuilder has reduced build times by 88% and delivered a dramatic improvement in productivity, so that it is now essential for their software development process.  Mitov Software supplies developer components and custom solutions for audio, visual and signal processing, computer vision, and data visualization.</p> <h2>Challenges faced</h2> <p>“Before we started using FinalBuilder, we were running a combination of manual build steps and custom .BAT files. The creation and maintenance of the .BAT files was a huge challenge, especially when dealing with Visual C++ 6.0 .”</p> <h2>Why we chose FinalBuilder</h2> <p>“FinalBuilder is very reasonably priced, has a comprehensive feature set, and comes with very good support. We had some issues when we started using the product, mainly due to our lack of knowledge of the available features, but we received very quick and precise directions from the FinalBuilder team. It was great to see that all of the features we requested were delivered in the following release! I like how the trial version of the next release is fully functional, allowing easy and complete evaluation prior to purchase. It’s turning out to be a fantastic product!”</p> <h2>FinalBuilder cost recovered in less than one week</h2> <p>“FinalBuilder reduces our build time for a product line from around 3 days to less than 3 hours. It returned the money invested during the first week we used it. Because some basic testing is performed during the build we can discover and fix bugs within a matter of hours. It also allows us to easily run periodic builds as a quality control, and helps us discover issues at an early stage. We have reduced the incidence of missed steps and wrong order of build steps to practically zero!”</p> <h2>How we use FinalBuilder</h2> <p>“We use a lot of action lists. In our build we need to build 18 packages each under Delphi 5, Delphi 6, Delphi 7, Delphi 2005, C++ Builder 5, C++ Builder 6 and BDS 2006. By using Action Lists we can pass the package name as a parameter and have it built with all the compilers. The same applies for our demo applications.</p> <p>As part of our process we perform 138 package builds, 322 Delphi and C++ Builder demo projects, 3 Visual C++ libraries, 1 Delphi, 1 C++ Builder and 2 Visual C++ DLLs, 1 .NET library, and 138 Visual C++ examples, 15 Installs, 18 Help files.</p> <p>During the build we use FinalBuilder to automatically generate sections of the Installer. We also automatically generate the Visual C++ files for all of our components, and all the Visual C++ help files by performing a custom process over the existing Delphi and C++ Builder help files and sources. In addition our script automatically extracts all the component images to be used by the help service and by our web site.</p> <p>Finally, we use FinalBuilder to automatically generate and build several test projects to confirm the validity of our libraries. These auto generated test projects include all the components in our packages.”</p> <h2>FinalBuilder compatibility</h2> <p>“We use FinalBuilder with Delphi – Versions 5, 6, 7, 2005, C++ Builder 5 and 6, and BDS 2006, Visual Studio 6.0, 2003 and 2005, InnoSetup, and Doc-O-Matic. We also use a number of custom actions and command line utilities written by us for parts of the build process.”</p> <h2>Ease of use</h2> <p>“FinalBuilder projects are very easy to create and maintain. It takes just one part-time person to maintain the process. As our products evolve we are adding more and more functionality into the build project, and this is greatly assisted by FinalBuilder’s range of functions”.</p> <h2>Recommendation</h2> <p>“I highly recommend FinalBuilder to anyone. The tool is very easy to work with, very intuitive, flexible and powerful.”</p> <h2>Competitive Edge</h2> <p>“With FinalBuilder we can now develop and maintain 10 different large products with very minimal effort. It also gives us time and the efficiency to develop new products, because it significantly reduces the time we have to spend on building and testing. Therefore FinalBuilder has helped to significantly expand and further develop our product range and has strengthened our competitive position.”</p> <h2>Conclusion</h2> <p>“FinalBuilder is extremely valuable tool in our arsenal. In fact it’s one of the most important tools we use because it allows us to consistently release high quality products.”</p> <h2>About Mitov Software</h2> <p>Mitov Software is a very small privately owned company focused on development of Visual C++ libraries, and Delphi, C++ Builder and .NET component packages for very fast Digital Signal Processing (DSP), Video capture and Image Processing, Audio recording and processing, Data Visualization and Basic Computer Vision. We also provide a number of consulting services and custom development in these areas, as well as in Very Fast Data Acquisition and Process Control.</p> <h2>About Mitov Software products</h2> <p>Mitov Software currently offers 10 commercial products:</p> <p>5 Delphi and C++ Builder VCL component libraries:</p> <p>Video Lab VCL – very fast video capture, processing playback and visualization</p> <p>AudioLab VCL - very fast audio record, processing playback and visualization</p> <p>SignalLab VCL – Digital Signal Processing and visualization</p> <p>VisionLab VCL – basic computer vision</p> <p>PlotLab VCL – data visualization</p> <p>We also offer the same products in Visual C++ versions:</p> <p>Video Lab VC++ – very fast video capture, processing playback and visualization</p> <p>AudioLab VC++ – very fast audio record, processing playback and visualization</p> <p>SignalLab VC++ – Digital Signal Processing and visualization</p> <p>VisionLab VC++ – basic computer vision</p> <p>PlotLab VC++ – data visualization</p> <p>We are in the final stages of development of .NET versions of the above products.</p> <p>We are also working on a free Open Source project:</p> <p>OpenWire VCL – allows RAD codeless component development.</p> <h2>About VSoft Technologies</h2> <p>VSoft Technologies have been in business since 1996, and are focused on developing automation software for software developers, software configuration managers, system administrators, network administrators and IT professionals.  Both FinalBuilder and Automise save time and money by providing easy to use, flexible and powerful solutions to automation tasks.</p> <p>Visit our website at either <a href="https://www.finalbuilder.com">https://www.finalbuilder.com</a> to find out more information and to download fully functional 30 day evaluation editions.</p> <p>FinalBuilder™ is a Trade Mark of VSoft Technologies Pty Ltd. All other product and company names listed are trademarks or trade names of their respective companies.</p> 767Case Study: Krome Studios - Building better games with FinalBuilderhttps://www.finalbuilder.com/resources/blogs/postid/773/case-study-krome-studios-building-better-games-with-finalbuilderCase Study,FinalBuilderThu, 05 Jun 2008 01:19:00 GMT<div align="center" style="margin: 12pt 0cm 3pt;"><strong><font size="4">Case Study: Krome Studios®<br /> <em><span style="font-weight: normal;">Building better quality games with FinalBuilder</span></em></font></strong></div> <div> </div> <div style="margin: 12pt 0cm 3pt;"><strong><font size="4">Overview</font></strong></div> <div> <p>As Australia’s largest game developer, Krome Studios produces some of the world’s premier gaming titles. To ensure the highest quality of their releases, Krome implement a range of best practice software development techniques, including an automated build process.</p> <p>The FinalBuilder team spoke with Steve ‘Sly’ Williams to learn more about how Krome Studios use FinalBuilder to effectively automate their builds. What they discovered is that by helping to simplify the automation process for building games, FinalBuilder provides significant competitive advantages for Krome Studios.</p> </div> <div style="margin: 12pt 0cm 3pt;"> <p><strong><font size="4">In the beginning</font></strong></p> </div> <div> <p>Sly spearheaded the introduction of FinalBuilder into Krome’s development environment with the purchase of the first license in 2005. Since then, FinalBuilder has become widely used through-out Krome as more licenses have been purchased.</p> <p>Sly explained, “I was a Delphi programmer from way back and I knew of FinalBuilder. I convinced the tech guys to buy me a license for it, and then the other project teams saw how useful it was, so they bought extra licenses.</p> <p>“We used to write long, complex DOS batch files to automate our build process. If something went wrong, which it quite often did, finding the cause of the error could be a long process. FinalBuilder allows quick and easy debugging of build processes in a robust environment which has saved many hours of development time.</p> <p>“All it takes to create a build process in FinalBuilder is one person. The action-oriented process makes it a breeze to move build steps, insert, delete, duplicate or any other changes that may be required. It is also easy for someone else to step in because the build process is displayed in such an easy-to-understand way.”</p> </div> <div style="margin: 12pt 0cm 3pt;"> <p><strong><font size="4">Building better quality games</font></strong></p> </div> <div> <p>Krome Studios build a variety of games for different platforms, including the Wii, Xbox 360, Sony PlayStation 2, 3 and PSP. Console games for these platforms ship with limited opportunities to provide bug fixes after release; consequently, Krome employ extensive Quality Assurance procedures.</p> <p>An automated build process is the foundation for many of these QA processes. It allows Krome to start building and testing early and then continue to do so at regular intervals through-out a project’s life-cycle.</p> <p>“Krome use FinalBuilder in a number of different ways - for milestone builds, for daily builds and for continuous integration. It is sometimes used on a developer's machine, or more often on a dedicated build machine.</p> <p>“FinalBuilder has enabled us to regularly test our games and begin testing at the earliest possible stage. This ultimately leads to fewer bugs in final shipped version and better overall quality of our games. In fact, Electronic Arts once commented that the bug count in one of our titles was the lowest they'd ever seen.”</p> </div> <div style="margin: 12pt 0cm 3pt;"> <p><strong><font size="4">A Game Developer’s Build Tool</font></strong></p> </div> <div> <p>FinalBuilder was developed as a desktop software developers’ build tool; however, as the software development world has evolved, so has FinalBuilder. It is now used by desktop developers, web developers, game developers and many other types of software developer.</p> <p>In discussing FinalBuilder’s suitability for a Game Developer, the FinalBuilder team were happy to learn from Sly that with its 600+ built-in actions, FinalBuilder already supported many of the tasks and tools involved in building Krome’s blockbuster games. Sly also explained that when he did find a product not supported, he was able to take advantage of FinalBuilder’s extensible plug-in architecture to integrate it.</p> <p>“About the only thing missing [from FinalBuilder] is support for the Metrowerks CodeWarrior IDE.  I have made a custom action for CodeWarrior which we have used extensively for the past few years for Playstation 2, GameCube and now Wii builds. Xbox and Xbox 360 builds simply use the built-in Visual Studio actions.</p> <p>“The only other thing I would like is a way of automating tools that only supply a GUI and no command-line or automation abilities. All of the major console manufacturers have some tools like this, some more so than others.”</p> <p>In response to this feedback from Sly and other FinalBuilder users, VSoft included GUI automation actions in FinalBuilder 6. Krome’s build process can now automate interaction with dialog boxes and GUI only tools during their builds. VSoft are also working to integrate CodeWarrior support into FinalBuilder to provide better built-in support for Krome and other game developers.</p> </div> <div style="margin: 12pt 0cm 3pt;"> <p><strong><font size="4">Support</font></strong></p> </div> <div> <p>FinalBuilder as a tool continues to help Krome use a sophisticated build process to improve the quality of their final releases. However, VSoft believe software can only ever be as good as the support behind it, which is why the FinalBuilder Team provide outstanding free support for every FinalBuilder license. Something Sly let us know he appreciated last time he encountered an issue.</p> <p>“It was one hour forty-three minutes from my first post to a successful fix.I wish all vendors were that responsive.” </p> </div> <div style="margin: 12pt 0cm 3pt;"> <p><strong><font size="4">Final Word</font></strong></p> </div> <div> <p>FinalBuilder provides an effective solution for Krome to automate game builds and in the process, it helps improve the quality of their final releases.</p> <p>So would Sly recommend FinalBuilder to other game developers?</p> <p>“I would definitely recommend FinalBuilder as an easy-to-use build tool to simplify the automation process and to provide extensive feedback on the progress of builds.”</p> </div> <div style="margin: 12pt 0cm 3pt;"><strong><font size="4">About Krome Studios®</font></strong></div> <div> <p><a href="http://www.kromestudios.com">Krome Studios</a> is Australia’s largest video game developer and a leading independent development studio in the worldwide game development community. Krome’s vision is to cultivate technological and artistic achievement, creating proprietary technologies that facilitate superior game development for both original and licensed properties. The company has proven expertise in developing games for the current generation of platforms and is already engaged in working on next gen platforms as well as all handheld platforms.</p> </div> <div style="margin: 12pt 0cm 3pt;"> <p><strong><font size="4">About Krome Studios’ Games</font></strong></p> <p>Krome have produced a number of highly successful games including:</p> </div> <div> <div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; text-indent: -18pt;">-<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; -x-system-font: none; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;">          </span>The Legend of Spyro: The Eternal Night & A New Beginning</div> <div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; text-indent: -18pt;">-<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; -x-system-font: none; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;">          </span>Viva Pinata: Party Animals</div> <div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; text-indent: -18pt;">-<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; -x-system-font: none; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;">          </span>Hellboy: The Science of Evil</div> <div> </div> <div>Krome are also currently working on Lucas Arts latest blockbuster - Star Wars: The Force Unleashed.</div> </div> 773Case Study: MainSoft and FinalBuilderhttps://www.finalbuilder.com/resources/blogs/postid/772/case-study-mainsoft-and-finalbuilderCase Study,FinalBuilderSun, 29 Oct 2006 00:14:00 GMT<p><img align="right" alt="MainSoft.png" height="69" src="/Portals/0/ArticleImages/MainSoft.png" style="border-width: 0px; border-style: solid; float: right;" width="252" /></p> <h2>Case Study: MainSoft and FinalBuilder™</h2> <p><br /> Patrick Philippot, a Microsoft Most Valuable Professional (MVP), owner of MainSoft and independent consultant, talks about how FinalBuilder allowed him to automate his build process and integrate multiple configurations, saving time and avoiding costly mistakes.</p> <h2>Overview</h2> <p> “Day to day at MainSoft, FinalBuilder has given us two main advantage: saving time and avoiding mistakes. In fact, avoiding mistakes frees up even more time that we would otherwise have dedicated to fixing those mistakes!"</p> <h2>Challenges faced</h2> <p>"For over a year and a half, we have been distributing a parental control product that is sold electronically through the Internet. At the beginning, we had only one version of the product that was downloadable from our website and the usual download sites. The product has gained significant momentum recently, and we have begun to work with distributors who distribute the product through their own channels. Of course, each distributor needs the application customised for their individual needs. For example, they want a "Buy Now" link that redirects to their own webpage. Also, since the product is multilingual (7 languages supported), different links were required for each language, version and vendor."<br /> "Another problem was the software protection. Some vendors want the version they are distributing to be protected with a different license scheme (or key template). So, the build for one vendor has to be protected differently than the build for another vendor. Altogether we have dozens of different configurations that need to be managed."<br /> "Every time we add a new partner, we have to add new build configurations. Before, each configuration was built manually, which meant they were error-prone and very time consuming - just a big nightmare! It was time to automate the whole process. FinalBuilder solved all our problems overnight (well, actually in a few hours) - after all, that's what it's made for."</p> <h2>Why MainSoft chose FinalBuilder</h2> <p>"Although there are other similar tools on the market, one thing was immediately obvious when I gave FinalBuilder a try: ease of use and built-in support for just about every tool a developer needs. I created a build project in FinalBuilder extremely quickly even though our software consists of components compiled with very different tools from different vendors, Microsoft Visual C++ and Borland Delphi among others. Everything was supported. The user interface is very refined and the developers obviously pay great attention to detail. The built-in actions are self-explanatory, and we only occasionally needed to look up features in the manual. The decision was easy."</p> <h2>Return on Investment</h2> <p>"The ROI [Return on Investment] was immediate. Instead of spending hours manually launching the tools necessary to produce the many different builds, I only had to click a single button and wait a few minutes until everything was done."<br /> "FinalBuilder is installed on my development system and the output is feeding various servers on the network as well as an image of the web site. After we test each new build the entire website including the installers is uploaded."</p> <h2>Recommended</h2> <p>"Yes, we definitively recommend FinalBuilder. The product is mature, stable, easy to use and the support is responsive. It saves me time - exactly what MainSoft needs! It also gives us confidence in our own products, as we know all the combinations are built correctly without any human error."</p> <h2>About MainSoft</h2> <p><a href="http://www.mainsoft.fr">MainSoft</a> was established in 1993 by Patrick Philippot, a former system engineer at IBM how is now an independent consultant. Patrick Philippot is the author of computer books awarded by IBM and has written numerous articles for computer magazines. He has also developed numerous shareware and freeware software packages.</p> <h2>About MainSoft's Products</h2> <p> PC TimeWatch is a program aimed at parents wanting to restrict the time their children spend on their computer, on the Internet and on specific programs. It's not a "spying" program, it just allows to specify when and how long a specific program or Windows itself may be accessed by a given user. For more information: http://ww.pctimewatch.com</p> <h2>About VSoft Technologies</h2> <p><br />  VSoft Technologies have been in business since 1996, and are focused on developing automation software for software developers, software configuration managers, system administrators, network administrators and IT professionals. Both FinalBuilder and Automise save time and money by providing easy to use, flexible and powerful solutions to automation tasks. Visit our website at https://www.finalbuilder.com/ to find out more information and to download fully functional 30 day evaluation editions.<br /> FinalBuilder™ is a Trade Mark of VSoft Technologies Pty Ltd. All other product and company names listed are trademarks or trade names of their respective companies.</p> <p> </p> <p> </p> 772Case Study: Codix and FinalBuilderhttps://www.finalbuilder.com/resources/blogs/postid/771/case-study-codix-and-finalbuilderCase Study,FinalBuilderTue, 08 Aug 2006 01:03:00 GMT<p><img align="right" alt="Codix Logo 15pc.gif" height="63" src="/Portals/0/ArticleImages/Codix%20Logo%2015pc.gif" style="border-width: 0px; border-style: solid; float: right;" width="171" /></p> <h2>Case Study: Codix and FinalBuilder™</h2> <p><br />  Nick Bitounis, Chief Technology Officer at Codix talks about how FinalBuilder takes the pain away from doing builds.<br />  </p> <h2>Overview</h2> <p>"The technical teams usually implement complex projects for the banking sector. Resources are typically dedicated to architectural, integration, authoring and testing tasks with little time left to attend to the intricate details of building a complete system. What we were looking for was a way to take the pain away from the build process and even add a bit of fun to it!"</p> <h2>Challenges faced</h2> <p>"Codix usually undertakes medium and large scale projects that target the banking sector. The build process involved in order to successfully create a test or release build, or create a patch is inherently complicated. In essence, we were faced with a list of tasks that should be coordinated in order to produce a build:</p> <ul> <li>Integration with our SourceSafe version control system,</li> <li>Compilation of numerous multi-project solutions created with Visual Studio .Net,</li> <li>Generation of help files and setup installers,</li> <li>Seamless integration of software protection tools in the build process,</li> <li>Packaging of disparate files into archive redistributables.</li> </ul> <p>In addition we needed the build process to be easy enough so that it could be initiated by everyone in the technical team. We also wanted a flexible process that could be easily altered and enhanced with new steps as our needs dictated. Finally, we wanted the build process to be automated and keep a detailed log which we could refer to if there was a problem."</p> <h2>Why Codix chose FinalBuilder</h2> <p>"Before selecting FinalBuilder, our technical teams used disparate and often confusing methods for creating builds. These included a mosaic of techniques ranging from the use of batch files to the incorporation of internally developed tools that read XML files with pre-selected build steps. In order to replace all of these with a tool that combined all our needs into a single application, we evaluated several marketed and open-source build tools. The key features that turned the scales in favour of FinalBuilder were the large number of available actions out-of-the-box and, most importantly, the ability to create new ones with FinalBuilder ActionStudio. Part of our build process was the generation of SQL scripts and the inclusion of INSERT statements in them. Originally, we had a command-line tool that handled this but now we’ve created a new action using ActionStudio. This was so easy to do that the newly created action was extended so that it can now provide a lot more flexibility in parameter selection and configuration and it is streamlined beautifully in the build process."</p> <h2>Return on Investment</h2> <p>"After we converted our build process to use FinalBuilder, we started realizing our investment immediately. Running the build process before FinalBuilder necessitated the presence of knowledgeable developers because it was too daunting for the more junior team members. There was also a good chance that one thing or another would need manual intervention and human action. With FinalBuilder, running a build became a simple routine task that anybody can undertake on a virtual build server, without having to sit tight and wait for it to finish. All in all, we estimate that we got our investment in FinalBuilder back at the very first project that it was used."</p> <h2>Other uses of FinalBuilder</h2> <p> "The versatility and variety of the available FinalBuilder tasks quickly made us realize that we could also use the tool to write and schedule scripts for things other than software builds. We used FinalBuilder to automate source control integrity checks and backups, generate versions of SQL scripts of our development databases and even schedule file backups."</p> <h2>On a Server or on a Laptop</h2> <p>"Normally, build jobs are scheduled or executed interactively on our virtual build server. However, when a project moves from internal development and testing to integration testing that usually takes place on the premises of a client, the developers carry FinalBuilder with them. Once bug fixes and patches are made in the field, the technical team can run the build script to get a build very quickly across to the testing environment. FinalBuilder makes this possible because of the small demands that it makes on the host computer which, in these cases, is usually a laptop."</p> <h2>Ease of use</h2> <p>"One of the most pleasant surprises of working with FinalBuilder was that there was almost no learning curve involved with the product. Almost every feature was naturally digested by our developers. Originally, a single person undertook the task of converting the original build process to a series of FinalBuilder projects but very quickly more people joined simply because the interface is so much fun to work with."</p> <h2>Recommended</h2> <p><br /> "After using FinalBuilder for a year, we would recommend it to any company that truly needs a tool to automate software builds. We consider the necessary investment to acquire a FinalBuilder license disproportionately smaller to the value it provides in terms of saving developer man-hours and providing a reliable and trustworthy tool that changes a build process from a painful exercise to a routine task."</p> <h2>Conclusion</h2> <p> "After acquiring FinalBuilder, the generation of build scripts for new projects has been an enjoyable experience. Without requiring special skills, the tool has made it possible for us to quickly and effortlessly create new build scripts and it is now considered as one of the most powerful items in our toolkit arsenal."</p> <h2>About Codix</h2> <p><a href="http://www.codix.gr">Codix S.A.</a> is a privately owned corporation established in Athens in June 2002. Codix specializes in the field of computer technology (hardware and software), possessing extensive expertise in banking and financial systems, as well as systems integration skills for large and complex projects in the Telecommunications industry.</p> <h2>Codix Products</h2> <p> Codix offers its products and services in specialized market segments, for example the financial, banking, brokerage, and stock exchange areas. While our services are tailored to the clients’ specific needs, assignments mainly tend to evolve around the following areas:</p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <ul> <li>ATM/POS/EFT</li> <li>Credit Card Processing</li> <li>Retail/Wholesale Banking/Dealing Room systems</li> <li>Electronic Banking - Home Banking</li> <li>Network Management</li> <li>Branch Automation</li> <li>Securities Automation</li> <li>Brokerage Firm Automation</li> <li>Settlement and Clearing Systems</li> <li>Disaster Recovery Planning</li> <li> </li> </ul> <p> </p> <h2>About VSoft Technologies</h2> <p><br />  VSoft Technologies have been in business since 1996, and are focused on developing automation software for software developers, software configuration managers, system administrators, network administrators and IT professionals. Both FinalBuilder and Automise save time and money by providing easy to use, flexible and powerful solutions to automation tasks. Visit our website at either https://www.finalbuilder.com/ or http://www.automise.com/ to find out more information and to download fully functional 30 day evaluation editions. FinalBuilder™ is a Trade Mark of VSoft Technologies Pty Ltd. All other product and company names listed are trademarks or trade names of their respective companies.</p> 771Case Study: TOWER Software and FinalBuilderhttps://www.finalbuilder.com/resources/blogs/postid/769/case-study-tower-software-and-finalbuilderCase Study,FinalBuilderSun, 06 Aug 2006 00:50:00 GMT<p><img align="right" alt="TOWER Software Logo" height="116" src="/Portals/0/ArticleImages/tower_medium.gif" style="border-width: 0px; border-style: solid; float: right;" title="TOWER Software Logo" width="263" /></p> <h2>Case Study: Tower Software and FinalBuilder</h2> <p>Frank Eden, Principal Software Engineer at TOWER Software, talks about how FinalBuilder™ integrates so well with all the software products they use.</p> <h2>Overview</h2> <p>"At TOWER, we use FinalBuilder to build TRIM - an Enterprise Content Management platform.  We love the way it integrates so nicely with the development tools we use, from small pieces of software to large well-known tools like Subversion, Microsoft Visual Studio and Wise."</p> <h2>From Batch files to FinalBuilder</h2> <p>"Before we started using FinalBuilder, we did our builds using scripts, batch files, and even some purpose built Visual Basic programs.  These were OK when they worked, but when something went wrong it was a nightmare to find out what happened."</p> <p>"After seeing a demonstration of FinalBuilder at Microsoft TechEd, I was hooked.  Literally.  It was such an obvious solution to our build problems - I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it.  It's very easy to use; the learning curve is not steep; it was not a hard decision to make."</p> <h2>Return on Investment</h2> <p>When asked to estimate the ROI of deploying FinalBuilder as the build system at TOWER, Frank replied: "Savings are hard to quantify.  Perhaps the best measure is the fact that the very suggestion of going back to using batch files would be met with howls of laughter.  Building and testing a complex software package needs to be automated, and FinalBuilder does the job very well. It even allows us to automate repetitive testing tasks, and by integrating these into the build process we get a better quality product as a result."</p> <h2>FinalBuilder Performance</h2> <p>"One recent enhancement to FinalBuilder is the ability to run a set of steps in parallel.  The build machines we use are all dual-processor, and this enhancement has greatly reduced the time waiting for a build to complete.  For example, it means that we can run the compilation steps at the same time as applying a label in Subversion.  Setting up certain actions to take advantage of this is as simple as placing them under an 'Async Action Group' action.  It's also not limited to doing just two things at once - you can run as many tasks as you want in parallel."</p> <h2>Scheduled Daily Builds</h2> <p>"Our build machines each build a different version of TRIM.  For the latest version, we schedule an overnight build to allow the QA team to test it the next day.  The build even produces an ISO image for eventual distribution to customers."</p> <h2>FinalBuilder is not just a build tool</h2> <p>"We have a site license for FinalBuilder, and we encourage our developers and QA staff to install it and use it on their machines.  Personally, I use it to pick up any updates to the source code and set off a compile at 6am every morning, so I can hit the road running each morning when I get to work. "</p> <p>Would Frank recommend FinalBuilder to other software development companies? "Definitely.  It’s a great product."</p> <h2>About TOWER Software</h2> <p>TOWER Software is a world leader in enterprise content management (ECM), providing award-winning electronic document and records management (EDRM) solutions. TOWER Software’s TRIM Context 6 solution is a single, integrated platform that manages business information throughout its complete lifecycle.<br /> <br /> TOWER Software maintains strategic partnerships with the world’s foremost technology and information management leaders, including Microsoft, Hewlett Packard, Adobe Systems, and Kofax. These partnerships combined with our extensive industry expertise, Value-Added Reseller network, and powerful software make TOWER Software the world’s leading ECM solution provider.</p> <h2>About TOWER Software's Products</h2> <p>TRIM Context 6 provides Enterprise Content Management.</p> <ul> <li>Electronic Document Management</li> <li>Records Management</li> <li>Web Content Management</li> <li>Imaging</li> <li>Workflow</li> <li>Document Based Collaboration</li> </ul> <p> For more information: <a href="http://www.towersoft.com/">http://www.towersoft.com/</a></p> <h2>About VSoft Technologies</h2> <p>VSoft Technologies have been in business since 1996, and are focused on developing automation software for software developers, software configuration managers, system administrators, network administrators and IT professionals.  Both FinalBuilder and Automise save time and money by providing easy to use, flexible and powerful solutions to automation tasks.</p> <p>Visit our website at either <a href="https://www.finalbuilder.com">https://www.finalbuilder.com</a> to find out more information and to download fully functional 30 day evaluation editions.</p> <p>FinalBuilder™ is a Trade Mark of VSoft Technologies Pty Ltd. All other product and company names listed are trademarks or trade names of their respective companies.</p> 769Case Study: PlateSpin and FinalBuilderhttps://www.finalbuilder.com/resources/blogs/postid/768/case-study-platespin-and-finalbuilderCase Study,FinalBuilderMon, 31 Jul 2006 00:47:00 GMT<p><img align="right" alt="PlateSpin Logo.png" height="184" src="/Portals/0/ArticleImages/PlateSpin%20Logo.png" style="border-width: 0px; border-style: solid; float: right;" title="PlateSpin Logo" width="364" /></p> <h2>Case Study: PlateSpin and FinalBuilder</h2> <p>Adam White, Manager of Test Engineering at <a href="http://www.platespin.com">PlateSpin</a> talks about how FinalBuilder™ revolutionized their build process.</p> <h2>Overview</h2> <p>"Were a small emerging company, and we didn’t have the resources to hire a fulltime build manager. We needed something that would make our lives easy when it came to building the product. The test team is the main consumer of the product builds at PlateSpin so it was very important that they be able to run builds as needed as well as on a specified schedule."<strong></strong></p> <h2>Challenges that PlateSpin needed to address</h2> <p>"We realized that we were going to need a robust tool to automate our builds, and we identified some key requirements before we started evaluating solutions.  These are some of the functional requirements that we identified, which were based on our existing build process:</p> <ul> <li>Make  maintenance of build process painless</li> <li>Allow schedule and non-scheduled builds to be setup easily</li> <li>Able to compile applications, setup/installers and help files from source</li> <li>Work with our version control systems</li> <li>Zip & UnZip files and other archive formats</li> <li>Run automated testing</li> <li>FTP files to/from servers</li> <li>Send detailed emails on success or failure</li> </ul> <p>In addition to the functional requirements, we also identified vendor support as a critical feature that we would have to evaluate. "</p> <h2>Why PlateSpin chose FinalBuilder</h2> <p>"Before selecting FinalBuilder, PlateSpin was using a mixture of DOS batch files, scripting tools and many manual processes to create new software builds.  To clean up this mess, we evaluated a range of automated build tools and found that FinalBuilder handled all the PlateSpin requirements with ease.  FinalBuilder provided a rich intuitive user interface, and the easy to follow workflow made the user experience painless."</p> <p>"Extensibility was another key feature that we evaluated.  When we started using FinalBuilder there were a few tools we use that were not directly supported by the built in actions.  Using FinalBuilder's action development environment, ActionStudio, we were able to develop actions to support VMware ESX, VMware GSX and Microsoft Virtual Server. Support for VMware WorkStation, VMware Server and Microsoft Virtual Server has since been added to the  product, but we still rely heavily on VMware ESX server so we continue to use our custom made actions for that."</p> <p>"Our old build process was quite complex, and while converting the process into a FinalBuilder project we found a few issues that caused us to contact the VSoft support people. They were extremely quick at responding to and resolving these issues.  Another nice touch is FinalBuilder’s automated checking for new releases.  This lets us keep up to date with all the changes and fixes without having to go and manually check the download site."</p> <h2>Licensing</h2> <p>"The FinalBuilder licensing model is flexible enough that it allowed FinalBuilder usage to grow within PlateSpin, and it allowed us the ability to give all developers access to the tool. We started off with licenses for two people but soon expanded as different functional groups wanted to use FinalBuilder. FinalBuilder is now used extensively by the development, test and IT organizations."</p> <h2>At PlateSpin FinalBuilder equals flexibility</h2> <p>"The tool is able to handle so many different situations while making it easy to maintain and adapt to changing environments.  Both our developers and testers use it for our production build processes on our two products - PowerConvert and PowerRecon. "</p> <p>"Using FinalBuilder's variables and workflow actions, we're able to dynamically alter the build process by changing a few variables on the fly.  This really solved our previous batch-file-spaghetti-mess!"</p> <p>"The error reporting and build summary functions make it straightforward to pinpoint build problems and find a resolution. We are usually able to identify build failures in about 30 seconds with the help of the detailed log that FinalBuilder provides."</p> <p>"We have also found ways to use FinalBuilder for tasks other than automated builds.  In Test Engineering we had problems finding efficient solutions to two problems. The first was finding a way to bootstrap our automation with something that is understandable and maintainable by all members of the test team. The second is sending out various metrics to teams on a regular interval.  To tackle these problems we decided to use FinalBuilder."</p> <h2>At PlateSpin FinalBuilder can solve 95% of build headaches leading to increased ROI</h2> <p>"By using FinalBuilder we got out of a build process that wasn’t maintainable and into something that was manageable by almost anyone.  We can now run a build quickly and easily, which saves us a significant amount of time and money.  The builds are easy to start, allowing anyone on the team to run them. This helps turn issues around quickly as there isn't one person holding up the build. If our build manager goes on vacation we know we’ll be OK because FinalBuilder takes care of all the details. On the testing side we now have an automation boot strap process and infrastructure that is as flexible and maintainable as our build process. "</p> <h2>Conclusion</h2> <p>"FinalBuilder has revolutionized the way that PlateSpin builds its products. It has given us the ability to side-step a lot of issues that are common to an unstructured build process.  This tool is much more than a build tool as we use it across the organization and are consistently finding new and interesting uses for it. FinalBuilder is a pleasure to use and is a great addition to the toolset at PlateSpin. This tool doesn’t interfere with our process or introduce more complexity. It allows us to do things quickly, easily and painlessly. For these reasons, and more, FinalBuilder has easily become the standard build tool at PlateSpin."</p> <h2>About PlateSpin</h2> <p>PlateSpin is one of the new breed of start-ups that are thriving in today’s markets; focusing on solving difficult business problems with truly innovative technology. The enterprise datacenter is very complicated and difficult to manage. With shrinking budgets and increased capability expectations, datacenter managers are looking for a change. In March of 2003 PlateSpin Ltd was founded to address these needs. Recognizing the changing trends in the datacenter – a move back to virtualization and consolidation – PlateSpin tackles the challenge of how datacenter managers can more easily leverage the benefits that these trends are promising.</p> <h2>About PlateSpin's Products</h2> <p>PlateSpin PowerConvert streams servers between physical machines, blade infrastructures, virtual machines, and image archives over the network. PlateSpin PowerConvert is used in some of the world's largest data centers for accelerated server consolidations, rapid disaster recovery, automated test lab deployment, and ongoing data center optimization</p> <p>PlateSpin PowerRecon provides new levels of intelligence and visual analysis for consolidating and optimizing the data center by collecting hardware, software and services inventory with absolutely no manual effort or disruptive agent technology.</p> <h2>About VSoft Technologies</h2> <p>VSoft Technologies have been in business since 1996, and are focused on developing automation software for software developers, software configuration managers, system administrators, network administrators and IT professionals.  Both FinalBuilder and Automise save time and money, and at the same time being easy to use, flexible and powerful solutions to automation tasks.</p> <p>Visit our website at either <a href="https://www.finalbuilder.com">https://www.finalbuilder.com</a> to find out more information and to download fully functional 30 day evaluation editions.</p> <p>FinalBuilder™ is a Trade Mark of VSoft Technologies Pty Ltd. All other product and company names listed are trademarks or trade names of their respective companies.</p> 768Case Study: Alter Ego and FinalBuilderhttps://www.finalbuilder.com/resources/blogs/postid/770/case-study-alter-ego-and-finalbuilderCase Study,FinalBuilderTue, 07 Mar 2006 23:55:00 GMT<h2>Case Study: FinalBuilder and Alter Ego Services</h2> <p><img align="right" alt="Q++Studio logo.png" height="82" src="/Portals/0/ArticleImages/Q++Studio%20logo.png" style="border-width: 0px; border-style: solid; float: right;" width="317" /></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p>Olivier Beltrami, owner of Alter Ego Services, talks about how FinalBuilder is an essential tool that they just couldn't do without.</p> <h2>Overview</h2> <p>"Apart from the obvious benefit of automating our software builds, FinalBuilder has allowed us to automate website updates when new data becomes available. Our site, www.qppstudio.net, contains the public holidays of 239 countries around the world and is now the leading source of public holiday information on the Web. The site, although free, has generated many leads for our Q++ Studio diary typesetting software system."</p> <h2>Challenges faced</h2> <p>"Propagating minor changes in data all the way to the web is a complex task. Firstly, the public holiday rules database needs to be updated, then new dates calculated from these modified rules. Then the relevant web pages need to be updated. This usually involves a lot of tweaking of the HTML and JavaScript code. Finally, the updated pages need to be uploaded reliably. FinalBuilder handles the entire process for both Q++ and the web site - from compiling our applications, creating installers, running Front page, HTML Protector, HTML De-Tagger, lots of text manipulation, and of course uploading everything to our website."</p> <h2>Why Alter Ego Services chose FinalBuilder</h2> <p>"We started using FinalBuilder version 1 back in early 2001. At the time it was the only automated build tool that covered our developer toolset. Now there are many other automated build tools but, from our point of view, FinalBuilder still has a healthy lead; plus we are more than satisfied with VSoft Technologies' product and support."</p> <h2>FinalBuilder's Return on Investment</h2> <p>"Without FinalBuilder, our public holidays web site would be updated much less often. We would also be forced to use a much simpler (ie plain) interface, and would probably be left with a lot of errors and omissions. Without our site’s popularity and appeal, many of the leads that we got for our Q++ Studio diary typesetting software system might never have been generated. A single sale of Q++ Studio pays for the cost of FinalBuilder almost a hundred-fold."</p> <h2>Recommended</h2> <p> "We definitely recommend FinalBuilder. I think it should be an essential part of any developer’s tool chest. Support is great and the product constantly evolves. As far as ease of use goes, it's a piece of cake. I travel over 200 days of the year, and use it everywhere I go on both my laptop and desktop workstation."</p> <h2>About Alter Ego Services</h2> <p>Alter Ego Services is a software consulting company located in Nantes, France. Alter Ego was founded in 1999, to provide software consulting and information services for the diary publishing industry. Our regular clients are major diary and calendar publishers worldwide, to whom we provide Q++ Studio training and consulting, as well as date-related information such as world holidays.</p> <h2>About Alter Ego's products</h2> <p>Our flagship product, the Q++ Studio diary typesetting software, is currently installed at over 35 production sites in over 20 countries. Q++ Studio is a QuarkXPress-based professional software system that automates the typesetting of diaries and calendars (one year to the next, multi-lingual, customized …). It comes with a sample database of over 25 languages, public holidays in 239 countries, and it automatically calculates and inserts into diaries astronomical information such as sunrise/sunsets, moon phases, moonrise/moonset, equinoxes, solstices, zodiac signs, seasons, and most information that can be found in ephemerides.</p> <h2>About VSoft Technologies</h2> <p>VSoft Technologies have been in business since 1996, and are focused on developing automation software for software developers, software configuration managers, system administrators, network administrators and IT professionals. Both FinalBuilder and Automise save time and money by providing easy to use, flexible and powerful solutions to automation tasks. Visit our website at either https://www.finalbuilder.com to find out more information and to download fully functional 30 day evaluation editions. FinalBuilder™ is a Trade Mark of VSoft Technologies Pty Ltd. All other product and company names listed are trademarks or trade names of their respective companies.</p> 770