# Feature Requests **URL:** https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/c/finalbuilder/feature-requests/9.md?page=17 [Latest](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/latest.md) · [Categories](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/categories.md) · [Tags](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/tags.md) **Page:** 18 --- ## [Some more options for variables](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/t/some-more-options-for-variables/3751)
**Author:** [@deleted\_user](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/u/deleted_user)\ **Replies:** 12\ **Last updated:** [December 6, 2006, 3:59am UTC](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/t/some-more-options-for-variables/3751 "2006-12-06T03:59:38Z")
I have a few requests regarding variables: First, could you make it so that FinalBuilder is able to use the same generated variables as on the command line. The ones I’m specifically interested in are %DATE%, %TIME%, %… --- ## [Tweaking the ctrl+arrow key sequences in action lists](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/t/tweaking-the-ctrl-arrow-key-sequences-in-action-lists/3786)
**Author:** [@stevage](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/u/stevage)\ **Replies:** 0\ **Last updated:** [December 6, 2006, 1:26am UTC](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/t/tweaking-the-ctrl-arrow-key-sequences-in-action-lists/3786 "2006-12-06T01:26:39Z")
Generally, I really like the ctrl+arrowkey sequences for rearranging the tree structure of an action list. Sometimes the results are slightly unexpected, but generally with a bit of fiddling, you can move any item anywhe… --- ## [Limitations of Path Manipulation action](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/t/limitations-of-path-manipulation-action/3784)
**Author:** [@andreas.axelsson](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/u/andreas.axelsson)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [December 1, 2006, 12:16pm UTC](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/t/limitations-of-path-manipulation-action/3784 "2006-12-01T12:16:38Z")
The Path Manipulation action has several options to chose from, but it’s still very limited. To get a filename without extension one needs to run two actions, with multiple intermediate variables. I suggest the action is… --- ## [Two variable requests](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/t/two-variable-requests/3777)
**Author:** [@stevage](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/u/stevage)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [December 1, 2006, 12:14pm UTC](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/t/two-variable-requests/3777 "2006-12-01T12:14:24Z")
Cascading variable renames: When you rename a variable, it’d be nice to rename all the %references% to it automatically. Theoretically this should be easy, since you already have search/replace, right? :slight\_smile: 2… --- ## [Team Foundation Server actions](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/t/team-foundation-server-actions/3752)
**Author:** [@deleted\_user](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/u/deleted_user)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [December 1, 2006, 8:56am UTC](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/t/team-foundation-server-actions/3752 "2006-12-01T08:56:10Z")
I have 2 requests for under the heading of TFS: First, there is no action for creating or destroying a workspace. For my nightly builds I want to make sure that I start with a fresh workspace each time so I destory and… --- ## [Variables](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/t/variables/3783)
**Author:** [@stevage](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/u/stevage)\ **Replies:** 0\ **Last updated:** [November 30, 2006, 4:09am UTC](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/t/variables/3783 "2006-11-30T04:09:38Z")
A few related wishes for variables: 1) Categorising. I’m getting quite a few variables now and it’s getting harder to keep them under control. If I could assign them to categories, like “Directory”, “Temporary”, “Counte… --- ## [Touch directories](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/t/touch-directories/3782)
**Author:** [@stevage](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/u/stevage)\ **Replies:** 0\ **Last updated:** [November 27, 2006, 5:11am UTC](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/t/touch-directories/3782 "2006-11-27T05:11:08Z")
Touch can set the date of files, but not directories (or so it seems). Could this be changed? (We do this…) Steve --- ## [File Contents Iterator +regexp](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/t/file-contents-iterator-regexp/3781)
**Author:** [@stevage](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/u/stevage)\ **Replies:** 0\ **Last updated:** [November 27, 2006, 2:27am UTC](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/t/file-contents-iterator-regexp/3781 "2006-11-27T02:27:14Z")
A “Ignore lines not matching this regexp” option on the File Contents Iterator would be great for file parsing. You can obviously do it with a separate step, but then you end up with a massive log file full of lines th… --- ## [Making Touch parameterised](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/t/making-touch-parameterised/3780)
**Author:** [@stevage](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/u/stevage)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [November 27, 2006, 1:52am UTC](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/t/making-touch-parameterised/3780 "2006-11-27T01:52:22Z")
Doesn’t look like you can use it to set an arbitrary date chosen at run time… Steve --- ## [Text Find/Replace => Store matches in variables](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/t/text-find-replace-gt-store-matches-in-variables/3779)
**Author:** [@stevage](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/u/stevage)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [November 24, 2006, 2:58am UTC](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/t/text-find-replace-gt-store-matches-in-variables/3779 "2006-11-24T02:58:29Z")
A pretty likely thing you’d want to do with a text find is to pull out the version number in a line like this: #DEFINE productversion “1.0 beta" I can think of two ways of doing this and they’re both fairly kludgy: 1… --- ## [Estimating progress of compiling](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/t/estimating-progress-of-compiling/3776)
**Author:** [@stevage](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/u/stevage)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [November 23, 2006, 7:45am UTC](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/t/estimating-progress-of-compiling/3776 "2006-11-23T07:45:41Z")
Ok this is pure wishlist stuff :slight\_smile: How about tracking the number of lines of output when a process like compiling finishes successfully, and using that to provide a better estimate of progress on the next com… --- ## [If X in Y](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/t/if-x-in-y/3773)
**Author:** [@stevage](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/u/stevage)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [November 23, 2006, 5:40am UTC](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/t/if-x-in-y/3773 "2006-11-23T05:40:46Z")
Extending “If…Then” to allow “If X in Y” type expressions. Or perhaps there is already an elegant way to do this? For example, "If buildtype in (release, debug)…" Steve --- ## [Returning to the main action list after every run](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/t/returning-to-the-main-action-list-after-every-run/3775)
**Author:** [@stevage](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/u/stevage)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [November 23, 2006, 4:03am UTC](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/t/returning-to-the-main-action-list-after-every-run/3775 "2006-11-23T04:03:57Z")
It’s kind of annoying that even when you run a single step on any action list, FB always focuses back to the main action list afterwards. Especially if you have to scroll several times to get back to that action list… I… --- ## [List Iterator - custom delimiter, optional blank-skip](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/t/list-iterator-custom-delimiter-optional-blank-skip/3764)
**Author:** [@deleted\_user](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/u/deleted_user)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [November 22, 2006, 12:00pm UTC](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/t/list-iterator-custom-delimiter-optional-blank-skip/3764 "2006-11-22T12:00:42Z")
I’d like to see 2 options added to the list iterator action: First it would be nice to be able to change the item seperator character (I assume that the default is CR/LF). A similiar request was made here: https://www.… --- ## [Show full log -> Show in context](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/t/show-full-log-gt-show-in-context/3771)
**Author:** [@stevage](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/u/stevage)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [November 22, 2006, 6:20am UTC](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/t/show-full-log-gt-show-in-context/3771 "2006-11-22T06:20:15Z")
The “show in context” pop up menu choice is nice: you see context, and the node you’re on is still visible. However, the “Show full log” option collapses the entire tree, forcing you to navigate back down to that node. C… --- ## [Build error status](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/t/build-error-status/3772)
**Author:** [@stevage](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/u/stevage)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [November 22, 2006, 5:37am UTC](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/t/build-error-status/3772 "2006-11-22T05:37:08Z")
There are a few things about the way that run/step over/breakpoints etc work that seem strange compared to Microsoft or Borland IDEs but I can’t quite put my finger on them. One, though, is that when a build hits an er… --- ## [Drag-drop behaviour](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/t/drag-drop-behaviour/3770)
**Author:** [@stevage](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/u/stevage)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [November 22, 2006, 4:20am UTC](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/t/drag-drop-behaviour/3770 "2006-11-22T04:20:40Z")
Hi, Half annoyance, half wishlist, half bug…not sure :slight\_smile: Basically, when you drag/drop actions, depending on exactly where you’re trying to drop to, you either get that thin line with the little pointers, o… --- ## [Write to Text File -> Overwrite](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/t/write-to-text-file-gt-overwrite/3768)
**Author:** [@stevage](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/u/stevage)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [November 22, 2006, 4:09am UTC](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/t/write-to-text-file-gt-overwrite/3768 "2006-11-22T04:09:35Z")
Either had a new radio button ‘Overwrite file’ or a new checkbox ‘Delete file if it exists’… Yes, there’s an obvious workaround :slight\_smile: Steve --- ## [Traceability of steps](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/t/traceability-of-steps/3766)
**Author:** [@stevage](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/u/stevage)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [November 21, 2006, 11:39am UTC](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/t/traceability-of-steps/3766 "2006-11-21T11:39:46Z")
This would be a fairly major change, I think. I’m used to the way a vaguely similar product that I used to work on behaved, so I guess I’m missing that…anyway: It doesn’t seem obvious to me how to answer the question: "… --- ## [Text Find / Replace => Fail if not exactly](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/t/text-find-replace-gt-fail-if-not-exactly/3767)
**Author:** [@stevage](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/u/stevage)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [November 21, 2006, 11:36am UTC](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/t/text-find-replace-gt-fail-if-not-exactly/3767 "2006-11-21T11:36:54Z")
Slightly surprising that you can’t fail if the number of matches is not equal to a value. Perhaps the “is less” and “is more” options could be made not mutually exclusive? In my case, I want to replace 1 piece of text. … --- ## [Variable refreshing](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/t/variable-refreshing/3765)
**Author:** [@stevage](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/u/stevage)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [November 21, 2006, 7:36am UTC](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/t/variable-refreshing/3765 "2006-11-21T07:36:16Z")
It would be nice if the values of the variables in the Project tab would update more frequently. In particular, when stepping over any action which could update a project variable (notably, a Set Variable action…) Also,… --- ## [Search packages](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/t/search-packages/3760)
**Author:** [@stevage](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/u/stevage)\ **Replies:** 7\ **Last updated:** [November 21, 2006, 3:46am UTC](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/t/search-packages/3760 "2006-11-21T03:46:01Z")
Being able to select an action from the huge list by typing a few letters is fantastic. However, if nothing comes up, one is always left with the niggling doubt that perhaps such an action does exist, but is in a package… --- ## [Extra functionality for MKS Actions](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/t/extra-functionality-for-mks-actions/3763)
**Author:** [@pj\_kwiksystems](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/u/pj_kwiksystems)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [November 20, 2006, 12:15pm UTC](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/t/extra-functionality-for-mks-actions/3763 "2006-11-20T12:15:10Z")
Would it be possible to add the Freeze (and as I think the arguments are identical Thaw) to the MKS actions? Cheers Paul James --- ## [Iterate over string](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/t/iterate-over-string/3756)
**Author:** [@stevage](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/u/stevage)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [November 17, 2006, 12:02pm UTC](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/t/iterate-over-string/3756 "2006-11-17T12:02:37Z")
Suggestion: extend the “List Iterator” to allow iteration over a string with some defined delimiter. The main advantage of course is that you can store a string in a variable, so this would mean you could store a list in… --- ## [Half-arsed batch file replacement](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/t/half-arsed-batch-file-replacement/3761)
**Author:** [@stevage](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/u/stevage)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [November 17, 2006, 8:49am UTC](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/t/half-arsed-batch-file-replacement/3761 "2006-11-17T08:49:38Z")
What I’m basically using FB for is to replace a series of batch files. It occurs to me that a nice way of stepping into this quagmire would be to be able to paste batch files (or any other line-by-line scripting language… --- ## [On the fly variable declaration](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/t/on-the-fly-variable-declaration/3759)
**Author:** [@stevage](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/u/stevage)\ **Replies:** 5\ **Last updated:** [November 17, 2006, 4:52am UTC](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/t/on-the-fly-variable-declaration/3759 "2006-11-17T04:52:01Z")
How about being able to define new variables from within other action steps. So your workflow could look like: 1. New Action (eg, Ini File Iterator) 2. In Variable drop down box, select hypothetical “New variable…” entr… --- ## [Comments](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/t/comments/3762)
**Author:** [@stevage](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/u/stevage)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [November 17, 2006, 3:58am UTC](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/t/comments/3762 "2006-11-17T03:58:10Z")
The current ‘comment’ action is a little clunky imho - you have to actually open up the comment to see what it says. It’d be a bit nicer if the name of the action defaulted to the comment itself. Also, would it be possi… --- ## [Printing out workflow](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/t/printing-out-workflow/3757)
**Author:** [@stevage](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/u/stevage)\ **Replies:** 7\ **Last updated:** [November 16, 2006, 7:02am UTC](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/t/printing-out-workflow/3757 "2006-11-16T07:02:01Z")
Interestingly enough, FinalBuilder is actually pretty good at describing a workflow - all the steps one goes through to produce an end product. It’s probably even worthwhile adding in comments like “Now Bill makes an ent… --- ## [Load fileset](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/t/load-fileset/3758)
**Author:** [@stevage](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/u/stevage)\ **Replies:** 5\ **Last updated:** [November 16, 2006, 6:42am UTC](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/t/load-fileset/3758 "2006-11-16T06:42:36Z")
I see that filesets are generally defined in terms of patterns (\*.doc, or “all hidden files”). However, we frequently work with sets of arbitrary files defined in text files. That is, file “files.fls” contains: readme.t… --- ## [SFTP / SCP Support](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/t/sftp-scp-support/3704)
**Author:** [@bcrooker](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/u/bcrooker)\ **Replies:** 7\ **Last updated:** [November 15, 2006, 12:32pm UTC](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/t/sftp-scp-support/3704 "2006-11-15T12:32:14Z")
One of our file repositories is only accessible via SFTP (using a custom port number) - support for this in FinalBuilder would be great! Basically with the same set of operations that the FTP actions have. Regards, Br… [Previous page](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/c/finalbuilder/feature-requests/9.md?page=16) [Next page](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/c/finalbuilder/feature-requests/9.md?page=18)