To build a COBOL project

If you use the IDE to build the project:

1. Specify the build configuration.

   Use the Configuration Manager to choose the build configuration to use for your project or solution.

2. Set properties for your projects such as, for example:
   • On the Application tab, specify the type of executable to build, such as a class library or an application

     For some native COBOL project types, you can specify whether to build the source code to a single executable or produce individual executables for each COBOL program in your project.

   • On the COBOL tab, specify how to build the project, such as Compiler directives
   • On the COBOL Link tab of the properties for native projects, specify any link settings and the run-time system to link to
   • On the Copybook Paths tab, specify the copybook locations
   • On the Debug tab, choose the build configuration, such as Debug or Release
3. From Solution Explorer, add an application configuration file to a native project and use it to set any required environment variables and COBOL switches.
4. Build the project, by clicking Build > Build project name.

If building outside of the IDE, use MSBuild at the command line as follows:

1. Click Start > All Programs > Micro Focus Visual COBOL > Tools > Visual COBOL Command Prompt to start the Visual COBOL command prompt.
2. From the command prompt, navigate to the project directory.
3. Run the following command to build the solution or the project:

   MSBuild SolutionName.sln

   or:

   MSBuild ProjectName.cblproj

   To view the MSBuild command line options, execute:

   MSBuild /?