File types and format

There are 3 types of file in which build configuration data can be stored:

.au3  AutoIt scripts (if you don't mind the data there).
.cfg  A file local to your script, its extension is not important.
.a3c  Project or template files when within the A3C sub directory, same as .cfg anywhere else.

When saving to build config files regardless of its extension; the following rules exist:

* If AutoCamo detects the following encapsulation tags within the file; it will replace all lines between the tags with the current config data leaving the rest of the file alone:

#cs A3C ;  <- Config data would be placed here. #ce ;A3C

If the tags are not found and you are saving to an au3 file the config data will be added to the top of the script including the tags. Any other config file type without tags will have its entire contents replaced!

* When using grouped build options within a tagged config it is important to terminate the last group with an empty group header:

#cs A3C A3C_IN   = MyScript.au3 [A3C_VER] FileDescription = My script FileVersion     = 1.0.0.0 ProductVersion  = 1.0.0.0 ;  v- Empty group header line. [] #ce ;A3C

AC will add this empty group itself when saving to tagged files, but if writing a config by hand you must remember it.

Options split between files

Build options are always gathered from multiple locations, for example whenever you load any build config file AC also loads any user default options from the file USR.pref.

In addition to this the user can split their build options between multiple files, for example having important options stored within the source and basic options stored within a separate config file which is used to load the project.

This does add a degree of flexibility when building, but also offers a major problem when saving.

AC does not track from what files what options came from, saving from the interface occurs on a single file as a global list of the options currently set in the gui.

Putting the options in multiple files is only really for users that are willing or used to maintaining these files by hand.

Two build options which deal with this are:

A3C_IN  : Used in config files to specify the input script. Options in the input source are always loaded.

A3C_INC : Include build options from chosen file, only one instance of this option can exist per config file.