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MANAGING & TURNING IN YOUR BORLAND PROJECTS

BUILDING A PROJECT FROM SCRATCH AND SAVING IT:

Before you do anything else: as soon as Borland opens with a blank application on the screen:

  1. Select FILE | SAVE PROJECT AS.
  2. DO NOT accept the default location.
  3. Navigate to the WORKSPACE (D drive) on your computer.
  4. Create a new folder for the project you are working on.
  5. OPEN that new folder.
  6. Press SAVE twice.

Every time you make changes to your code and run your program successfully:

  1. Select FILE / SAVE ALL to back up your work.
  2. NEVER try to SAVE ALL to a different folder while you are working with Borland.

When you are finished:

  1. Select FILE / SAVE ALL to save the last copy of your work.
  2. Select FILE / CLOSE ALL to releast the project from Borland.
  3. CLOSE Borland C++ Builder.

WHAT YOUR SAVED PROJECT LOOKS LIKE:

If you open the folder in which you saved your project, you will find the following files:

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Some of these files are huge!

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These files help the Borland Integrated Development Environment (IDE) keep track of your project and they and speed up the the processes which Borland uses to create your executable file (your finished program).

Borland's single purpose is to help you create an executable file. By default it is given the name "Project1.exe." Borland translates all your programming directives into a new language called "machine code" which can be directly understood by any PC computer. Your executable file contains that machine code. That single file can be renamed, copied and run on any PC computer.

Every time your press the GREEN ARROW, the C++ code that you have modified is combined with other code that Borland manages and then translated (compiled) into a new executable. That executable cannot be edited or changed, but Borland will create a new one every time you press the GREEN ARROW.

Fortunately you don't need all these files to reconstruct your project.

MOVING YOUR SAVED PROJECT FROM PLACE TO PLACE:

NEVER try to move or copy a project folder or any of the files inside it while Borland C++ Developer is open.

  1. Select FILE / SAVE ALL to save the last copy of your work.
  2. Select FILE / CLOSE ALL to releast the project from Borland.
  3. CLOSE Borland C++ Builder.

ALWAYS use the drag-and-drop or copy/paste features of MY COMPUTER in order to:

  1. Create a backup of your project at a particular stage of development.
  2. Save your current project on a CD-ROM, a floppy disk or USB memory device.
  3. Again, you do not need to copy and save all the files inside the project folder.

FILES YOU NEED and FILES YOU DONT:

The end product of all your programming efforts will be an executable, the final Windows application that contains the machine code that any PC computer will understand. Borland takes the C++ code that you write as well as the components that you placed on your WYSIWYG form, links them with other code and compiles the results in the executable. (The executable may be copied and renamed, and as long as it contains the .exe extension it will run on any PC.) In the process of linking and compiling your program Borland creates a number of files which makes its job easier. However, Borland really only needs six (6) of these files to completely reconstruct your project and your executable, and all six (6) files will fit conveniently on one floppy.

ONLY SIX (6) FILES ARE ESSENTIAL:

If you want to move a project form one location to another, you only need to copy six (6) files. Borland will reconstruct the rest of the files when you run your project.

The six (6) files you need to keep are:

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Make sure they are in a folder by themselves...

OPENING A PREVIOUSLY SAVED PROJECT:

Under MY COMPUTER, move, copy and/or paste your saved project folder onto the D: drive.

  1. Open the folder on the D: drive.
  2. Double-click the "Project1.bpr" file.
  3. (Borland C++ Builder will then open automatically with your project loaded and ready to go.)

Alternatively, you can open Borland C++ Builder first, then:

  1. Select FILE / OPEN PROJECT.
  2. Navigate to your project folder on the D: drive and open it.
  3. Highlight "Project1.bpr."
  4. Press OPEN.

TURNING IN YOUR BORLAND PROJECTS:

Place the following items in a polyethylene sheet protector pocket when you turn them in!


The floppy disk:

  1. Copy the one (1) executable file pictured above called "Project1.exe" onto your floppy.
  2. Copy the six (6) essential files described previously onto your floppy.
  3. Put a label on the floppy with your name, class, project title and date.

A cover sheet showing an image of your application (stapled to the source code printout below):

  1. Open a new document on Microsoft Word.
  2. Run your application to the point where it shows its best features and make sure it is in FOCUS (it is selected).
  3. Do a screen grab of your application (which copies the WINDOW which is in FOCUS to the CLIPBOARD).
  4. Hold down the ALT key on your keyboard (below the "Z") and then press PRT SCR (to the right of "F12").
  5. EDIT / PASTE the image onto the Word document.
  6. Center the image and above it type in the project name, your name, class and date.
  7. Alternatively, you can open PhotoShop, select FILE / NEW. then EDIT / PASTE, then LAYER / FLATTEN and modify the image. You can then do a SELECT / ALL and EDIT / COPY to prepare to past the image into a Microsoft Word document. You can also do a FILE / SAVE AS and save the image as a JPEG (.jpg) file.

The source code printed out (stapled behind the cover sheet above):

  1. In Borland C++ Builder, bring the "Unit1.cpp" editing window under FOCUS (making sure it is selected).
  2. Select FILE / PRINT.
  3. Make the selection of options shown in the "Print Selection" Window below and press "OK."