Troubleshooting Post Compile

Troubleshooting PostCompile.CMD Not Running

Overview

PostCompile.CMD (or PostBuildEvent) is controlled by MSBuild, not the VS Code extension. It only runs when MSBuild considers the build successful.

Why PostCompile Doesn't Run

From your build log, we can see:

• MSBuild exit code was non-zero (build failed)
• 0 warnings, 0 errors shown in terminal
• But 29 problems appear in Problems panel
• Red error flash at start about FileLogger syntax

The Issue

MSBuild thinks the build failed (hence no PostCompile), but the actual compilation succeeded. This mismatch happens because:

1. FileLogger syntax error - The red flash at start means MSBuild had trouble with the logging configuration
2. Conditional OMIT/COMPILE file definitions - These are causing validation warnings that MSBuild may be treating as errors

Solution 1: Check Your .cwproj File

Open your .cwproj file and look for the <PostBuildEvent> section. You can configure it to run even on failures:

<PostBuildEvent>
  <Command>PostCompile.cmd</Command>
  <ExecuteOn>Always</ExecuteOn>  <!-- Options: OnSuccess, OnError, Always -->
</PostBuildEvent>

Or in PropertyGroup:

<PropertyGroup>
  <PostBuildEvent>PostCompile.cmd</PostBuildEvent>
  <RunPostBuildEvent>Always</RunPostBuildEvent>  <!-- Options: OnBuildSuccess, OnOutputUpdated, Always -->
</PropertyGroup>

Solution 2: Disable File Logger Temporarily

The extension uses a file logger to capture build output. Try disabling it temporarily:

1. Open VS Code Settings (Ctrl+,)
2. Search for "clarion build"
3. Change Clarion: Build > Reveal Output to "always"
4. Change Clarion: Build > Show In Output Panel to checked
5. Build again and check if PostCompile runs

Solution 3: Check OMIT/COMPILE Issues

The 29 problems related to conditional OMIT/COMPILE file definitions need investigation:

1. Open the Problems panel (Ctrl+Shift+M)
2. Look at the specific errors
3. These might be false positives from the language server validation
4. Share the exact error messages so we can fix the validation logic

Getting More Information

To help us diagnose, please:

1. Enable verbose build output:

   • Settings → Search "clarion build"
   • Check Clarion: Build > Show In Output Panel
   • Check Clarion: Build > Preserve Log File

2. Build again and collect:

   • The build_output.log file from your solution directory
   • Screenshot of the Problems panel showing the 29 errors
   • The exact red error message that flashes (you may need to record screen)

3. Check if PostBuild would run:

   • Open terminal in your solution directory
   • Run: msbuild YourProject.cwproj /t:build /p:Configuration=Debug
   • See if PostCompile.cmd runs with direct MSBuild

Workaround

Until this is fixed, you can:

1. Run PostCompile.cmd manually after builds
2. Create a VS Code task that runs both build and PostCompile
3. Add the PostCompile logic directly in the build process

Next Steps

Based on the red FileLogger error you're seeing, we need to:

1. Fix the FileLogger command line syntax in the extension
2. Investigate why OMIT/COMPILE structures trigger false validation errors
3. Possibly add a setting to run PostCompile commands from the extension itself