How to create a "release" build of my site

[Steve Franks]

I'm using Visual Studio 2005 RC and cannot figure out how to produce a
"release" build. Am I doing something wrong?

I'm wondering if perhaps MS locked out the ability to produce a release
build when using the RC since it does not have a go-live license? Or maybe
I'm just doing something wrong.

I do not want to go live with a release build. Rather I just want to test
locally to see if there is a performance difference and also to make sure
there are no bugs/surprised when compiling in release mode.

Anyway, I'm just going to Build->Configuration Manage and choosing the first
drop down from "debug" to "release". Below that however the only dropdown
option under configuration is Debug.

Whenever do a "rebuild site" with this set to Release, it says this at the
start of the output:
------ Build started: Project: D:\...\myprog\, Configuration: Debug
..NET ------

So am I doing something wrong or is it not possible to produce a Release
build with the RC bits?

Thanks,

Steve

 

[Juan T. Llibre]

Since 2005 doesn't build "single assembly" websites any more,
"release build" only applies to class assemblies or executables..

 

[Steve Franks]

Thanks. So in other words, even though it says it is doing a "debug" compile
the code is already optimized for production/release?

I realize we of course still need to write efficient code. But I'm still
wondering a bit about the efficiency of the compiled code in this mode. For
instance, for run-time debugging doesn't their need to be extra info
embedded into the files and such? I'm used to the idea of extra bloat being
associated with debug builds. Since the run-time is taking care of
compiling .aspx files into ready-to-run code, is it always optimizing the
generated code for speed and size? Are there any options for code
optimization that can be turned on or that should be considered related to
asp.net projects?

Thanks,

Steve

 

[Juan T. Llibre]

re:

Thanks. So in other words, even though it says it is doing a "debug" compile the code is
already optimized for production/release?

Remember that the page output generated is MSIL.

That MSIL output will be optimized when it's finally compiled,
with the other code and assemblies, into the final page assembly
which goes in the temporary files directory.

re:

for run-time debugging doesn't their need to be extra info embedded into the files and
such?

Not into the assemblies themselves. Into pdb files.

If you examine any application directory under your ASP.NET temp directory
(\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v2.0.50727\Temporary ASP.NET Files\yourapp)

you'll see that there's pdb files there which are used for debugging
when the debugging option is set in the configuration files
<compilation debug=True|False> section.

When you pre-compile your website,
the pdb's are not generated and the code is optimized.

re:

Are there any options for code optimization that can be turned on or that should be
considered related to asp.net projects?

Only when you build utility assemblies to place in the bin directory.
You can choose Debug or Release versions for those.