Updating Project-specific Metalanguage Files

As described in  Custom VB6 Language Replacement, gmStudio allows users to modify the system metalanguage files that control how the tool recognizes, interprets, and authors code. This is done by configuring the tool to use a project-specific copy of the default metalanguage files. However, product updates frequently include changes to the default metalanguage files, so care must be taken to make your modified files remain compatible with the system defaults. The Configuration Form facilitates this by helping you compare and merge the system default files with your project-specific files.  This can also be helpful if you want to review changes or remove a change from your project specific files.

The steps for getting back in sync are as follows:

  1. Make a backup of your project-specific files before starting the merge so you can use it to recover if you make a mistake.
     
  2. Compare each of your modified system files to the system default and differences into your custom copy. The Configuration Form will help you do this using a file comparison tool such as Beyond Compare if you have configured one for your installation.
     
  3. After you have synced all of your custom metalanguage scripts with the new system default script, rebuild your project specific metalanguage file.

 

 

Be careful not to change the system default files when you are doing the merge.

It is a best practice to keep your migration solution, including all configuration files and the installers for gmStudio, under version control.

An alternative to making project-specific copies of metalang source files is to use a mig.VB7Lang.xml file. See the example here: Custom VB6 Language Replacement#Example:ChangingtranslationofValforVB.NET