• on non-shared projects: the external component is available on the network for example and it can be used by any project. See Creating and distributing an external component for more details.
• on the projects found in the repository (SCM): the external component can be created from a project found in the SCM and it can be made available to the other projects also found in the SCM.

Principle

Creating the external component

1. Create a project. This project will contain all the component elements. This project must be found in the SCM.
2. When all component elements are created, you have the ability to generate the external component:
   • Select (if necessary) the project configuration corresponding to the component (in the "Project explorer" pane).
   • Click among the quick access buttons and select "Generate a component".
3. Check in (if necessary) the elements checked out from the project.
4. In the wizard for creating the external component, specify the requested options. The main point concerns the options for publishing the external component (screen named "Reusability Center").
   By default, the external component is generated in the EXE directory of the project (or in the directory corresponding to the project configuration of the component). The files corresponding to the external component can be used by any project.
   You also have the ability to "publish" the external component in the SCM, which means copy the files of the external component into a specific directory of SCM. In this case, the external component can be easily included in other SCM projects.
   To publish the external component in the SCM:
   • Check "Publish the component in the following SCM directory".
   • Specify the publishing directory. This directory is relative to the SCM repository. You can for example group all the external components found in the SCM in a single directory. The "New directory" popup menu is used create a specific directory.
     Remark: An external component that is published in SCM cannot be included in the Reusability Center.
5. Validate the creation of external component.
6. Validate the publication in the SCM.

Principle

• a file,
• SCM,
• Reusability Center.

Using an external component found in the SCM

1. Open the project.
2. On the "Project" pane, in the "Project" group, expand "Import" and select "An external component .. From SCM".
3. The screen allows you to:
   • find all the external components found in the SCM repository ("Find" tab). Caution: this operation can take quite a long time.
   • browse the different directories of SCM to find the external component ("Browse" tab). This operation is recommended but you must know the generation directory of the component in the SCM.
4. Select the requested external component and validate.
5. The external component is included in the project and the description window of the component is displayed. Validate.
6. The external component can be used in the project.

Versions 21 and later
Remark: From version 21, the SCM speed for handling external components was optimized. The number of check-outs was reduced.

New in version 21
Remark: From version 21, the SCM speed for handling external components was optimized. The number of check-outs was reduced.

Remark: From version 21, the SCM speed for handling external components was optimized. The number of check-outs was reduced.

Special case: Replacing an external component by an external component coming from the SCM

1. Open the project.
2. In the project explorer:
   • Select the "External components" folder.
   • Display the popup menu of the folder (right mouse click).
   • Select "List of external components imported into the project".
3. The window that is displayed lists the external components found in the project.
4. To replace the existing component by the external component found in the SCM, click the "Import (SCM)" button and select the external component.