• on non-shared projects: For example, the external component is available on the network and can be used by any project. For more details, see Creating and distributing an external component.
• on projects present in an SCM repository: The external component can be created from a project present in the SCM and shared with other projects also present in the SCM.

Principle

Creating the external component

• from an existing project, using an "External component" configuration. This configuration contains the elements of the project that the component needs to run properly.
• from an "External component" project. By default, this project only contains an "External component" configuration.

Generating the external component

1. Select (if necessary) the project configuration corresponding to the component (in the "Project explorer" pane).
2. Click in the quick access buttons and select "Generate a component".
3. Check in (if necessary) the elements checked out from the project.
4. Specify the requested options in the external component generation wizard. For more details, see Generating an external component.
   Let's focus on the options for publishing the external component ("Publish component" step):
   • 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.
   • The wizards prompts you to "publish" the external component to the SCM, i.e., copy the files from the external component to a specific directory in the SCM. In this case, the external component can be easily included in other SCM projects.

1. Check "Publish the component in the following directory of SCM".
2. Select the publication 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. You can create a specific directory via the "New directory" button in the directory selection window.
   Note: If the external component is published in the SCM, it cannot be integrated into the reusability center.
3. In the following step, the wizard prompts you to label the sources to find the version of the elements used during the creation of the component.
4. Validate the creation of the external component.
5. A dialog box confirms that the generation of the component has been completed. Publish the component in the SCM ("Publish in SCM").
6. A window appears showing the component files that were added to the repository (*.wdi, *.wdk and *.wdz, if necessary). Validate this window.
7. The component is now published and can be used by the projects in the SCM.

Principle

• a file,
• the SCM.

Using an external component found in the SCM

1. Open the project.
2. On the "Project" tab, 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). Note: This operation may take some time.
   • browse the different directories of the 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.

Special case: Replacing an external component with an external component from the SCM

1. Open the project.
2. In the "Project explorer" pane:
   • Select the "External components" folder.
   • Open the context menu of the folder (right-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.