How can I automate getting the date of build into a constant visible to my code?

Question

I would like to define in my code a constant holding the date on which the executable was built. I would naturally like to automate that process.

I know that I can w

Answer 1

Any version of Delphi, just windows batch to create an .inc file before build. No IDE needed at all.

Here the script:

REM CommandInterpreter: $(COMSPEC)
@echo off

setlocal enabledelayedexpansion  
setlocal
rem determine project top level directory from command file name
set PRJDIR=%~dp0
cd %PRJDIR%

set BUILD_DATE_FILE=%PRJDIR%Source\BuildDate.inc

call :GetGurrentDateTime&set BUILD_YEAR=!current_year!&set BUILD_MONTH=!current_month!&set BUILD_DAY=!current_day!&set BUILD_TIME=!current_time!

echo const BUILD_YEAR = %BUILD_YEAR%;> "%BUILD_DATE_FILE%"
:: 3 letter name Apr for April
echo const BUILD_MONTH = '%BUILD_MONTH%';>> "%BUILD_DATE_FILE%"
echo const BUILD_DAY = %BUILD_DAY%;>> "%BUILD_DATE_FILE%"
echo const BUILD_TIME = '%BUILD_TIME%';>> "%BUILD_DATE_FILE%"

goto :EOF
echo Done
exit /b 0

:GetGurrentDateTime
rem GET CURRENT DATE
echo.>"%TEMP%\~.ddf"
makecab /D RptFileName="%TEMP%\~.rpt" /D InfFileName="%TEMP%\~.inf" -f "%TEMP%\~.ddf">nul
for /f "tokens=4,5,6,7" %%a in ('type "%TEMP%\~.rpt"') do (
    if not defined current_date ( 
        set "current_date=%%d-%%a-%%b"
        set "current_time=%%c"   
    set "current_year=%%d"
    set "current_month=%%a"
    set "current_day=%%b"
    )
)

In the source code just include BuildDate.inc file and use consts BUILD_*.