The build process consists of a number of tasks; each of them can have prerequisites, that is the tasks that must be completed in order for the given task to start, and dependent tasks, that is the tasks that can be started only after the given task completes. Automated Build Studio enables you to apply the dependencies concept to the build macros’ design. This means that you can define dependencies between different macro parts, and Automated Build Studio will figure out the execution order of these parts and run them accordingly. This approach simplifies the creation of macros that automate complicated build processes consisting of many alternate serial and parallel tasks.

To divide your macro into parts, use the Dependent Group operation. Besides the grouping functionality, this operation lets you specify the list of the group’s prerequisites, that is, the groups that must be finished so that the current group can start. When you run a macro, Automated Build Studio analyzes the dependencies between the operation groups and runs them in the order which is determined by the dependencies.

The following image demonstrates a simple macro consisting of four dependent groups, where the Task2 and Task3 groups depend on the Task1 group, and Task4 depends on both Task2 and Task3.

According to the dependencies, the groups will be executed in the order shown on the image below. The Task2 and Task3 groups will be run concurrently.