Build and Validate
The Build Biml and Validate Biml commands compile Biml to SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS) packages and projects. You find them in the Command Palette, on the editor title bar and the Explorer context menu of a Biml file, and on the title bar of the Live Biml Files view. Every Build and Validate run includes the .biml files of your Live set, which Editing Biml describes.
Output Targets
Besides SSIS, BimlExpress writes output for Azure Data Factory, Microsoft Fabric, SQL Server Analysis Services (SSAS) multidimensional and SSAS tabular. It writes the output of each target to its own Target Folder.
| Target | Target Folder setting | Default folder | Files written |
|---|---|---|---|
| SSIS | Ssis: Target Folder (bimlexpress.ssis.targetFolder) | output/ssis | .dtsx and .conmgr files |
| Azure Data Factory | Adf: Target Folder (bimlexpress.adf.targetFolder) | output/adf | .json files |
| Microsoft Fabric | Microsoft Fabric: Target Folder (bimlexpress.microsoftFabric.targetFolder) | output/fabric | Microsoft Fabric .json files |
| SSAS Multidimensional | Ssas › Multidimensional: Target Folder (bimlexpress.ssas.multidimensional.targetFolder) | output/ssas/multidimensional | .dwproj, .cube and other SSAS files |
| SSAS Tabular | Ssas › Tabular: Target Folder (bimlexpress.ssas.tabular.targetFolder) | output/ssas/tabular | .bim files |
Each target also has two settings of its own, both off (false) by default:
- Overwrite Without Prompting overwrites existing files of that target without prompting you.
- Clean Target Folder removes all files and folders from the Target Folder of that target before building.
| Target | Overwrite Without Prompting | Clean Target Folder |
|---|---|---|
| SSIS | bimlexpress.ssis.overwriteWithoutPrompting | bimlexpress.ssis.cleanTargetFolder |
| Azure Data Factory | bimlexpress.adf.overwriteWithoutPrompting | bimlexpress.adf.cleanTargetFolder |
| Microsoft Fabric | bimlexpress.microsoftFabric.overwriteWithoutPrompting | bimlexpress.microsoftFabric.cleanTargetFolder |
| SSAS Multidimensional | bimlexpress.ssas.multidimensional.overwriteWithoutPrompting | bimlexpress.ssas.multidimensional.cleanTargetFolder |
| SSAS Tabular | bimlexpress.ssas.tabular.overwriteWithoutPrompting | bimlexpress.ssas.tabular.cleanTargetFolder |
SSIS Settings
- Ssis: Version (
bimlexpress.ssis.version) controls which SSIS version your packages target, fromSsis2005throughSsis2008,Ssis2008R2,Ssis2012,Ssis2014,Ssis2016,Ssis2017,Ssis2019andSsis2022toSsis2025. The default isSsis2019. - Ssis: Deployment Model (
bimlexpress.ssis.deploymentModel) chooses theProjector thePackagedeployment model. The default isProject. The setting applies to SSIS 2012 and higher. - Ssis: Reuse Existing Connection Manager Guids (
bimlexpress.ssis.reuseExistingConnectionManagerGuids) reuses the GUIDs of existing.conmgrfiles in matching connection managers, so references from other packages keep working when you rebuild. It is on (true) by default and applies to SSIS 2012 and higher with the Project deployment model.
Azure Data Factory and Microsoft Fabric
Adf: Version (bimlexpress.adf.version) chooses the data factory target. AdfNative, the default, emits Azure Data Factory resources. AdfFabric emits Microsoft Fabric Data Factory resources.
Azure Data Factory and Microsoft Fabric output needs the Pro emission entitlement on your license. When a build asks for those targets and your signed-in session does not carry the entitlement, BimlExpress writes nothing for them, and one line in the build output names the Pro emission entitlement the session needs. The Pro status row of the BimlExpress Account view reads off while your product key withholds the entitlement. Account and Licensing describes the account view.
Where Settings Live
Every folder setting accepts a path relative to the root of your workspace or an absolute path.
Every setting on this page can be set as a User setting or as a Workspace setting. When both are set, the Workspace setting wins.
Build Errors
A build error names its cause on the first line, together with the build worker that ran. One remediation line follows and names the setting to change. A build that needs OLE DB providers, DPAPI protection levels or Script Task and Script Component compilation on macOS or Linux says that it needs the Windows build worker, which The Build Worker describes.
The Open Last Build Output command opens the output of the last build. In the Live Biml Files view, the Show Generated Artifacts action on a file shows the artifacts a build generated.