The first step for getting started with Biml is installing BIDS Helper. If you haven't already, please see the instructions available at the Download and Installation page.

To create a Biml file:

1. Begin by opening BIDS / SSDT and creating a new SSIS project.
2. Name the project Getting Started with BimlScript.
3. Right-click on the SSIS Packages folder inside Solution Explorer, and then click Add New Biml File. Note that you can add a new Biml file by right-clicking the Data Sources, Data Source Views, or SSIS Packages folders, as well as the project itself.
4. A file, named BimlScript.biml, will be added to the Miscellaneous folder in the project.
5. Rename the file to My Package.biml.

Now that a Biml file has been created, let’s start writing Biml:

1. Double-click My Package.biml to open it in the Visual Studio editor. You’ll see that opening and closing Biml tags have already been added.
2. Add the following Biml between the Biml tags.

<Packages>  
    <Package Name="MyPackage" ConstraintMode="Linear">    
        <Tasks>   
            <Dataflow Name="My Data Flow">   
            </Dataflow>   
        </Tasks>    
    </Package>   
</Packages>  

Note that if syntax highlighting and intellisense aren’t working, instructions for enabling them are on the Download and Installation page.

With our Biml added, we can now generate a SSIS package:

1. Right click the My Package.biml file. In its context menu, click Generate SSIS Packages.
2. After a few moments, you’ll see that a new package named MyPackage.dtsx has been added in the SSIS Packages folder. Double click MyPackage.dtsx to open it.

By clicking on Generate SSIS Packages, the Biml file was sent to the Biml engine, which is included in BIDS Helper. The Biml engine then compiled the Biml file to create the SSIS package. Finally, the newly generated package was added to the SSIS project.

Next walkthrough in the Getting Started with BimlScript series: Getting Started with BimlScript - Part 2