The document is an introduction to Apache Ant, a Java-based build tool that simplifies the process of managing build scripts and automating repetitive tasks. It provides installation instructions, a basic example of a build.xml file, and explanations of key components such as targets, properties, and tasks. Additionally, it highlights the benefits of using Ant, including platform independence and ease of integration with various Java IDEs.

1. Introduction to Ant www.scmGalaxy.com scmGalaxy Author: Rajesh Kumar [email_address]

2. What is ANT? Installation Sample build.xml Executing ant script Closer look at the structure of ANT file Advantages of using ANT Packaging – JAR, WAR, EAR Agenda

3. What is ANT? A nother N eat T ool Java-based build tool Like make , without make ’s wrinkles  An open source Apache Jakarta project http://ant.apache.org/ Implemented in Java, implemented for Java

4. Installation Download the binaries from http://jakarta.apache.org/ant/index.html Unzip to a suitable directory Set ANT_HOME = path_to_ant_folder Append PATH=%PATH%;%ANT_HOME%\bin to the PATH environment variable Append the .jar files in /path_to_ant/lib/ to the CLASSPATH environment variable Ensure that JAVA_HOME points to the location of the JDK installation on your machine & /path_to_jdk/lib/* is a part of the CLASSPATH environment variable

5. Working with ANT Every project using ANT will have a build file – build.xml <?xml version=&quot;1.0&quot;?> <project name=&quot;test&quot; default=&quot;compile&quot; basedir=&quot;.&quot;> <property name=&quot;src&quot; value=&quot;.&quot;/> <property name=&quot;build&quot; value=&quot;build&quot;/> <target name=&quot;init&quot;> <mkdir dir=&quot;${build}&quot;/> </target> <target name=&quot;compile&quot; depends=&quot;init&quot;> <!-- Compile the java code --> <javac srcdir=&quot;${src}&quot; destdir=&quot;${build}&quot;/> </target> </project>

6. A simple build.xml <?xml version=&quot;1.0&quot;?> XML declaration specifying version of XML used. All XML constraints hold good for build.xml < project name=“test&quot; default=&quot;compile&quot; basedir=&quot;.&quot;> project – root element of build.xml It has 3 attributes name – name of project default – (mandatory) default target when no target is specified basedir – directory from which any relative directories within build.xml are referenced from

7. A simple build.xml [Contd.] < property name=&quot;src&quot; value=&quot;.&quot;/> <property name=&quot;build&quot; value=&quot;build&quot;/> Property declaration is like user-defined variables to use within the build file It has 2 attributes name – name of property value – desired value of the property To reference a property, ${property_name} - ${src} Built in properties that ANT provides : basedir   ant.file ant.version  ant.project.name ant.java.version

8. A simple build.xml [Contd.] <target name=&quot;init&quot;> <mkdir dir=&quot;${build}&quot;/> </target> target element is a wrapper for a sequence of actions Has the following attributes name – (mandatory) Name used to reference this target from within the file or from command line description – short description of this target if – to conditionally execute contents of target based on the value of a property unless – converse of if

9. A simple build.xml [Contd.] < target name=&quot;compile&quot; depends=&quot;init&quot;> <javac srcdir=&quot;${src}&quot; destdir=&quot;${build}&quot;/> </target> depends – comma separated list of all the targets on which this target depends, i.e, targets that must be executed prior to the execution of this target javac element is a task which is performed under the target compile By default, only those .java input files that have a more recent timestamp than their corresponding .class output files will be compiled

10. Executing ant script ant [options] [target [target2 [target3] ...]] Options: -help print this message -projecthelp print project help information -version print the version information and exit -diagnostics print information that might be helpful to diagnose or report problems. -quiet, -q be extra quiet -verbose, -v be extra verbose -debug print debugging information -emacs produce logging information without adornments -logfile <file> use given file for log -l <file> '' -logger <classname> the class which is to perform logging -listener <classname> add an instance of class as a project listener -buildfile <file> use given buildfile -file <file> '' -f <file> '' -D<property>=<value> use value for given property -propertyfile taking precedence -inputhandler <class> the class which will handle input requests -find <file> <name> load all properties from file with -D properties search for buildfile towards the root of the file system and use it

11. Path-like structures - classpath Wherever path-like values need to be specified, a nested element can be used : location - specifies a single file or directory relative to the project's base directory or an absolute filename path - accepts “ : ” or “ ; ” separated lists of locations < classpath > <pathelement path=&quot;${classpath}&quot;/> <pathelement location=&quot;lib/helper.jar&quot;/> </classpath> <classpath path =“${classpath}”/>

12. Path-like structures - path To use the same path-like structure for several tasks, you can define them with a <path> element at the same level as targets, and reference them via their id attribute < path id=&quot;project.class.path&quot;> <path refid=&quot;base.path&quot;/> <pathelement location=&quot;lib/&quot;/> </path> <classpath refid=&quot;project.class.path&quot;/>

13. Path-like structures – dirset, fileset,filelist <classpath> <pathelement path=&quot;${classpath}&quot;/> < fileset dir=&quot;lib&quot;> <include name=&quot;**/*.jar&quot;/> </fileset> <pathelement location=&quot;classes&quot;/> < dirset dir=&quot;${build.dir}&quot;> <include name=&quot;apps/**/classes&quot;/> <exclude name=&quot;apps/**/*Test*&quot;/> </dirset> < filelist dir=&quot;${src.dir}&quot; files=&quot;foo.xml,bar.xml&quot;/> </classpath>

14. Tasks Piece of code that can be executed Built-in tasks : javac, java, javadoc, javah, junit mkdir, copy, move, delete, fileset jar, war, zip, unjar, unwar, unzip echo, cvs, exec ant, antcall You can also write your own tasks

15. javac Compiles a java source tree Source & destination directory recursively scanned for .java files to compile By default only check made for rebuild is existence / modification time To define any other java class dependencies use task <depend> < javac debug=&quot;${debug}&quot; optimize=&quot;${optimize}&quot; deprecation=&quot;${deprecation}&quot; destdir=&quot;${build.dest}&quot; includes=&quot;com/**&quot; excludes=&quot;**/*.xml&quot;> <src path=&quot;${src.dir}&quot; /> <classpath refid=&quot;classpath&quot; /> </javac> There are many more attributes / options available. Check Ant User Manual for more info.

16. Building subprojects - ant Runs Ant on supplied build file This task must not be used outside of a target if it invokes the same build file that it is part of < ant antfile=&quot;subproject/subbuild.xml&quot; dir=&quot;subproject&quot; target=&quot;compile&quot;/> < ant inheritAll=&quot;false&quot; antfile=&quot;subproject/subbuild.xml&quot;> <property name=&quot;output.type&quot; value=&quot;html&quot;/> </ant>

17. Calling other targets - antcall Call another target within the same build-file (optionally specifying properties) This task must no be used outside of a target <target name=&quot;default&quot;> < antcall target=&quot;doSomethingElse&quot;> <param name=&quot;param1&quot; value=&quot;value&quot;/> </antcall> </target> <target name=&quot;doSomethingElse&quot;> <echo message=&quot;param1=${param1}&quot;/> </target>

18. Advantages Ease of use Configuration files are XML based Same config file (build.xml) can be used across platforms Platform independent Special support for Java Easy to create JavaDocs, WAR & JAR files Built-in support for JUnit FTP CVS

19. Advantages [Contd.] Particularly good for automating complicated repetitive tasks which is what most build processes are all about! ANT can be integrated with most Java IDEs Eclipse Jbuilder IntelliJIdea

20. PACKAGING

21. ejb-jar file will contain : Beans’ class files Beans’ deployment descriptors META-INF/ejb-jar.xml Application server specific file (e.g. META-INF/jboss.xml) Sample ejb-jar.xml Sample application specific descriptor file EJB Packaging – ejb-jar

22. Has specific hierarchical directory structure Top-level directory is the document root of application WAR has the following folders (usually): jsp – JSP files images – images used in the JSPs css – style sheet files scripts – javascript files WEB-INF WEB-INF folder contains Configuration files like web.xml, struts-config.xml .tld files (if any) lib : directory that contains jar archives of libraries classes : directory that contains the servlet classes and utility classes Web ARchive (WAR)

23. An EAR file can contain : Web components (war) Beans (ejb-jar) Libraries (jar) J2EE deployment descriptor (META-INF/application.xml) Sample application.xml Enterprise ARchive (EAR)

24. References Ant home page http://ant.apache.org/ Ant manual http://ant.apache.org/manual/index.html Another beginner’s tutorial http://supportweb.cs.bham.ac.uk/documentation/tutorials/docsystem/build/tutorials/ant/ant.html

25. www.scmGalaxy.com Thank You ! Author: Rajesh Kumar [email_address]