Apache Ant/Build File Structure

Here is the structure of a typical build.xml file: <?xml version="1.0"?> Running target init Running target MyTarget Here are a few things to note: The Begin and End tags for project ( and ) MUST start and end the file. The Begin <project> MUST have an attribute called default which is the name of one of the targets. Each build file must have at least one target. The Begin and End tags for and must also match EXACTLY. Each target MUST have a name. Targets depend only on other targets and reference them by their target name. Targets NEVER depend on projects or tasks. Target depends are optional. Anything between and tags is outputted to the console if the surrounding target is called. Every task has to be in a target. You can execute this from a DOS or UNIX command prompt by creating a file called build.xml and typing: ant Ant will search for the build file in the current directory and run the build.xml file. Here is a sample output of this build: Buildfile: C:\AntClass\Lab01\build.xml init: [echo] Running target init MyTarget: [echo] Running target MyTarget BUILD SUCCESSFUL Total time: 188 milliseconds Optionally you can also pass ant the name of the target to run as a command line argument ant init Which triggers only the init target Buildfile: C:\AntClass\Lab01\build.xml init: [echo] Running target init BUILD SUCCESSFUL Total time: 188 milliseconds Next Chapter