Beyond Linux® From Scratch - Version svn-20090107

Chapter 11. System Utilities

Apache Ant-1.7.1

Introduction to Apache Ant

The Apache Ant package is a Java-based build tool. In theory, it is kind of like make, but without make's wrinkles. Ant is different. Instead of a model where it is extended with shell-based commands, Ant is extended using Java classes. Instead of writing shell commands, the configuration files are XML-based, calling out a target tree where various tasks get executed. Each task is run by an object that implements a particular task interface.

Package Information

Apache Ant Dependencies

Required

JDK-6 Update 5

Recommended

JUnit-4.3.1

User Notes: http://wiki.linuxfromscratch.org/blfs/wiki/apache-ant

Installation of Apache Ant

[Note]

Note

You may need additional libraries to satisfy the build requirements of various packages installed using Apache Ant. Review the table at http://ant.apache.org/manual/install.html#librarydependencies for any prerequisite libraries you may need.

If the recommendation of having JUnit installed cannot be matched, Apache Ant can be installed anyway but the tests cannot be performed. Remove the reference to the test instructions by running the following command: 

sed -i 's;jars,test-jar;jars;' build.xml

Install Apache Ant by running the following commands: 

sed -i 's|${dist.dir}/etc|/etc/ant|'        build.xml
sed -i 's|/etc/ant.conf|/etc/ant/ant.conf|' src/script/ant

The unit regression tests are performed in the build step below except the first sed has been executed.

Now, as the root user: 

./build.sh -Ddist.dir=/opt/ant-1.7.1 dist &&
ln -v -sf /etc/ant /opt/ant-1.7.1/etc &&
ln -v -sf ant-1.7.1 /opt/ant

Command Explanations

sed -i 's;jars...: If JUnit package is not installed, the regression tests cannot be performed.

sed ...: These commands change the configuration directory to /etc/ant to conform with FHS guidelines.

./build.sh -Ddist.dir=/opt/ant-1.7.1 dist: This command does everything. It builds, tests, then installs the package into /opt/ant-1.7.1.

ln -v -sf /etc/ant /opt/ant-1.7.1/etc: The sed commands change the configuration directory to /etc/ant and this command creates a symlink from the configuration directory back to the installation directory as the package is expecting to find some files there.

ln -v -sf ant-1.7.1 /opt/ant: This command is optional, and creates a convenience symlink.

Configuring Apache Ant

Config Files

/etc/ant/ant.conf, ~/.ant/ant.conf, and ~/.antrc

Configuration Information

Some packages will require ant to be in the search path and the $ANT_HOME environment variable defined. Satisfy these requirements by adding the following lines to /etc/profile or to individual user's ~/.profile or ~/.bashrc files: 

export PATH=$PATH:/opt/ant/bin
export ANT_HOME=/opt/ant

Contents

Installed Programs: ant, antRun, antRun.pl, complete-ant-cmd.pl, runant.pl, and runant.py
Installed Libraries: ant.jar, ant-*.jar, xercesImpl.jar, and xml-apis.jar
Installed Directories: /etc/ant and /opt/ant-1.7.1

Short Descriptions

ant

is a Java based build tool used by many packages instead of the conventional make program.

antRun

is a support script used to start ant build scripts in a given directory.

antRun.pl

is a Perl script that provides similar functionality offered by the antRun script.

complete-ant-cmd.pl

is a Perl script that allows Bash to complete an ant command-line.

runant.pl

is a Perl wrapper script used to invoke ant.

runant.py

is a Python wrapper script used to invoke ant.

ant-*.jar

files are the Apache Ant Java class libraries.

xercesImpl.jar

is a Java class library used by Apache Ant to perform XML parsing.

xml-apis.jar

contains the DOM Java classes required by the Apache Ant XML formatter.

Last updated on 2009-01-06 01:54:59 -0600