Beyond Linux® From Scratch - Version 6.3

Chapter 11. System Utilities

Apache Ant-1.7.0

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 and 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.

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.

Now, as the root user: 

./build.sh -Ddist.dir=/opt/ant-1.7.0 dist &&
ln -v -sf /etc/ant /opt/ant-1.7.0/etc &&
ln -v -sf ant-1.7.0 /opt/ant

Command Explanations

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

./build.sh -Ddist.dir=/opt/ant-1.7.0 dist: This command does everything. It builds, tests, then installs the package into /opt/ant-1.7.0.

ln -v -sf /etc/ant /opt/ant-1.7.0/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-1.7.0 /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-1.7.0

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 2008-08-10 16:20:51 -0500