AntXtras

   JWare/AntXtras Foundation (AntXtras) is both a powerful Ant extension library as well as a collection of very useful add-on Ant components. As an extension library, AntXtras is the foundation of the other Ant-related packages you will find on this site; packages like Svn4Ant, Log4Ant, and PEd4Ant. As a collection of components (an antlib), AntXtras enhances Ant with a variety of new types, conditions, tasks, and behaviors that make it easier for you to use Ant to solve many kinds of problems– not only application builds.

AntXtras adds a lot of stuff to a basic Ant installation; however, you still maintain 100% control over your Ant system so you can use AntXtras as part of a new Ant-based system or as support for an existing environment’s architecture. More importantly, you are not required to use “all or none” of AntXtras. Every main AntXtras feature is independent so you can use it, and it only, if you choose. Even so, it does help when you′re reviewing AntXtras to think of each feature as belonging to one of six categories: Fixture Control, Function Shortcuts, Execution Rules, Flow Control, Feedback, or General Helpers.

1. Does a lot with little Ant scripting— yet fits in with standard Ant seamlessly.
2. Variables (aka mutable properties) to match Ant’s read-only properties.
3. Recursive property reference expansion!
4. Function shortcuts (aka “funcuts”) to perform simple tasks with less XML script.
5. Enhanced execution and flow control for scripts– to the task level!.
6. Overlays, nets, and bubbles to add fine grain control over fixture modifications.
7. Many new add-on conditions integrated with the standard Ant framework.
8. A comprehensive function shortcuts antlib.
9. Capture task level console output to properties or log files– without loggers!
10. Execution rules antlib to create self-verifying and self-correcting scripts.
11. Support for locale-aware external files to store feedback messages.
12. Expands Ant way beyond simple application building.
13. Consistency, reuse, consistency (same option? same name…everywhere).
14. Doorway to other great Ant extensions like Svn4Ant and Log4Ant.

1. Do more with less, or “reduce and reuse”.
2. Simple yet strong (KISS).
3. Embrace and enhance Ant; don′t repeat it (DRI).
4. Not just for build scripts.
5. Just in time feedback.
6. *-bility (“star”-bility) like: readability, suitability, testability, flexibility, recoverability,…

1. Go to the AntXtras Overview page for an introduction to AntXtras and its main features, a list of the main AntXtras components including conditions and function-shortcuts, and a couple of “High-Speed Tutorials” on how to get started scripting with AntXtras.
   
   
2. Go to the Downloads page for links to the latest AntXtras distributions, third-party software requirements, and installation instructions. Read the Support page if you’re unable to download or install AntXtras (or if you’d like to contact us for some reason).
   
   
3. Go to the Documents section for links to additional documentation like the AntXtras FAQ, the complete AntXtras User Guide(pdf), additional Ant snippets, and the complete AntXtras Javadoc API reference.
   
   
4. Go to the Future Plans page to see what we’ve got planned for AntXtras and when that “what” will be available for you to use. You can also submit your own enhancement and new feature requests from the AntXtras Feature Request Tracker.

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