AntXtras

   JWare/AntXtras Foundation (AntXtras) is both a powerful Ant extension library as well as a collection of very useful add-on Ant components. AntXtras makes it easier for you to use Ant as much more than a build system tool. 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.

AntXtras adds a lot of stuff to a basic Ant installation; however, you still maintain 100% control over your Ant scripts. 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, if you’re reviewing AntXtras for the first time, it will help to think of each of its components as belonging to one of six categories: Fixture Control, Function Shortcuts, Execution Rules Enforcement, Flow Control, Feedback, or General Helpers.

1. Does a lot with little Ant scripting— yet fits in with standard Ant seamlessly.
2. Variables (aka changeable properties) to match Ant’s read-only properties.
3. Recursive property reference expansion!
4. Function shortcuts (aka “funcuts”) to perform common tasks with less script.
5. A comprehensive function shortcuts antlib ready for use.
6. Enhanced execution and flow control for scripts– to the task level!
7. Overlays, nets, and bubbles to add fine grain control over fixture modifications.
8. Execution rule enforcement to allow self-verifying and self-correcting scripts.
9. New add-on conditions integrated with the standard Ant framework.
10. Capture task level console output to properties or log files– without loggers!
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. 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 set of examples that show how to you can use 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 page for links to additional documentation like the AntXtras FAQ, the complete AntXtras User Guide(pdf), additional Ant script 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.

AntXtras 3.5.0b2 released. This release removes some obsolete conditions, adds some new features, and includes more bug fixes. Read the release notes for additional information about the final 3.5.0b2 feature set. We’ve also released final 3.5.0b2-based versions of all AntXtras sub-projects (Svn4Ant, Log4Ant, PEd4Ant, etc.).

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