Java – Any way to generate ant build.xml file automatically from Eclipse

antbuild.xmleclipsejava

From Eclipse, I found I can easily export an Ant build file for my project. It provides references to 3rd party libraries and some base targets. I'm using it from my global build file. The only thing that bothers me about this, is that if something is modified in the project structure (like adding a new 3rd party library), we have to think (yes that can be hard sometimes!) about regenerating that build.xml file. I'm wondering if anyone here knows a way to have it updated automatically. By "automatically" I mean that it would not be necessary to explicitly ask Eclipse to regenerate it every time it's needed. I don't know what could be the trigger though…

Any thoughts or knowledge on this?

Thanks!

Best Answer

Right-click on an Eclipse project then "Export" then "General" then "Ant build files". I don't think it is possible to customise the output format though.

Related Solutions

Eclipse, ant and custom tasks

The ant export filter will include any xml file in the same directory which has the special

<?eclipse.ant.import?>

element as its first child.

Example:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<?eclipse.ant.import?>
<project name="project" default="default" basedir=".">
    ...
</project>

Eclipse will now include the following line in build.xml:

<import file="custom_build.xml"/>

Java – Build project into a JAR automatically in Eclipse

You want a .jardesc file. They do not kick off automatically, but it's within 2 clicks.

Right click on your project
Choose Export > Java > JAR file
Choose included files and name output JAR, then click Next
Check "Save the description of this JAR in the workspace" and choose a name for the new .jardesc file

Now, all you have to do is right click on your .jardesc file and choose Create JAR and it will export it in the same spot.

Best Answer

Related Solutions

Eclipse, ant and custom tasks

Java – Build project into a JAR automatically in Eclipse

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