Samples Index

Using Ant with Sample Applications

Sun Java System Application Server includes a Java-based build tool called Ant, developed by the Apache Software Foundation.

• Benefits of Using Ant
• Ant Environment in Application Server
• Using the Build Facility
• Custom Ant Tasks
• Using Sample Build Files in Netbeans 4.1

Benefits Of Using Ant

Many server side Java developers have found Ant to useful for accelerating development of J2EE applications. Ant contains many built-in functions that relieve the burden of repetitive development tasks. As described in the Ant documentation, "In theory it is like make without make's wrinkles".

For more information about Ant, see the Apache Ant Project.

Ant Environment in Application Server

In the Ant environment, build.xml files are analogous to Makefiles. A build.xml file can define various targets that are used to compile and assemble a J2EE application. To use Ant with the sample applications provided as part of the application server, you need to ensure that your PATH includes the install_dir/bin directory of your application server installation. A simple wrapper script named asant(.bat) is located in this directory. No further set up is required.

The following build targets are represented in the build.xml files accompanying the sample applications. The presence or absence of a target depends on the type of J2EE application.

Standard Ant Build Targets

Target	Function
compile	Compiles all Java source code.
war	Assembles the WAR file in sample_dir/build/assemble/war/
ear	Assembles the EAR file insample_dir/build/assemble/ear/
core (default)	Compiles all sources, builds stubs/skeletons and assembles EJB[tm] JAR, WAR and EAR files. This is the default target for all build.xml files shipped in the application server.
docs	Creates Java docs in <sample_dir>/javadocs
all	Builds both core and javadocs, verifies, registers resources and deploys app.
deploy	Registers resources, deploys app, but does not install Javadocs.
deploy_common	Application deployment only. No resource registration.
verify	Verifies application binaries.
undeploy	Removes the deployed sample from application server.
clean	Removes appname/build/ content.

Using the Build Facility

Follow these steps to use Ant for the first time:

1. Set Up Your Environment

   The install_dir/bin directory must be in your PATH environment variable.

   On UNIX platforms, you will need to add theinstall_dir/bin directory to your PATH environment variable.

   On Windows platforms, after installation of the application server, set the System path by adding install_dir\bin to your user PATH environment variable.

2. Configure the Properties File

   To deploy sample applications, you must set property values in the install_dir/samples/common.properties file to the appropriate values for your environment. If a property contained in this file is not set, you will be prompted for the property's value during the deployment of a sample application.

   See Creating Your Own Samples Environment section for a description of the common.properties file.

3. Compile and Assemble a Sample Application

   Using the blueprints/petstore1.4 sample as an example, execute several of the build targets.

   Change to the blueprints/petstore1.4/src directory:

   cd install_dir/samples/blueprints/petstore1.4/src

   Execute the compile target to compile the Java sources:

   asant core

   This target assembles the J2EE module files and the EAR files.

   Alternatively, you could accomplish all of these tasks by simply executing either the core or all targets:

   asant all

   Since the default build target is core, you could execute ant without arguments to rebuild the entire application:

   asant

4. Build Additional Examples

The following examples demonstrate how to use the build facility to quickly accomplish common development and deployment tasks:

• Build everything (including Javadocs). Then install Javadocs and deploy the application:

  asant all

• Build everything (except for Javadocs). Then deploy the application (most frequently used approach):

  asant core
  asant deploy 

• Rebuild an EAR After modifying the deployment descriptors (no recompile needed):

  asant ear
  asant deploy_common