Re: [platform-ant-dev] Using latest org.eclipse.ant.core plugin generate

[Jared Burns <jared-eclipse@xxxxxxxxx>]

This almost slipped my mind, but I finally got around to filing a feature 
request against PDE UI that would make their build.xml files as useful as the 
exportplugin.xml files (to me, anyway).

The main issue with the build.xml files is that they dump their output inside 
my source projects, thus cluttering them with files that I don't want 
released into the repository.

http://bugs.eclipse.org/bugs/show_bug.cgi?id=34956

- Jared

On Thursday 06 March 2003 09:10 pm, Jeff_McAffer@xxxxxxxxxx wrote:
> SWT has a bulid.xml because they have to do a mess of custom stuff.
> 
> PDE generates scripts (the same scripts that are gen'd for the real build) 
> by right clicking on the plugin.xml and saying "Create Ant build file". 
> The generated build.xml can then be run with the default target to 
> generate all of the jars required by the plugin.  Of course, there are 
> other targets you can use if you want the whole plugin zip'd up and ready 
> to ship etc.  The build.xml file is not deleted so you can run as many 
> times as you like. 
> 
> Typically people do not commit the build.xml file to the repo as it may or 
> may not be location independent depending on the configuration of the 
> workspace in which it was created (for example, if the workspace had 
> projects on different drives then some paths would be absolute).  In fact, 
> the whole point of this mechanism is that people do not have to worry 
> about the build.xml.  It is disposable since it can be regen'd at any time 
> with almost no cost.
> 
> Looking at the scripts you currently have to maintain they have the 
> following drawbacks:
> - brittle in that they require particular locations for various prereq 
> plugins
> - have hardcoded dir names including versions
> - they do not mirror what is specified in the build.properties
> 
> If there are still issues with the way that PDE works (i.e., if it does 
> not support the workflows you need) then you should be working with the 
> PDE team to resolve the issue.  Eating our own dog food is an ideal way to 
> improve the environment.
> 
> Jeff
> 
> p.s., it is not just the Ant team.  I cant' see any reasons for the other 
> teams to be maintaining their own scripts.  They started doing this years 
> ago before PDE had the script generator and have never stopped.  Doesn't 
> mean it is right.