ant

like makefile

use xml

create a file called build.xml.  Then run ant.  Then the project is compiled 

( ant -verbose will print more information)

the top level element is project, its default attribute decides which target to do

ex:

<project name="Test"  default="compile">

the target's depends property decides what targets must be done before it

ex:

<target name="compile"  depends="init>

how to run ant:

1. ant  

   this will execute default target

2. ant  targetName

show information about build.xml

ant -projecthelp

show the targets with their description

( the description is described by description property of each target)

some useful tasks:

1. javac  srcdir="src", destdir="bin"

compile java codes

2.  <echo>hello</echo>

print message when running ant 

3, <mkdir  dir="test/bin"/>

4. <jar  destfile="dist/test.jar"  basedir="bin" />

5. <delete dir="bin" />

6. <java classname="Test.Main"  classpath="bin">

    <arg value="peter"/>

    <arg value="andy"/>

   <arg file="."/>

   </java>