We Keep Coding

Some clarifications about how ant copy some files into a folder? [duplicate]

This question already has an answer here:
Some clarification about how ant copy some files into a folder?
(1 answer)
Closed 8 years ago.
I am pretty new to ant (I came from Maven and Ant is a nightmare for me !!!)
I have this target:
<target name="linuxdriver"
description="Linux Driver">
<copy file="${deps.linuxdriver.dir}/${deps.linuxdriver.name}"
tofile="${project.datadir}/${deps.linuxdriver.name}"/>
<copy file="${deps.linuxdriver.dir}/${deps.linuxdriver.name}"
tofile="${project.deploy}/data/${deps.linuxdriver.name}"/>
<chmod perm="+x" file="${project.datadir}/${deps.linuxdriver.name}"/>
<chmod perm="+x" file="${project.deploy}/data/${deps.linuxdriver.name}"/>
</target>
and I have also a property file in which there is definied the "variable" (are named variable?) used in the previous ant code, specifically I have:
project.datadir = ${basedir}/data
project.deploy.dir = Release
project.deploy = ${basedir}/../${project.deploy.dir}
deps.linuxdriver.name = atmosfs
And now I have some doubts:
1) What represents ${basedir}? A specific directory? What? Reading on the ant manual (http://ant.apache.org/manual/properties.html) say that this is: the absolute path of the project's basedir (as set with the basedir attribute of ).
So, is it the absolute path of my project in the Eclipse workspace?
2) Using the previous information what exactly are the two destination folder in which the files are copied (using the "copy file...to file" tag)?

1) What represents ${basedir}? A specific directory?
Yes. ${basedir} is the directory where you either started Ant, or the directory specified in the <project> entity on the top of your Ant file. Normally, it is set to "." which makes it the same directory as the directory that contains your Ant build file.
2) Using the previous information what exactly are the two destination folder in which the files are copied (using the "copy file...to file" tag)?
You didn't list your whole Ant file, and your whole properties file. I'm not even sure if your properties file is read in (You need a <property file="xxxx.properties"/> near the top of your Ant file).
Assuming that you are executing this in the same directory as your Ant file, and your ${basedir} is the same directory as your Ant file:
<copy file="${basedir}/atmosfs/atmostfs"
verbose="true"
tofile="${basedir}/Release/atmosfs"/>
<copy file="${basedir}/atmofs/atmofs"
verbose="true"
tofile="${basedir}/../Release/data/atmofs"/>
Again, I am assuming ${basedir} is the directory where your Antfile is stored, and that you are executing the script from that directory.
Notice I have verbose="true" in the <copy>. I recommend you make that change. This will show you what file is being copied and where when <copy> is executed. It's probably the best way to handle this.
By the way, one rule I have is that all action takes place in the project tree. Your last tofile is being written outside of the project directory (where I assume your Ant file is located). Imagine someone checking out the project, and finding out that the build process wrote a file outside of the checked out directory and onto his computer in a random place. Doing this is just considered impolite.
Even more polite is to write all files and do all build processing under a subdirectory. Some people use build, I prefer target because that's a Maven standard. THe idea is that I can clean up the entire build process by simply deleting that one directory.

Updating files in a WAR/JAR reguardless of their date

I have an ANT task that uses the jar task to update a few files inside of a previously built war. [The files are processed between compilation of a WAR and deliverable.] How can I get ANT to update all of the files I've specified to be updated? There is an attribute for jar called update = "[...]" that will allow you to either force a new creation of the Jar file or (add new files/"update existing ones if deemed necessary").
An example:
Java class(es) are compiled
Jars are created
A .war is created
A script runs to modify the Jars
The .war needs to update the Jars that were modified [the Jars are a subset of all of the files in the war]
The problem I'm running into is that the Jars that are being instructed to be updated aren't getting updated in the final step. The log claims that the just processed Jars are "out of date." Is there a way I can force the update to happen? If I switch "jar [...] update" back to false (which its by default) the correct Jar files get placed there, but the rest of the files in the war don't.
Note I realize that this could be moved to produce the WAR after everything is done. But this is not an option for me.
The ant task in question:
<target name="(the 'Rewaring task')" depends="step-3">
<echo>Adding modifed jars to war</echo>
<jar destfile="${output.war.dir}/existing.war" update="true">
<zipfileset dir="${output.jar.dir}/modded-jars" prefix="folder" />
</jar>
</target>
More specifically, the problem I'm having is with the "update" behavior.

It looks like the Jar task is correct.
Are you sure the files being updated have the correct Date modified time - that is what is actually compared in the zipfileset/update option?
I've seen this issue when signing Jars [and had the preservelastmodified option set to "true" (default : false)].
To fix it, you should only need to change the signing option.

Updating file in a jar throws ZipException

I'm trying to update a file in an existing jar (in this example antlr) using the command:
jar -uf antlrworks-1.2.3.jar org/antlr/codegen/templates/Java/Java.stg
But I get the following message
java.util.zip.ZipException: duplicate entry: antlr/ANTLRError.class
at java.util.zip.ZipOutputStream.putNextEntry(ZipOutputStream.java:175)
at java.util.jar.JarOutputStream.putNextEntry(JarOutputStream.java:92)
at sun.tools.jar.Main.update(Main.java:508)
at sun.tools.jar.Main.run(Main.java:185)
at sun.tools.jar.Main.main(Main.java:1044)
Any ideas?

You're trying to do the right thing, but the jar file is problematic - it's got the same entry twice :( (This is legal for a zip file, but not really helpful - and as you can see, it makes jar complain.)
If you run
jar tvf antlrworks-1.2.3.jar > contents
and then look at the generated contents file you'll see that there are various duplicate files. You should probably report this to the antlr project (after checking they don't already know).
As a workaround, you can extract the contents of the jar file, jar it up again, and then you'll have a "working" jar file you can update. (If you only need to do this once, you can just extract, put the file you want in there, and then jar the whole lot up rather than updating it afterwards.)

You can do the same operation with the Ant jar task.
<jar duplicate="preserve" jarfile="...">
your files
</jar>
the duplicate attribute with the preserve value will take care of the duplicate entries.
As mentioned here, the update attribute with the value “preserve” does tell you that duplicates exist, in this form:
aPath/aFile already added, skipping
If your file is on top of the list the jar task has to pick tp build itself, your new file will be taken into account.

If you're on OS X, try the Jar Inspector application. I used it to patch a javascript bug in wicket. You can open a jar file, and it lists all the contents. Navigate to the file you want to save (in this case, a .js file) and modify the file, then save the contents, and it takes care of modifying the .jar file for you. Not sure if this would work with .java files or not.

Build project into a JAR automatically in Eclipse

I have an Eclipse project where I want to keep my Java project built into a JAR automatically. I know I have an option to export the project into a JAR; if I do a right click; but what I am really looking for is, that like Eclipse automatically builds a project's .class files and put them in target folder; it should also build a JAR automatically and copy the latest JAR at some or a specific location.
Is there a option to configure Eclipse in such a way, to build JARs automatically?
Just to make it clear for guys, patient enough to answer my question; I am not looking at ANT as solution; as I already use it, but what I would like it something that gets initiated automatically either with a time based trigger or immediate build with change.

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.

Create an Ant file and tell Eclipse to build it. There are only two steps and each is easy with the step-by-step instructions below.
Step 1
Create a build.xml file and add to package explorer:
<?xml version="1.0" ?>
<!-- Configuration of the Ant build system to generate a Jar file -->
<project name="TestMain" default="CreateJar">
<target name="CreateJar" description="Create Jar file">
<jar jarfile="Test.jar" basedir="." includes="*.class" />
</target>
</project>
Eclipse should looks something like the screenshot below. Note the Ant icon on build.xml.
Step 2
Right-click on the root node in the project.
- Select Properties
- Select Builders
- Select New
- Select Ant Build
- In the Main tab, complete the path to the build.xml file in the bin folder.
Check the Output
The Eclipse output window (named Console) should show the following after a build:
Buildfile: /home/<user>/src/Test/build.xml
CreateJar:
[jar] Building jar: /home/<user>/src/Test/Test.jar
BUILD SUCCESSFUL
Total time: 152 milliseconds
EDIT: Some helpful comments by #yeoman and #betlista
#yeoman I think the correct include would be /.class, not *.class, as most
people use packages and thus recursive search for class files makes
more sense than flat inclusion
#betlista I would recomment to not to have build.xml in src folder

Check out Apache Ant
It's possible to use Ant for automatic builds with eclipse, here's how

This is possible by defining a custom Builder in eclipse (see the link in Peter's answer). However, unless your project is very small, it may slow down your workspace unacceptably. Autobuild for class files happens incrementally, i.e. only those classes affected by a change are recompiled, but the JAR file will have to be rebuilt and copied completely, every time you save a change.

Regarding to Peter's answer and Micheal's addition to it you may find How Do I Automatically Generate A .jar File In An Eclipse Java Project useful. Because even you have "*.jardesc" file on your project you have to run it manually. It may cools down your "eclipse click hassle" a bit.

Using Thomas Bratt's answer above, just make sure your build.xml is configured properly :
<?xml version="1.0" ?>
<!-- Configuration of the Ant build system to generate a Jar file -->
<project name="TestMain" default="CreateJar">
<target name="CreateJar" description="Create Jar file">
<jar jarfile="Test.jar" basedir="bin/" includes="**/*.class" />
</target>
</project>
(Notice the double asterisk - it will tell build to look for .class files in all sub-directories.)

Creating a builder launcher is an issue since 2 projects cannot have the same external tool build name. Each name has to be unique. I am currently facing this issue to automate my build and copy the JAR to an external location.
I am using IBM's Zip Builder, but that is just a help but not doing the real.
People can try using IBM ZIP Creation plugin.
http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/websphere/library/techarticles/0112_deboer/deboer2.html#download

Files not extracted from .jar file when run

I have updated my ant build.xml file to include a new file and a new folder. After creating the .jar I check if they exist in the jar by 'unzip\extract', and they are there.
But when executing the .jar neither the folder or the file gets extracted.
Am I missing a step?

Look into getResourceAsStream. It'll keep you from having to extract the files from the jar file. Unless that's your goal.

Your application should be able to use the file directly from within the jar, no need for extracting it. Or do you mean something else?

Are you doing something specific to extract the jar file? I ask because normally jar files are not extracted when executing them.
If you run "java -jar myJar.jar" or "java -cp myJar.jar com.example.MyMainClass" the jar files that is referenced will not be extracted. Java will load your classes and resources directly from the jar file without extracting it.

If you wrap your application up using One-JAR, you can specify an attribute in the Manifest file to extract files that you want (See the One-Jar-Expand manifest attribute).
As a bonus, you will also be able to wrap any dependent libraries along with your code, creating a single distributable jar.