subant - running specific target in different ant scripts in different directories

Question

We have a large amount of apps. They all have a build.xml file located in the projects base directory. I am trying to create an ant script that will go through and call a specific target on each of the build.xml files in all the projects.

Here are the issues:

1. Some of the projects are in deeper directories than others.
2. Only some of the projects need to be built at a time.

I was trying to use subant + antfile and defining a CSV of file paths in a properties file, but this did not work. Below is what i have and the error i am getting.

If there is a better way to do this or you know what my problem is, please let me know! Thanks!

This is the property defined in a property file. I am wanting the person running the script to add the file paths in here that are relative to the current location of the script they are running.

projects.to.build=

---

This is the subant task i am trying to use in the main build script.

    <filelist
        id="projectNames"
        dir="${basedir}"
        files="${projects.to.build}"
    />

    <target name="debugAll" description="Builds all the projects listed in the projectNames.properties file.">
        <subant target="debug" antfile="${projects.to.build}">
        </subant>
    </target>

---

Here is the error i get when i try to run the build script when there are projects defined in the properties file. I am using the relative path. For example: ..AppsAnApp1uild.xml,..AppsAnApp2uild.xml,..OtherAppsfooAnotherApp1uild.xml

"No Build Path Specified" (at my subant task)

Answer 1

You specified the antfile attribute, so ANT was expecting to a single build.xml file.

---

The subant documentation describes how you can use a fileset as child parameter.

Here's an example:

<project name="Subant demo" default="run-debug-target">
    <target name="run-debug-target">
        <subant target="debug">
            <fileset dir="." includes="**/build.xml" excludes="build.xml"/>
        </subant>
    </target>
</project>

---

Update

Alternatively a filelist could be used:

<project name="Dry run" default="run">
    <target name="run">
        <subant target="test">
            <filelist dir="projects" files="one/build.xml,two/build.xml,three/build.xml,four/build.xml"/>
        </subant>
    </target>
</project>

Processing the following build files:

• projects/one/build.xml
• projects/two/build.xml
• projects/three/build.xml
• projects/four/build.xml