the properties of a parent project override those of a subproject invoked via the <ant> task.
[Yes, I confess it has tripped me up a few times :-]
However, sooner or later one recognizes the wisdom of this choice-- What happens
when you download some open-source package with its own build file but want to
change some of its properties. For example, perhaps you need to change the output directory
or turn on debugging. Because we want "pristine sources" (a la Maximum RPM) we do NOT
want to start hacking someone else's build file. Instead, we externally specify our preferred property
settings either on the command line (via -D) or using a simple "wrapper" buildfile.
So far, so good-- but what about those times that you really WANT the subproject to override
the property settings of the parent? For example, one might set some defaults in a top level
build file and then call multiple subproject buildfiles and override property settings when necessary. Is there a way to support this behavior and still keep analyzability, parallelizability, and all the other "-ilities"?
I believe so. I am proposing adding a new attribute to the ant task where you would specify that
all properties in the subproject should override those of the parent. One possible name is
"propertyprecedence," although I am looking for a better one! It could take the values of
"parent" and "child," and default to "parent" for example.
I hope I stated the problem clearly enough. Do others agree with the need for this capability?
If so, what are some alternative designs?
Thanks in advance,
--Craeg
--
Craeg K. Strong | www.arielpartners.com
Ariel Partners LLC | [EMAIL PROTECTED] 85 River Street, Ste. 3A | Fax: (781) 647-9690
Waltham, MA 02453 | Voice: (781) 647-2425
