I use ant to build Oracle and Sybase databases. Works great. If your build tools support a command line interface and set a return code on success/failure, then ant will do the job. Most of your early ant development will consist of writing a library of macrodef tasks that wrap the exec and apply tasks. It also helps if your tools can sense when the target of its action is out-of-date relative to the source. This feature makes your builds run faster, because they don't have to do unnecessary work.
The reasons I use ant for my non-ant builds are twofold. First, my overall build process flows from source control to build platform to deployment platform. Ant provides all of the source control and deployment tasks out-of-the-box. Therefore, two thirds of my work is already done. Second, all of my build tools are available on Windows and many Unix variants. Since ant is written in Java, it too is cross platform. This allows me to build from anywhere to anywhere. I can't tell you how many times my deployments were aborted because my build machine or deployment machine went off-line for some reason. Now, if my one of my machines goes south, I simply adjust some property files and easily switch to another machine. -----Original Message----- From: Derek Haskin [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Tuesday, December 07, 2004 12:09 AM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: using ant for non-java builds? Hi, I will shorthly be automating a build process for an application developed in Forte. I'm trying to decide what tool to use to develop the build scripts. There are plans in the next 8 months to start re-developing the application in Java. In the past I have automated builds via a combination of Makefiles, shell scripts and perl scripts and have not developed ant scripts before. I am wondering if anyone has any experience in automating builds in ant for non-java based applications and if they would recommend using ant or not. If feasable I may end up using a combination of perl and ant scripts. thanks. <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<---->>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Privileged/Confidential information may be contained in this message. If you are not the addressee indicated in this message (or responsible for delivery of the message to such person), you may not copy or deliver this message to anyone. In such a case, you should destroy this message and kindly notify the sender by reply e-mail or by telephone on (03) 9612-6999 or (61) 3 9612-6999. Please advise immediately if you or your employer does not consent to Internet e-mail for messages of this kind. Opinions, conclusions and other information in this message that do not relate to the official business of Transurban Limited and CityLink Melbourne Limited shall be understood as neither given nor endorsed by them. <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<---->>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> --------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] --------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
