Ant Eclipse IDE Integration

to integrate ant build file with the eclipse ide, first create a build.xml file, right click the project select new->other->xml , enter the name as build.xml and click finish .

<?xml version="1.0" ?> 
<project name="ant example" default="execute">

	<target name="init" depends="clean">
		<mkdir dir="build/classes" />
	</target>

	<target name="compile" depends="init">
		<javac srcdir="src" destdir="build/classes" />
	</target>
	
	<target name="execute" depends="compile">
		<java classname="com.vaannila.helloworld.helloworld" classpath="build/classes" />
	</target>

	<target name="clean">
		<delete dir="build" />
	</target>
	
</project>

to build the project right click the build.xml file and select ant build .

the helloworld.java file will be compiled and executed. the following message shows the sequence of events that happen once the build file is executed.

<?xml version="1.0" ?> 
<project name="ant example" default="execute">

	<target name="init" depends="clean">
		<mkdir dir="build/classes" />
	</target>

	<target name="compile" depends="init">
		<javac srcdir="src" destdir="build/classes" />
	</target>
	
	<target name="execute" depends="compile">
		<java classname="com.vaannila.helloworld.helloworld" classpath="build/classes" />
	</target>

	<target name="clean">
		<delete dir="build" />
	</target>
	
</project>

you can download the build file here.