To support using Apache Ant with Java Platform, Enterprise Edition (Java EE)
applications running on the application server, the product provides
a copy of the Ant tool and a set of Ant tasks that extend the capabilities
of Ant to include product-specific functions. Ant has become a very
popular tool among Java programmers.
About this task
Apache Ant is a Java-based build tool. In theory, it is similar
to Make, but Ant is different. Instead of a model in which it is extended
with shell-based commands, Ant is extended using Java classes. Instead
of writing shell commands, XML-based configuration files are used.
These files reference a target tree in which various tasks are run.
Each task is run by an object that implements a particular Task interface.
Avoid trouble: - Calling the WebSphere_Ant (WsAnt) scripts outside of the ws_ant
launcher is not supported or recommended.
- When you invoke the Ant tool, do not pass empty strings in place
of command arguments in ant script. The script will not work in the
wsadmin environment. The <arg value> cannot be an empty string,
such as shown in the following example:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<project name="proj" default="main">
<taskdef name="wsadmin" classname="com.ibm.websphere.ant.tasks.WsAdmin"/>
<target name="main">
<wsadmin,conntype="NONE" lang="jython" failonerror="true" script="&(basedir)/script.ph">
<arg value="blah" />
<arg value="" />
</wsadmin>
<!-- manaeapp action="blah" variation-number="0" -->
</target>
</project>
- In general, for ws_ant.sh scripts, use single quote
for strings containing special characters:
gotcha
By combining the following tasks with
those provided by Ant, you can create build scripts that compile,
package, install, and test your application on the application server:
- Install and uninstall applications
- Start and stop servers in a base configuration
- Run administrative scripts or commands
- Run the Enterprise JavaBeans (EJB)
deployment tool for EJB 1.x or 2.x modules
- Run the JavaServer Pages (JSP) file precompilation tool
For more detailed information about Ant, refer to the Apache organization
website.
- To run Ant and have it automatically see the WebSphere® classes, use the ws_ant command.
The ws_ant command is provided with the Apache Ant tool.
![[AIX Solaris HP-UX Linux Windows]](../images/dist.gif)
See the app_server_root/bin/ws_ant.bat|sh file
for the Apache Ant tool.
See the app_server_root/bin/ws_ant file
for the Apache Ant tool.
- Use Ant tasks for deployment and server operation.
The Apache Ant tasks for the product reside in the Java package: com.ibm.websphere.ant.tasks.
The API documentation for this package contains detailed information
about all of the Ant tasks that are provided and how to use them.
See com.ibm.websphere.ant.tasks API
documentation in the Reference section of the information center.
- Use Ant tasks for building application code.
Refer
to the Rational® Application
Developer documentation.
- Use the Apache Struts framework to create an extensible
development environment for your application, based on published standards
and proven design patterns.
Apache struts is a framework
that is supported by the open source community.
IBM® WebSphere Application
Server provides the Apache Struts JAR file in the app_server_root/optionalLibraries/Apache/Struts/1.1 directory
of your product installation. If using Struts in your application
or Application Server, you need to configure a shared library that
points to the Struts library JAR file.
The Struts framework
provides the invisible underpinnings every professional web application
needs to survive. The core of Struts is a flexible control layer based
on standard technologies such as Java Servlets, JavaBeans, ResourceBundles,
and Extensible Markup Language (XML).
Deprecated feature: Shipment
of Apache Struts 1.1, 1.2.4, and 1.2.7 as optional libraries within
WebSphere Application Server is deprecated
in Version 7.0.
depfeat
Struts encourages application architectures
based on the Model 2 approach, a variation of the classic Model-View-Controller
(MVC) design paradigm. Struts provides its own Controller component
and integrates with other technologies to provide the Model and the
View. For the Model, Struts can interact with any standard data access
technology, including Enterprise JavaBeans (EJB) components, and JDBC.
For the View, Struts works well with JavaServer Pages (JSP) files,
XSLT, or other presentation systems.