Ant (Apache Ant API)
Date: 2015-06-29

org.apache.tools.ant.taskdefs

## Class Ant

- java.lang.Object
- - org.apache.tools.ant.ProjectComponent
  - - org.apache.tools.ant.Task
    - - org.apache.tools.ant.taskdefs.Ant

- All Implemented Interfaces:
    java.lang.Cloneable

      public class Ant
      extends Task

  Build a sub-project.

        <target name="foo" depends="init">
          <ant antfile="build.xml" target="bar" >
            <property name="property1" value="aaaaa" />
            <property name="foo" value="baz" />
          </ant>
        </target>

        <target name="bar" depends="init">
          <echo message="prop is ${property1} ${foo}" />
        </target>

  Since:
    Ant 1.1

- - ### Property Summary

    Properties
    Type | Property and Description
    --- | ---
    `Property` | `create` Property to pass to the new project.

  - ### Nested Class Summary

    Nested Classes
    Modifier and Type | Class and Description
    --- | ---
    `static class` | `Ant.Reference` Helper class that implements the nested <reference> element of <ant> and <antcall>.
    `static class` | `Ant.TargetElement` Helper class that implements the nested <target> element of <ant> and <antcall>.

  - ### Field Summary

    - ### Fields inherited from class org.apache.tools.ant.Task

      `target, taskName, taskType, wrapper`

    - ### Fields inherited from class org.apache.tools.ant.ProjectComponent

      `description, location, project`

  - ### Constructor Summary

    Constructors
    Constructor and Description
    `Ant()` simple constructor
    `Ant(Task owner)` create a task bound to its creator

  - ### Method Summary

    Methods
    Modifier and Type | Method and Description
    --- | ---
    `void` | `addConfiguredTarget(Ant.TargetElement t)` Add a target to this Ant invocation.
    `void` | `addPropertyset(PropertySet ps)` Add a set of properties to pass to the new project.
    `void` | `addReference(Ant.Reference ref)` Add a Reference element identifying a data type to carry over to the new project.
    `Property` | `createProperty()` Property to pass to the new project.
    `void` | `execute()` Do the execution.
    `protected java.lang.String` | `getDefaultBuildFile()` Get the default build file name to use when launching the task.
    `protected Project` | `getNewProject()` Get the (sub)-Project instance currently in use.
    `void` | `handleErrorFlush(java.lang.String errorOutputToFlush)` Handle error output.
    `void` | `handleErrorOutput(java.lang.String errorOutputToHandle)` Handle error output.
    `void` | `handleFlush(java.lang.String toFlush)` Handles output.
    `int` | `handleInput(byte[] buffer, int offset, int length)` Handles input.
    `void` | `handleOutput(java.lang.String outputToHandle)` Handles output.
    `void` | `init()` Creates a Project instance for the project to call.
    `void` | `setAntfile(java.lang.String antFile)` The build file to use.
    `void` | `setDir(java.io.File dir)` The directory to use as a base directory for the new Ant project.
    `void` | `setInheritAll(boolean value)` If true, pass all properties to the new Ant project.
    `void` | `setInheritRefs(boolean value)` If true, pass all references to the new Ant project.
    `void` | `setOutput(java.lang.String outputFile)` Set the filename to write the output to.
    `void` | `setTarget(java.lang.String targetToAdd)` The target of the new Ant project to execute.
    `void` | `setUseNativeBasedir(boolean b)` Whether the basedir of the new project should be the same one as it would be when running the build file directly - independent of dir and/or inheritAll settings.

    - ### Methods inherited from class org.apache.tools.ant.Task

      `bindToOwner, getOwningTarget, getRuntimeConfigurableWrapper, getTaskName, getTaskType, getWrapper, isInvalid, log, log, log, log, maybeConfigure, perform, reconfigure, setOwningTarget, setRuntimeConfigurableWrapper, setTaskName, setTaskType`

    - ### Methods inherited from class org.apache.tools.ant.ProjectComponent

      `clone, getDescription, getLocation, getProject, setDescription, setLocation, setProject`

    - ### Methods inherited from class java.lang.Object

      `equals, finalize, getClass, hashCode, notify, notifyAll, toString, wait, wait, wait`

- - ### Property Detail

    - #### create

      Property to pass to the new project. The property is passed as a 'user property'.
      Returns:
        the created `Property` object.

  - ### Constructor Detail

    - #### Ant

          public Ant()

      simple constructor

    - #### Ant

          public Ant(Task owner)

      create a task bound to its creator
      Parameters:
        `owner` - owning task

  - ### Method Detail

    - #### setUseNativeBasedir

          public void setUseNativeBasedir(boolean b)

      Whether the basedir of the new project should be the same one as it would be when running the build file directly - independent of dir and/or inheritAll settings.
      Since:
        Ant 1.8.0

    - #### setInheritAll

          public void setInheritAll(boolean value)

      If true, pass all properties to the new Ant project. Defaults to true.
      Parameters:
        `value` - if true pass all properties to the new Ant project.

    - #### setInheritRefs

          public void setInheritRefs(boolean value)

      If true, pass all references to the new Ant project. Defaults to false.
      Parameters:
        `value` - if true, pass all references to the new Ant project

    - #### init

          public void init()

      Creates a Project instance for the project to call.
      Overrides:
        `init` in class `Task`

    - #### handleOutput

          public void handleOutput(java.lang.String outputToHandle)

      Handles output. Send it the the new project if is present, otherwise call the super class.
      Overrides:
        `handleOutput` in class `Task`
      Parameters:
        `outputToHandle` - The string output to output.
      Since:
        Ant 1.5
      See Also:
        `Task.handleOutput(String)`

    - #### handleInput

          public int handleInput(byte[] buffer,
                        int offset,
                        int length)
                          throws java.io.IOException

      Handles input. Delegate to the created project, if present, otherwise call the super class.
      Overrides:
        `handleInput` in class `Task`
      Parameters:
        `buffer` - the buffer into which data is to be read.
        `offset` - the offset into the buffer at which data is stored.
        `length` - the amount of data to read.
      Returns:
        the number of bytes read.
      Throws:
        `java.io.IOException` - if the data cannot be read.
      Since:
        Ant 1.6
      See Also:
        `Task.handleInput(byte[], int, int)`

    - #### handleFlush

          public void handleFlush(java.lang.String toFlush)

      Handles output. Send it the the new project if is present, otherwise call the super class.
      Overrides:
        `handleFlush` in class `Task`
      Parameters:
        `toFlush` - The string to output.
      Since:
        Ant 1.5.2
      See Also:
        `Task.handleFlush(String)`

    - #### handleErrorOutput

          public void handleErrorOutput(java.lang.String errorOutputToHandle)

      Handle error output. Send it the the new project if is present, otherwise call the super class.
      Overrides:
        `handleErrorOutput` in class `Task`
      Parameters:
        `errorOutputToHandle` - The string to output.
      Since:
        Ant 1.5
      See Also:
        `Task.handleErrorOutput(String)`

    - #### handleErrorFlush

          public void handleErrorFlush(java.lang.String errorOutputToFlush)

      Handle error output. Send it the the new project if is present, otherwise call the super class.
      Overrides:
        `handleErrorFlush` in class `Task`
      Parameters:
        `errorOutputToFlush` - The string to output.
      Since:
        Ant 1.5.2
      See Also:
        `Task.handleErrorFlush(String)`

    - #### execute

          public void execute()
                       throws BuildException

      Do the execution.
      Overrides:
        `execute` in class `Task`
      Throws:
        `BuildException` - if a target tries to call itself; probably also if a BuildException is thrown by the new project.

    - #### getDefaultBuildFile

          protected java.lang.String getDefaultBuildFile()

      Get the default build file name to use when launching the task.

      This function may be overrided by providers of custom ProjectHelper so they can implement easily their sub launcher.

      Returns:
        the name of the default file
      Since:
        Ant 1.8.0

    - #### setDir

          public void setDir(java.io.File dir)

      The directory to use as a base directory for the new Ant project. Defaults to the current project's basedir, unless inheritall has been set to false, in which case it doesn't have a default value. This will override the basedir setting of the called project.
      Parameters:
        `dir` - new directory as `File`.

    - #### setAntfile

          public void setAntfile(java.lang.String antFile)

      The build file to use. Defaults to "build.xml". This file is expected to be a filename relative to the dir attribute given.
      Parameters:
        `antFile` - the `String` build file name.

    - #### setTarget

          public void setTarget(java.lang.String targetToAdd)

      The target of the new Ant project to execute. Defaults to the new project's default target.
      Parameters:
        `targetToAdd` - the name of the target to invoke.

    - #### setOutput

          public void setOutput(java.lang.String outputFile)

      Set the filename to write the output to. This is relative to the value of the dir attribute if it has been set or to the base directory of the current project otherwise.
      Parameters:
        `outputFile` - the name of the file to which the output should go.

    - #### createProperty

          public Property createProperty()

      Property to pass to the new project. The property is passed as a 'user property'.
      Returns:
        the created `Property` object.

    - #### addReference

          public void addReference(Ant.Reference ref)

      Add a Reference element identifying a data type to carry over to the new project.
      Parameters:
        `ref` - `Reference` to add.

    - #### addConfiguredTarget

          public void addConfiguredTarget(Ant.TargetElement t)

      Add a target to this Ant invocation.
      Parameters:
        `t` - the `TargetElement` to add.
      Since:
        Ant 1.6.3

    - #### addPropertyset

          public void addPropertyset(PropertySet ps)

      Add a set of properties to pass to the new project.
      Parameters:
        `ps` - `PropertySet` to add.
      Since:
        Ant 1.6

    - #### getNewProject

          protected Project getNewProject()

      Get the (sub)-Project instance currently in use.
      Returns:
        Project
      Since:
        Ant 1.7