Mailing-List: contact ant-dev-help@jakarta.apache.org; run by ezmlm
Message-Id: <3.0.6.32.20001215122208.00a1c100@latcs2.cs.latrobe.edu.au>
Date: Fri, 15 Dec 2000 12:22:08 +1100
To: ant-dev@jakarta.apache.org
From: Peter Donald <donaldp@apache.org>
Subject: RE: Anteater...  I'm Baaaack...
Cc: <ant-dev@jakarta.apache.org>
In-Reply-To: <INEPIJABNNOAONEOKGBFKEFPCFAA.jimcook@iname.com>
References: <m3lmtiudkf.fsf@bodewig.bost.de>
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At 08:15  14/12/00 -0500, James Cook wrote:
>I see round-tripping as a major impetus behind an Ant 2.0. I guess I have to
>see a list of the shortcomings in Ant 1.2! I haven't experienced too many
>from a user's perspective.

The only real shortcomings from a users perspective I know of are
* you have to use build scripts
* task registration isn't as easy as it could be
* classpath management is often painful

However there are things that would be nice features - JPan discussed a
while back is one of them as is the idea of "Workspaces" that contain many
ant-projects.

>I imagine that we should start to collect a list of these shortcomings so we
>(you) know what needs to be addressed in a new version. I'll start:
>
>1. Ant build scripts should be parsed from a variety of valid input sources
>into a DOM structure to facilitate Ant integration into GUI editing
>environments. (let the flames begin) :-)

W3C DOM will never get into core. Waaaaaay to much overhead. However some
form of abstracted DOM would be useful. I proposed a Configuration object
which is a 1-to-1 mapping with Ants idea of object model. AntEater
presumably uses nested hashtables. Another good option is JDOM thou no one
warmed up to that idea ;)

Cheers,

Pete

*-----------------------------------------------------*
| "Faced with the choice between changing one's mind, |
| and proving that there is no need to do so - almost |
| everyone gets busy on the proof."                   |
|              - John Kenneth Galbraith               |
*-----------------------------------------------------*