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From: Tom Jordahl <tomj@macromedia.com>
To: "'axis-dev@ws.apache.org'" <axis-dev@ws.apache.org>
Subject: RE: Axis Build System - Possible conversion to Maven
Date: Fri, 14 Mar 2003 11:13:45 -0500
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I am not in favor of converting Axis to Maven (or any other new tool).

I know and understand (to some small extent) ant, as many Java developers do, and introducing yet another technology needed to build Axis is not something I believe we need to do at this time.  In particular, I have only barely heard of Maven, much less know anything about how to use it.  I am sure it is a wonderful tool.  But I would guess ant is much more widely used.

The directory structure and build system that is in place is the result of previous attempt to 'simplify and improve' our system that was in place before this one.  :-)

If you would like to help the Axis project, we would welcome any help with our current bug list.  In particular there are various XML Schema types that we still don't deal with properly in WSDL2Java, and many folks have made noise about replacing our Schema parser with something better.  Jumping in to contribute to a project like this would really push Axis forward.

Thanks.

--
Tom Jordahl
Macromedia Server Development

-----Original Message-----
From: Dan Diephouse [mailto:dan@envoisolutions.com] 
Sent: Friday, March 14, 2003 4:00 PM
To: axis-dev@xml.apache.org
Subject: Axis Build System - Possible conversion to Maven

Since I have started working with Axis I have nothing but problems with the ant 
build system.  It is very complicated as I'm sure you all know.  I would like to 
propose that the Axis project move to Maven for the following reasons:

1. Building axis from day to day becomes much easier.  Dependencies are taken 
care of automatically by Maven.

2. It is *very* easy to create a release, and then deploy a new version of the 
website.  No more linking to docs in CVS.  To deploy a new version of the 
website you just do: "maven site:deploy".  That is really all there is too it.

3. It will increase the number of people who are able to contribute to the Axis 
project.

4. Decreased maintenance of the build.xml file(s)

5. A coherent directory structure.  Right now the directory structure is awful. 
  It doesn't work an IDE like Eclipse at all.  For example: the main code is in 
src/java/package.name.here - however the tests are in src/package.name.here. 
The tests should be in src/test/package.name.here.....

6. A better looking website.

Anyway, I will volunteer to:

1. Convert the main build to maven.

2. Create component builds for the components that are deemed not necessary for 
inclusion in the main build (jms, image, net)

3. Convert the existing documentation to XDocs.  This will create a nice axis 
web site for once.

4. Help anyone who needs helping getting familiar with maven.

I have a working version that compiles all the main code, but am only part way 
converting the tests.  Since there are so many tests and a lot of them need work 
to convert to maven, I would like some input before I convert the build. 
Thoughts, questions?

Cheers,
- Dan

-- 
Dan Diephouse
http://junktoast.com