I ran into a situation with <filelist> where I want to use it to specify a list of jar files which are spread all over the file system. In Unix, I can do this with <filelist> because I can give the dir attribute the "/"
I have to give dir="" something because it is mandatory and the tasks such as <copy> which take <filelist> demand it as well, expanding the listed files' paths using it.
In Windows where jars on different drives have different drive letters, this doesn't work.
If I submitted changes to <filelist>, so that its dir is not mandatory, and also to <copy> so that it can handle a <filelist> with no dir attribute, would it be considered for inclusion back into CVS?
I've noticed other people's postings on the user list saying this would be desirable ( http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/msg17073.html )
This would be ideal for me because it means I could implement a method where
(1) the build.xml and the main properties file become completely independent of the location of all the different jars - I would have a 2nd properties file listing external jars with their full paths
(2) the build.xml becomes independent of which jar files are required for the project, since I could list them in one property in the main properties file, which would be read by a <filelist>.
The reason for (1) is the jars always get installed in different places depending on the packaging method, the developer's machine and the version of the package.
The reason for (2) is that up until now I have always had to hack around the build.xml when I want to alter which external jars are used. I don't like doing this because firstly it is slower than having all the external jars specified in one property in a properites file, and secondly the build.xml gets checked into CVS for the project and it annoys others on the team when one developer has changed build.xml and checked it back in.
I hope this sounds agreeable,
til later, Adam
