setting properties in external file

[DoraC]

Hi,

I am trying to run a java class in a step in my Ant script,
and it does NOT work when I set the variable in an external parm file but it DOES work when I set the variable internally.

For example, the following works:

  <property name=&quot;javac.path&quot; 
   value=&quot;/projects/install/Antlr/antlr-2.7.2/antlr.jar&quot;/>

...  
  <target name=&quot;processGrammarFile&quot; 
          depends=&quot;&quot;
          description=&quot;&quot;>

    <echo message=&quot;path: .${javac.path}.&quot;/>

    <java classname=&quot;antlr.Tool&quot;
               fork=&quot;true&quot;>
      <arg value=&quot;t.g&quot;/>
      <classpath path=&quot;${javac.path}&quot;/>
    </java>

  </target>

but the following does not:

(in common.properties file):
javac.path="/projects/install/Antlr/antlr-2.7.2/antlr.jar"

(in build.xml)
  <property name=&quot;antlr.home&quot;
           value=&quot;C:/antlr/home/here&quot;/>
  <property file=&quot;${antlr.home}/common.properties&quot;/>

...  
  <target name=&quot;processGrammarFile&quot; 
          depends=&quot;&quot;
          description=&quot;&quot;>

    <echo message=&quot;path: .${javac.path}.&quot;/>

    <java classname=&quot;antlr.Tool&quot;
               fork=&quot;true&quot;>
      <arg value=&quot;t.g&quot;/>
      <classpath path=&quot;${javac.path}&quot;/>
    </java>

  </target>

It generates the following:

processGrammarFile:
     [echo] path: ."/projects/install/Antlr/antlr-2.7.2/antlr.jar".   build.xml:processGrammarFile
     [java] java.lang.NoClassDefFoundError: antlr/Tool
     [java] Exception in thread "main" 
     [java] Java Result: 1
     [echo]     done!!!

Why won't it recognize a variable that's been set in a properties file, even when the values thus set are displayed properly in the echo statement? Admittedly, this is the first time I've tried this with the <java> task vs. <javac>, but I would imagine it should work for both...

any help would be thrilling...
thanks!
dora c

 

[DoraC]

Hi,

OK, I found that it works if I remove the quotes from the
assignment in my common.properties file, so

javac.path="/projects/install/Antlr/antlr-2.7.2/antlr.jar"

goes to

javac.path=/projects/install/Antlr/antlr-2.7.2/antlr.jar

and all is well. This is still strange, however, as I copied that verbatim from other common.properties files i've used w/success... but - again - not for the <java> task, just <javac>.

Thanks,
dora c