JSP precompilation and my .java files compilation issues / building WAR file using ANT

Question

Hello.
I am new to working with WAR files and the whole process of it. A little
background on what we are using. We are using, WLS 6.1 SP3. I am using the
ant.bat that is supplied in the bin directory of the WLS install.
I am trying to work with ANT and getting it to build the file. I am making
progress, but at a point where I am having trouble getting my java code
files to compile using ant. I am having one issue and looking to do one
other item.
1) I would like to precompile the JSPs if possible prior to putting into the
WAR file. Not sure if this is done or not, but there was a utility when I
was working with ibm's app server that gave us the ability to do a batch
complile. Was thinking that maybe a similair concept is possibly here.
2) Having issue getting ant to compile code properly. In the compile
section of the build.xml file for ant, I tell it where the source files are,
and the destionation folder for the compiled class files. I then try to set
the classpath so that it finds the .jar files that are necessary for my
source files to complile. But, it won't find them. And not sure how come.
I may be going about this all wrong, but dont know. Here is the compile
section of the build.xml I am using:
<target name="compile" depends="prepare">
<javac srcdir="classes" destdir="${deploy.home}/WEB-INF/classes"
classpath="$(lib.home)"
debug="on" optimize="on" deprecation="off"/>
</target>
One note, I've tried many different items in the classpath line, which
don't work. if I do *.jar it fails at complie time, invalid argument. As
well as if I use *.* and so on. if I list the explicit file names, it still
doesn't seem to find them.
I was wondering if anyone could help, if you need anymore information let me
know, I can send the entire build.xml if necessary. I may be missing
items, seeing that this is my first try at using ANT.
Any help is appreciated and thanks in advance. Hopefully not sounding too
off the wall. Hopefully get some clarification and understanding.
Thank you.
Kevin.

Answer 1

Kevin Price wrote:
Hello.
I am new to working with WAR files and the whole process of it. A little
background on what we are using. We are using, WLS 6.1 SP3. I am using the
ant.bat that is supplied in the bin directory of the WLS install.
I am trying to work with ANT and getting it to build the file. I am making
progress, but at a point where I am having trouble getting my java code
files to compile using ant. I am having one issue and looking to do one
other item.
1) I would like to precompile the JSPs if possible prior to putting into the
WAR file. Not sure if this is done or not, but there was a utility when I
was working with ibm's app server that gave us the ability to do a batch
complile. Was thinking that maybe a similair concept is possibly here.you can use weblogic.jspc
http://e-docs.bea.com/wls/docs70/jsp/reference.html#57794
or just set the precompile flag in weblogic.xml
You can configure WebLogic Server to precompile your JSPs when a Web
Application is deployed or re-deployed or when WebLogic Server starts up
by setting the precompile parameter to true in the <jsp-descriptor>
element of the weblogic.xml deployment descriptor.
>
2) Having issue getting ant to compile code properly. In the compile
section of the build.xml file for ant, I tell it where the source files are,
and the destionation folder for the compiled class files. I then try to set
the classpath so that it finds the .jar files that are necessary for my
source files to complile. But, it won't find them. And not sure how come.
I may be going about this all wrong, but dont know. Here is the compile
section of the build.xml I am using:
<target name="compile" depends="prepare">
<javac srcdir="classes" destdir="${deploy.home}/WEB-INF/classes"
classpath="$(lib.home)"
debug="on" optimize="on" deprecation="off"/>
</target>
maybe because you are not using curly braces there on lib.home??
if you do it the way above, you would have to list all your jars
classpath="$(lib.home)\lib1.jar:$(lib.home)\lib2.jar"
or you can nest
<javac srcdir="classes" destdir="${deploy.home}/WEB-INF/classes"
debug="on" optimize="on" deprecation="off">
     <classpath>
          <fileset dir="${lib.home}" includes="*.jar" />
     </classpath>
</javac>
One note, I've tried many different items in the classpath line, which
don't work. if I do *.jar it fails at complie time, invalid argument. As
well as if I use *.* and so on. if I list the explicit file names, it still
doesn't seem to find them.
I was wondering if anyone could help, if you need anymore information let me
know, I can send the entire build.xml if necessary. I may be missing
items, seeing that this is my first try at using ANT.
Any help is appreciated and thanks in advance. Hopefully not sounding too
off the wall. Hopefully get some clarification and understanding.
Thank you.
Kevin.