Calling depends targets from parent build.xml inside includes xml

Question

Is it possible for xml files that are part of \'includes\' inside build.xml to have depends on targets from that build.xml (backwards dependency)? Or do I need to create a c

Answer 1

This works for me: In the main project file the target default depends on a target from commontasks.xml which depends on a target from the main project file:

<project name="main" default="default">

  <import file="commontasks.xml" as="common" />

  <target name="default" depends="common.hello" description="the main project">
  </target>

  <target name="initMain">
    <echo>initializing main</echo>
    <property name="aValue" value="MAIN" />
  </target>

<project name="commontasks" >

  <target name="hello" depends="initMain">
    <echo>hello from common tasks</echo>
    <echo>aValue: ${aValue}</echo>
  </target>

When I run the ant build, I get:

initMain:
 [echo] initializing main
common.hello:
 [echo] hello from common tasks
 [echo] aValue: MAIN
default:
BUILD SUCCESSFUL

The dependency is target default depends on hello depends on initMain and hello can use properties defined in initMain.