Problem in building project using Ant build tool

[Santosh Ganapa]

Hello guys,

I am developing a web application using struts framework.I have all the java source files and resource files.I am trying to use Ant build tool ,but its reporting me errors about compilation like cannot find symbol ActionErrors, Action etc..I think the problem is in build.xml which is unable to include .jar files.

So please help me to solve these problems.

Thanks in advance.

[Jeanne Boyarsky]

Do you have the struts jar in the classpath? Maybe you could show some code?

[Peter Johnson]

And show the output from the ant build...

[Santosh Ganapa]

Here is an output error i am getting:-
C:\tomcat6\webapps\blank\WEB-INF\src>ant
Buildfile: build.xml

clean:
[delete] Deleting directory C:\tomcat6\webapps\blank\WEB-INF\classes
[mkdir] Created dir: C:\tomcat6\webapps\blank\WEB-INF\classes

prepare:

resources:
[copy] Copying 1 file to C:\tomcat6\webapps\blank\WEB-INF\classes

compile:
[javac] Compiling 2 source files to C:\tomcat6\webapps\blank\WEB-INF\classes
[javac] C:\tomcat6\webapps\blank\WEB-INF\src\java\mybank\app1\CustomerAction.java:3: cannot find symbol
[javac] symbol: class Action
[javac] public class CustomerAction extends Action {
[javac] ^
[javac] C:\tomcat6\webapps\blank\WEB-INF\src\java\mybank\app1\CustomerAction.java:5: cannot find symbol
[javac] symbol : class ActionMapping
[javac] location: class CustomerAction
[javac] public ActionForward execute(ActionMapping mapping,
[javac] ^
[javac] C:\tomcat6\webapps\blank\WEB-INF\src\java\mybank\app1\CustomerAction.java:6: cannot find symbol
[javac] symbol : class ActionForm
[javac] location: class CustomerAction
[javac] ActionForm form, HttpServletRequest request,
[javac] ^
[javac] C:\tomcat6\webapps\blank\WEB-INF\src\java\mybank\app1\CustomerAction.java:6: cannot find symbol
[javac] symbol : class HttpServletRequest
[javac] location: class CustomerAction
[javac] ActionForm form, HttpServletRequest request,
[javac] ^
[javac] C:\tomcat6\webapps\blank\WEB-INF\src\java\mybank\app1\CustomerAction.java:7: cannot find symbol
[javac] symbol : class HttpServletResponse
[javac] location: class CustomerAction
[javac] HttpServletResponse response) throws Exception
[javac] ^
[javac] C:\tomcat6\webapps\blank\WEB-INF\src\java\mybank\app1\CustomerAction.java:5: cannot find symbol
[javac] symbol : class ActionForward
[javac] location: class CustomerAction
[javac] public ActionForward execute(ActionMapping mapping,
[javac] ^
[javac] C:\tomcat6\webapps\blank\WEB-INF\src\java\mybank\app1\CustomerForm.java:3: cannot find symbol
[javac] symbol: class ActionForm
[javac] public class CustomerForm extends ActionForm {
[javac] ^
[javac] C:\tomcat6\webapps\blank\WEB-INF\src\java\mybank\app1\CustomerAction.java:18: cannot find symbol
[javac] symbol : class ActionForward
[javac] location: class CustomerAction
[javac] ActionForward forward = mapping.findForward("success");
[javac] ^
[javac] 8 errors

BUILD FAILED
C:\tomcat6\webapps\blank\WEB-INF\src\build.xml:55: Compile failed; see the compiler error output for details.

Total time: 6 seconds



I have already set the cclasspath for jar files....
Please provide help..

[Ulf Dittmer]

How are you setting the classpath in your build.xml? Post the file contents here.

[Santosh Ganapa]

Here is my build.xml file contents...Please suggest me about what is the actual problem here with possible solution.

<project name="blank" basedir="../" default="all">


    <!-- Local system paths -->
    <property name="servlet.jar" value="/javasoft/lib/jdbc2_0-stdext.jar"/>
    <property name="jdbc20ext.jar" value="/javasoft/lib/servlet.jar"/>
        <!-- NOTE: If "dist" target is used, a local
             "projects/lib" directory will be utilized or created -->
    <property name="distpath.project" value="/projects/lib"/>


    <!-- Project settings -->
    <property name="project.title" value="Jakarta Struts Blank "/>
    <property name="project.distname" value="blank"/>
    <property name="project.version" value="1.1"/>


    <!-- Path settings -->
    <property name="doc.path" value="./doc/api"/>
    <property name="doc.src" value="./src/java"/>


    <!-- classpath for Struts 1.1 -->
    <path id="compile.classpath">
        <pathelement path ="lib/commons-beanutils.jar"/>
        <pathelement path ="lib/commons-digester.jar"/>
        <pathelement path ="lib/struts.jar"/>
        <pathelement path ="classes"/>
        <pathelement path ="${classpath}"/>
    </path>


    <!-- Check timestamp on files -->
    <target name="prepare">
        <tstamp/>
    </target>


    <!-- Copy any resource or configuration files -->
    <target name="resources">
        <copy todir="classes" includeEmptyDirs="no">
            <fileset dir="src/java">
            <patternset>
                <include name="**/*.conf"/>
                <include name="**/*.properties"/>
                <include name="**/*.xml"/>
            </patternset>
            </fileset>
        </copy>
    </target>


    <!-- Normal build of application -->
    <target name="compile" depends="prepare,resources">
        <javac srcdir="src" destdir="classes">
            <classpath refid="compile.classpath"/>
        </javac>
    </target>


    <!-- Remove classes directory for clean build -->
    <target name="clean"
      description="Prepare for clean build">
      <delete dir="classes"/>
      <mkdir  dir="classes"/>
    </target>


    <!-- Build Javadoc documentation -->
    <target name="javadoc"
     description="Generate JavaDoc API docs">
        <delete dir="./doc/api"/>
        <mkdir dir="./doc/api"/>
        <javadoc sourcepath="./src/java"
            destdir="./doc/api"
            classpath="${servlet.jar}:${jdbc20ext.jar}"
            packagenames="*"
            author="true"
            private="true"
            version="true"
            windowtitle="${project.title} API Documentation"
            doctitle="<h1>${project.title} Documentation (Version ${project.version})</h1>"
            bottom="Copyright © 2002">
            <classpath refid="compile.classpath"/>
        </javadoc>
    </target>


    <!-- Build entire project -->
    <target name="project" depends="clean,prepare,compile,javadoc"/>


    <!-- Create binary distribution -->
    <target name="dist"
        description="Create binary distribution">

      <mkdir
        dir="${distpath.project}"/>
      <jar
        jarfile="${distpath.project}/${project.distname}.jar"
        basedir="./classes"/>
      <copy
        file="${distpath.project}/${project.distname}.jar"
        todir="${distpath.project}"/>

      <war
        basedir="../"
        warfile="${distpath.project}/${project.distname}.war"
        webxml="web.xml">
        <exclude name="${distpath.project}/${project.distname}.war"/>
       </war>

    </target>


    <!-- Build project and create distribution-->
    <target name="all" depends="project,dist"/>

</project>

[Peter Johnson]

I am guessing that the issue is not with the build.xml file but rather with CustomerAction.java. I suspect that you do not have an import statement for the Action class. Could you post the beginning of the CustomerAction.java file, up to the class declaration (which according to the error message is on line 3).

Based on the other error messages, you are missing a number of import statements.

[Santosh Ganapa]

First of all thanks Mr.Peter for your prompt reply...

I added necessary import statements in the CustomerAction.java file as you suggested, it worked fine.But I am still getting errors as:-

C:\tomcat6\webapps\blank\WEB-INF\src>ant
Buildfile: build.xml

clean:
   [delete] Deleting directory C:\tomcat6\webapps\blank\WEB-INF\classes
    [mkdir] Created dir: C:\tomcat6\webapps\blank\WEB-INF\classes

prepare:

resources:
     [copy] Copying 1 file to C:\tomcat6\webapps\blank\WEB-INF\classes

compile:
    [javac] Compiling 2 source files to C:\tomcat6\webapps\blank\WEB-INF\classes
    [javac] C:\tomcat6\webapps\blank\WEB-INF\src\java\mybank\app1\CustomerAction.java:9: cannot find symbol
    [javac] symbol  : class HttpServletRequest
    [javac] location: class mybank.app1.CustomerAction
    [javac] ActionForm form, HttpServletRequest request,
    [javac]                  ^
    [javac] C:\tomcat6\webapps\blank\WEB-INF\src\java\mybank\app1\CustomerAction.java:10: cannot find symbol
    [javac] symbol  : class HttpServletResponse
    [javac] location: class mybank.app1.CustomerAction
    [javac] HttpServletResponse response) throws Exception
    [javac] ^
    [javac] 2 errors

BUILD FAILED
C:\tomcat6\webapps\blank\WEB-INF\src\build.xml:55: Compile failed; see the compiler error output for details.

Total time: 1 second

Please provide solution...

Code snippet for CustomerAction.java is as follow:-

package mybank.app1;
import org.apache.struts.action.*;
import javax.servlet.http.*;

public class CustomerAction extends Action {
public ActionForward execute(ActionMapping mapping,
ActionForm form, HttpServletRequest request,
HttpServletResponse response) throws Exception
{
........
}....

[Peter Johnson]

You buildscript does not include the servlet JAR in the classpath. The JAR is declared at line 05, but is not included anywhere in lines 24-30, which define the compile.classpath.

Or wait a second, lines 05 and 06 are mixed up - the servlet line (05) references the jdbc jar, while the jdbc line (06) references servlet jar. You should clean that up also.

[Santosh Ganapa]

Hurray I got success.......

Thanks a lot Mr. Peter for your valuable time and guidance.

Final build file with suggested changes is:-

<project name="blank" basedir="../" default="all">


    <!-- Local system paths -->
    <property name="servlet.jar" value="/blank/WEB-INF/lib/servlet.jar"/>
    <property name="jdbc20ext.jar" value="/javasoft/lib/jdbc2_0-stdext.jar"/>
        <!-- NOTE: If "dist" target is used, a local
             "projects/lib" directory will be utilized or created -->
    <property name="distpath.project" value="/projects/lib"/>


    <!-- Project settings -->
    <property name="project.title" value="Jakarta Struts Blank "/>
    <property name="project.distname" value="blank"/>
    <property name="project.version" value="1.1"/>


    <!-- Path settings -->
    <property name="doc.path" value="./doc/api"/>
    <property name="doc.src" value="./src/java"/>


    <!-- classpath for Struts 1.1 -->
    <path id="compile.classpath">
        <pathelement path ="lib/commons-beanutils.jar"/>
        <pathelement path ="lib/commons-digester.jar"/>
        <pathelement path ="lib/struts.jar"/>
        <pathelement path ="lib/servlet.jar"/>
        <pathelement path ="classes"/>
        <pathelement path ="${classpath}"/>
    </path>
................
......
...

And output is:-

C:\tomcat6\webapps\blank\WEB-INF\src>ant
Buildfile: build.xml

clean:
   [delete] Deleting directory C:\tomcat6\webapps\blank\WEB-INF\classes
    [mkdir] Created dir: C:\tomcat6\webapps\blank\WEB-INF\classes

prepare:

resources:
     [copy] Copying 1 file to C:\tomcat6\webapps\blank\WEB-INF\classes

compile:
    [javac] Compiling 2 source files to C:\tomcat6\webapps\blank\WEB-INF\classes

javadoc:
   [delete] Deleting directory C:\tomcat6\webapps\blank\WEB-INF\doc\api
    [mkdir] Created dir: C:\tomcat6\webapps\blank\WEB-INF\doc\api
  [javadoc] Generating Javadoc
  [javadoc] Javadoc execution
  [javadoc] Loading source files for package mybank.app1...
  [javadoc] Constructing Javadoc information...
  [javadoc] Standard Doclet version 1.6.0
  [javadoc] Building tree for all the packages and classes...
  [javadoc] Building index for all the packages and classes...
  [javadoc] Building index for all classes...

project:

dist:
    [mkdir] Created dir: C:\projects\lib
      [jar] Building jar: C:\projects\lib\blank.jar
      [war] Building war: C:\projects\lib\blank.war

all:

BUILD SUCCESSFUL
Total time: 9 seconds

I am very Happy....