Mapping a Target to an IDE Command

When you use the Java Project With Existing Ant Script project template, the New Project wizard enables you to map specific build targets to IDE commands, including the following:

• Build Project

• Clean Project

• Generate Javadoc

• Run Project

• Test Project

You can also use the Project Properties dialog box (Build and Run page) to map targets to these commands. Other commands (such as Debug Project, Compile File, Run File, Debug File, and Apply Code Changes) need to have targets created for them and then be mapped in the project.xml file if you want them to work in the IDE.

If you let the IDE generate an Ant target for a command, the IDE handles this mapping automatically. In NetBeans IDE 5.0, the IDE offers to generate targets for the Debug Project and Compile File commands the first time you run those commands. In future versions of the IDE, target generation will be offered for other commands as well.

See Table 16-1 for a list of commands that you can map to your build script. The IDE Action column gives the code name for the command that you use when mapping a build target to the command.

Table 16-1. IDE Commands and Corresponding Action Names Used in the project.xml File

Command	IDE Action
Build Project	build
Clean and Build Project	rebuild
Compile Selected Files	compile.single
Clean Project	clean
Run Project	run
Run Selected File	run.single
Redeploy Project (for web applications)	redeploy
Test Project	test
Test File	test.single
Debug Test For File	debug.test.single
Debug Project	debug
Debug File	debug.single
Apply Code Changes	debug.fix
Step Into	debug.stepinto
Generate Javadoc	javadoc

The next several topics provide examples of how to create Ant targets for specific commands and then map them to the IDE.

The IDE comes bundled with XML schemas for the project.xml file and auto-matically validates them every time you edit and save them. If you make invalid changes to a project.xml file, the IDE reports the errors in the Output window.

If you would like to inspect the schemas yourself, you can view them online. See Table 16-2 for a list of the schemas used.

Table 16-2. Free-Form Project Schema

Schema	Description
www.netbeans.org/ns/freeform-project/1.xsd	Defines the <general-data> part of the project.xml file for all free-form project types.
www.netbeans.org/ns/freeform-project-java/1.xsd	Defines the <java-data> part of the project.xml file for all free-form project types.
www.netbeans.org/ns/freeform-project-web/1.xsd	Defines the <web-data> part of the project.xml file for web applications.