inanzzz | Running Ant build.xml script with Jenkins

With the simple example below, Jenkins will run ant command to run scripts defined in build.xml file in your project called Nation.

Install Ant

$ sudo apt-get update
$ sudo apt-get install ant

Build.xml

Assume that you have build.xml file under /workspace/Nation/ projects.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>

<project name="nation" default="full-suite" basedir=".">

    <!-- GLOBAL VARIABLES -->
    <property name="source" value="app" />
    <!-- END -->

    <!-- AVAILABLE COMMANDS -->
    <target name="full-suite" depends="date, list" />
    <!-- END -->

    <!-- DATE -->
    <target name="date">
        <echo message="Printing system date ..."/>
        <exec executable="date" />
    </target>
    <!-- END -->

    <!-- LIST -->
    <target name="list">
        <echo message="Listing source folder ..."/>
        <exec executable="ls">
            <arg line="-l ${source}" />
        </exec>
    </target>
    <!-- END -->

</project>

Manual test

Currently we're logged in as vagrant user in out vagrant machine. Lets switch to jenkins user to update build.xml and run tests.

$ vagrant@jenkins:~$
$ vagrant@jenkins:~$ sudo su -l jenkins

$ jenkins@jenkins:~$
$ jenkins@jenkins:~$ cd workspace/Nation/
$ jenkins@jenkins:~/workspace/Nation$ $ ant -file build.xml
Buildfile: /var/lib/jenkins/workspace/Nation/build.xml

date:
     [echo] Printing system date ...
     [exec] Wed Jan 18 11:11:55 UTC 2017

list:
     [echo] Listing source folder ...
     [exec] total 4
     [exec] drwxr-xr-x 12 jenkins jenkins 4096 Jan 18 09:57 AppBundle

full-suite:

BUILD SUCCESSFUL
Total time: 0 seconds

Jenkins Ant configuration

Go to http://localhost:8080.

Click "Nation" item from the list.

Click "Configure" option.

Scroll down to "Build" section.

Click "Add build step" button.

Select "Invoke Ant" option.

Click "Advanced" button.

Type "build.xml" in "Build File" field.

Save and exit.

Jenkins test

I assume that there is a build in your "Build History" so just manually build. If you go to "Console Output" of your build, you should see something like below.