User usage

From a user perspective AntInstall is similar to many other installers. Start the installer, click OK to the licenses. The user is presented with screens in which to enter text or select from the available options.

To use Antinstaller you must have Java. It is possible that the installer may be repackaged with Java but generally AntInstaller will assume Java is installed. You must also have the JAVA_HOME environment variable set to install from a script.

Script Installs

Unix

Un pack the gz.tar file to a temporary directory and run the install.sh script. If you have X configured and available you will be shown a window with installation instructions. If you do not have X and are working on the commandline, installation instructions will be presented on the console.

Windows

Unzip the installation file and double click on the install.cmd (install) file, follow the instructions onscreen

Jar Installs

Unix

If the installer is delivered as a single file with the extension .jar it should be possible to run the installer by double clicking on the file. If your system has reconfigured the .jar type run the installer with the following command
> java -jar [installer_name].jar

Windows

If installing an application with a single Jar file you should be able to just double click on the file in Explorer. If you have registered additional applications to opens Jars, right moust click and select "open with" "javaw".

Re-Installing

For normal applications, or situations where Ant is not installed, re-running the installer is a case of repeating the instructions above and entering the values again.

If you are using AntInstaller for server installations or as a front end for a build process, you may it may be usefull to repeat an installation without entering the values again. Ensure the installer is installed with the debug flag set to true and use the scripted install. If you have Ant installed you can navigate to the root directory of the install and just run Ant. Ant will pick up the build.xml file and the ant.install.properties that were used last time the installer was run.
There are three things to bear in mind.
Firstly, passwords are not stored in the properties file so you will have to edit the file and set the passwords in plain text (and take responibility for security of the file).
Secondly you should ensure that you run the same targets as were run last time the installer was run this can be done by appending the targets to the ant command when running from the command line.
Finally, when creating the build.xml should ensure that the installer does not break itself by deleting files at the end of a successfull install.