echoproperties

Description

Displays all the current properties (or a subset of them specified by a nested <propertyset>) in the project. The output can be sent to a file if desired. This task can be used as a somewhat contrived means of returning data from an ant invocation, but is really for debugging build files.

Parameters

Attribute Description Required
destfile If specified, the value indicates the name of the file to send the output of the statement to. The generated output file is compatible for loading by any Java application as a property file. No; by default, output to the log
prefix a prefix which is used to filter the properties: only properties whose names start with this prefix will be echoed. No
regex a regular expression which is used to filter the properties: only those properties whose names match it will be echoed. No
failonerror If an error occurs while writing the properties to a file, and this attribute is enabled, then a BuildException will be thrown, causing the build to fail. If disabled, then IO errors will be reported as a log statement, and the build will continue without failure from this task. No; default is true
format One of text or xml. Determines the output format. No; defaults to text

Parameters specified as nested elements

propertyset

Since Ant 1.6.

You can specify subsets of properties to be echoed with propertysets. Using propertysets gives more control on which properties will be picked up. The attributes prefix and regex are just shortcuts that use propertysets internally.

Examples

Report the current properties to the log.

<echoproperties/>

Report the current properties to the file my.properties, and fail the build if the file could not be created or written to.

<echoproperties destfile="my.properties"/>

Report the current properties to the file my.properties, and log a message if the file could not be created or written to, but still allow the build to continue.

<echoproperties destfile="my.properties" failonerror="false"/>

List all properties beginning with java.

<echoproperties prefix="java."/>

Lists all properties beginning with java. using a nested <propertyset/> which is an equivalent but longer way.

<echoproperties>
  <propertyset>
    <propertyref prefix="java."/>
  </propertyset>
</echoproperties>

Lists all properties that contain ant in their names.

<echoproperties regex=".*ant.*"/>

The equivalent snippet with <propertyset/> is:

<echoproperties>
  <propertyset>
    <propertyref regex=".*ant.*"/>
  </propertyset>
</echoproperties>