that was my initial answer .. but then I considered the collision of the global ant namespace (that macrodef plays in) with a customised non-ant namespace <Macrodef> is implicitly declared within Ants global namespace
The default namespace used by Ant is "antlib:org.apache.tools.ant". thus embedding any other elements with non-ant namespaces inside Ant global namespace is verboten (that is up until the end tag </Macrodef> is encountered) Parser> I am parsing macrodef with antlib:org.apache.tools.ant namespace Operator>Here is new Element with New Namespace embedded inside Macrodef Parser:No you cannot I am still parsing the elements and attributes of antlib:org.apache.tools.ant.namespace Since Ant namespace is globally available we can reference Ant namespace types inside customised namespaces consider: >From Ant 1.6.2, elements nested inside a namespaced element may also be in >Ant's default namespace. This means that the following is now allowed: <typedef resource="org/example/tasks.properties" uri="http://example.org/tasks"/> <my:task xmlns:my="http://example.org/tasks";> <config a="foo" b="bar"/> <!-- embedded element inside ANTs default namespace so this is ok--> ... </my:task> NOT allowed <typedef resource="org/example/tasks.properties" uri="http://example.org/tasks"/> <task xmlns:my="http://example.org/tasks";> <my:config a="foo" b="bar"/> <!-- custom namespace is not aware of types declared from ant namespace --> ... </task> IMHO DefineAttribute static class (embedded in Macrodef) is the solution why 1)DefineAttribute stays within the Macrodef and stays within global ant namespace (antlib:org.apache.tools.ant) boundaries 2)DefineAttribute accomodates assignment of unique values for each instantation of the MacroDef Here is the code /** 481: * A nested define element for the MacroDef task. 482: * 483: * It provides an attribute with a guaranteed unique value 484: * on every instantiation of the macro. This allows to use 485: * this uniquely named attribute in property names used 486: * internally by the macro, thus creating unique property 487: * names and side-stepping Ant's property immutability rules. 488: * <p> 489: * Of course, this work around as the side effect of littering 490: * the global Ant property namespace, so is far for ideal, but 491: * will have to make do awaiting a better fix... 492: * 493: * @since ant 1.7 494: */ 495:... public static class DefineAttribute extends Attribute { 496: 497: private static long count = 0; 498: private String prefix = ""; 499: 500: /** 501: * Sets a prefix for the generated name. 502: * 503: * @param prefixValue the prefix to use. 504: */ 505:... public void setPrefix(String prefixValue) { 506: prefix = prefixValue; 507: } 508: 509: /** 510: * Sets the default value. 511: * 512: * This is not allowed for the define nested element. 513: * 514: * @param defaultValue not used 515: * @throws BuildException, always 516: */ 517:... public void setDefault(String defaultValue) { 518: throw new BuildException( 519: "Illegal attribute \"default\" for define element"); 520: } 521: 522: /** 523: * Gets the default value for this attibute. 524: * 525: * @return the generated <em>unique</em> name, of the form 526: * "prefix#this classname#<aCounter>". 527: */ 528:... public String getDefault() { 529:... synchronized (DefineAttribute.class) { 530: // Make sure counter is managed globally 531: return prefix + "#" + getClass().getName() + "#" + (++count); 532: } 533: } 534: 535: } // END static class DefineAttribute http://www.javadocexamples.com/java_source/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/MacroDef.java.html -Martin > Date: Thu, 26 Sep 2013 15:43:24 -0700 > From: vimils...@yahoo.com > Subject: Re: "scoping" for macro definitions? > To: user@ant.apache.org > > I am not sure if this feature is available in ant 1.7 but can't you use > namespaces to scope the macrodefs like follows > > <project name="testBuild" default="all" basedir="." xmlns:c="common" > > <typedef file="../build-common/buildCommon.xml"uri="common"/> > > Now all the macrodefs in buildCommon.xml has to be accessed as follows > > <c:theirmacro ... > > Any macrodef you define in your build.xml can be accessed without using the > namespace syntax. > > > ________________________________ > From: Cyril Sagan <cyril.sa...@gmail.com> > To: Ant Users List <user@ant.apache.org> > Sent: Thursday, September 26, 2013 3:15 PM > Subject: "scoping" for macro definitions? > > > Is there a way to override a macro defined from a library I cannot > control, my goal is to provide a local implementation, but not have to > change all the callers. > > I'm stuck on Ant 1.7.0, and cannot update. > > How could I "fake out" a scoping mechanism to accomplish something like: > <super.macroImplementation/> or <project[@name].macroImplemenation/> > > I tried using <presetdef/> to "override" the macro, but I can't figure > out how to invoke the original macro of the same name. I could > redefine the macro from the library in my local ant script, but I > don't want to open a possibility that my local implementation could > get out of sync with the one from the provided library. > > Another way to express what I need is the macro equivalent of target > overriding, which is accomplished with the code snip below, but I need > it for <macrodef/>! > > common.xml: > <project name="common_library"> > <target name="stuff"> > <!-- run stuff from common library --> > </target> > </project> > > build.xml: > <project name="myBuild"> > <import file="common.xml" /> > <target name="stuff" depends="mystuff_first, common_library.stuff" > /> > > <!-- henceforth target="stuff" is *my* implementation --> > </project> > > > But what if its a macro (or scriptdef)? In principle here's what I was > hoping could > work, but it doesn't, so that's why I'm asking: > > common.xml: > <project name="common_library"> > <macrodef name="routine"> > <attribute name="arg1" /> > <attribute name="arg2" /> > <sequential> > <!-- macro definition from common library --> > </sequential> > </target> > </project> > > build.xml: > <project name="myBuild"> > <import file="common.xml" /> > <presetdef name="routine"> > <local_routine/> > </presetdef> > > <macrodef name="local_routine"> > <attribute name="arg1" /> > <attribute name="arg2" /> > <sequential> > <!-- add some logic here... --> > <common_library.routine arg1="@{arg1} arg2="@{arg2}" /> > </sequential> > </macrodef> > > <!-- henceforth <routine/> is *my* implementation --> > </project> > > Any ideas would be much appreciated. Thanks. > > --Cyril
