Each IDE project has a project.xml file that includes important information
about the project, such as:
Information about what the project's type (free-form or standard, Web application
or standard Java SE application)
Mappings between project commands and targets in an Ant script
Information about the project's contents, classpath, and target Java platform.
This information is used to visualize the project and enable code completion
and refactoring.
For , there is usually no need to edit the project.xml file. In
, you often have to edit the project.xml file to hook up Ant
targets to IDE commands and make other customizations.
Using Properties in the project.xml File
Like all XML files, you can define properties inside the XML file itself or
store them in a separate .properties file. One way of keeping your
project.xml page synchronized with the information in your Ant script
is to import properties into project.xml from the same .properties
file that is used by your Ant script.
To create and import properties in project.xml:
In the Files window, double-click project.xml.
Enter the following between the <name> element and the <folders>
element:
Note that you while you can add properties in
any order, properties can only refer to other properties that have been
defined previously in the file. The properties file path itself can
also use property substitutions.
Validating the project.xml File
The IDE comes bundled with the XML schemas for free-form project.xml
files and automatically validates a free-form project.xml file every
time you edit and save it. You can view the XML schemas for the free-form project.xml
file at the following locations:
. Controls the main section of the free-form project.xml
(<general-data>).
. Controls the <java-data> section.
. Controls the <web-data> section (if you have one).
For a full guide to configuring free-form projects, see: