This is an initial version of 7Bee. There is no any license for this product except an author's copyright. Any usage of this software is your own risk and an author has no any responsibility for it.

7Bee (Build Everything Easier)

7Bee is a Java-based build tool. 7Bee inherited some principles of Make.

Why another build tool when there are make, gnumake, nmake, ant, maven, jam, and many others? Because all those tools have limitations that 7Bee's an original author couldn't live with when developing software across multiple platforms using different products. Actually, an author had two objections before starting this project:

1. Usage of Make requires to install a set of GNU tools
2. Ant didn't meet to requirements of creation sophisticated build procedures, and had too big footprint 

Why 7, because 7 is a number of base classes giving 7Bee implementation.

Documentation

Basic 7Bee language elements

Basic statements

The set include statements for creation build files.

• variable - defines a variable with specified name and set value when specified. example
• value - specifies a value which can be literal constant, value of variable, name of property, directory, path, eval, and some others. Used attribute type for qualification.
  • to get property value: name="property_name" type="property"
  • to consider value as directory: type="directory"
  • to consider value as absolute path: type="path"
  • to consider value as array: type="array", default separator in a blank, unless separator defined.
  • to consider value as file or array of files: type="file", wildcard extended to get matching array of files without extending name to absolute path
  • to consider value as environment value: type="environment" name="name of env variable"
  • to consider value as number: type="number"
  • to consider value as date: type="date"
  • to consider value as name of variable type="eval"
• target - defines an addressable build task. Attribute name defines a name of target which can be specified in command line of 7Bee. Attribute dir is optional and provides a work directory for target if it's different than for a project. A target description can be specified in attribute comment. example
• expression - allows to combine operators functions to set a variable value. example
• task - define a build task. Attributes name and code used for calling a class, exec for an OS executable, path provides additional path or class path. Attributes stdout, stderr and stdin can specify variables keeping a content of corresponding streams of a running process. Parameters (parameter) specify strings passed in command line or main() arguments. If name of a parameter specified then it is used as a definition which is available by System.getProperty(). example
• dependency - define a a dependency of a build task. All dependencies are evaluated. Any dependency returned true or not empty result means that a task will be executed, unless a dependency has attribute process_only="yes". exampe
• for - define iteration. Attributes specify iteration variable, in interval, and an optional separator to convert scalar interval value in an array. example
• if - if statement. Calculate first expression and then execute then block if expression value is true, otherwise else block. else block can be omitted. example
• block - allows to combine different statements in one batch. example
• else - else branch inside if, since 1.1
• then - then branch inside if, since 1.1
• elseif - else branch inside if starting a new if block, since 1.1
• condition - if condition, since 1.1
• echo - displays a value or a variable on console. Two options are available, as  -n do not output the trailing newline, and -E disable interpretation of escape sequences in Strings
• switch - provides switch, attribute variable defines a value which checked against attribute value of case blocks. A default block is executed when no one other block matches.. example
• function - calls a function, see predefined functions below. Function can be also custom defined. example
• parameter - used for specifying parameters for tasks and functions. It acts the same as a value, however it can set system variables with value specified., when used with types environment or property .
• operator - executes an operator, see list of available operators below. An operator can be custom defined. example
• interrupt - interrupts current context execution, useful for early termination of loops or leaving blocks.

Note that 7Bee is highly expandable language for creation build files, test scripts, and many others tasks. Therefore, set of above statements can be extended by adding new ones. An external grammar definition can be applied without recompiling of any core code.

Operators

Generally any operator defined as a two addresses operation, when it applied on two operands and result takes place of first operand. Further a result used as first operand for the next operand in the chain. An operator can have unlimited number of operands. An operand can be a value, a variable or a result of a function. There are no parentheses to prioritize or group operands. However operators can be nested and operators of lower levels are calculated first. An operator has a required attribute name and an optional variable specifying a variable name for a result, otherwise an operator result passed to up level context. The first version of 7Bee doesn't have inline operators, so most of expressions will look a bit bulky. It considered as not a big disadvantage, because build files are very rarely modified, therefore one time creation efforts can be neglected in a lifetime of a project.

• append - provides concatenation of variables and/or values. 
• array - groups set of scalar or vector operands in a vector or array.
• eq - returns true if all operands are equal.
• exclude - used for excluding elements from array or vector based on a regular expression. The operator arguments can be as single regular expressions as arrays of them.
• lt - less than.
• neq - not equal.
• and - logical AND
• or - logical OR
• xor - logical XOR
• not - logical NOT

Some other operators can be build using the basis. Set of operators is customizable, when an operator name is a name of a class of its implementation. All operators are considered in package org.bee.oper. There is a plan of implementing arithmetic operators, as add, subtract, multiply, and divide.

Functions

Set of functions is expandable and useful for different build tasks. Functions can be used in parameters of a task, or in expressions and operators.

• anynewer - scans for last modification time of files defined by first parameter and last modification time specified by second and returns true if most newest file in first parameter newer than most newest file in second parameter. Any parameter can be a directory, in this case entire directory is checked. No inner directories and no filter masks accepted. (allnewer depreciated)
• ask - displays a prompt to a user specified by first parameter, second parameter provides default answer if a user pressed enter.
• askpass - displays a prompt to a user specified by first parameter, second parameter provides default answer for empty input. User input isn't echoed, so this function can be used for entering sensitive data. Available since Java 6.
• cp, cpa - file copy command similar used for Unix. Number of parameter pairs is not limited.
• cropname - removes a part of a file name defined as a regular expression. First parameter specifies a name, second - a regular expression. An optional 3rd parameter defines a string to substitute a deleted part. If a name includes wildcard symbols like *, or ?, then it considered as a mask for file names to perform the operation on. The function returns always an array.
• filename - extracts file name from an arbitrary name, it cuts extension.
• mv - similar to cp, but does move.
• match - matches string value to pattern, 1st parameter is a pattern, second is a string. More about patterns is here.
• newerthan - compares last modification time of files defined by first parameter with last modification time corresponding files defined by second parameters and returns a list of files with later time. If extensions are defined in first and second parameters, then they are ignored to find corresponding files.
• newerwithdependency - is similar to newerthan , but looks in Java dependency, so for example if some Java file has newer date than corresponding byte code file, all dependent on this byte code Java files will be added to a  result. One or two additional parameters specify default class name to return, unless non empty result produced, and a package prefix, when source directory points to not top level package.
• now - returns current time.
• read - reads content of file and returns it as a result, 1st parameter is a file name, 2nd a separator pattern for returning an array, and 3rd is encoding.
• rm - removes files defined in parameters.
• scalar - convenient function to convert an array to single value, 1^st parametere specifies an array and 2^nd an optional separator.
• stop - stops processing of 7Bee build file.
• timestamp - returns a time stamp of a file specified as a parameter.
• touch - is similar to Unix touch command, updates time of last file modification to now.
• warit - builds .war file, parameters define 1. web.xml, then sets of parameters defining .war content. See mode detail below.
• write, writea - creates a new file with content specified by parameters, 1st provides file name, 2nd and following provide content of file, every new parameter just appends to the file (no automatic line feed happens).

A function name is a class name in package org.bee.func. Function can have a variable number of Object or String parameters, a result can be any type, which will be interpreted accordingly context where the function met.

Scope rules

Changeable Grammar

1. changing tag names 
2. changing tag hierarchy
3. adding new tags with corresponding handlers

All these changes should be accompanied corresponding changes of DTD.

Function parameter details

warit

This function creates .war file specified by 1st parameter

2nd provides a location of web.xml, but it can be considered as content of it, if the location can't be resolved. (a standard 7Bee behavior)

Further parameters grouped by 2 or more parameters, and 1st in a group provides

operation abbreviations, like

• A [prfx] - add files to .war
  1. source path, can include wild cards like * or ?
• E [prfx] - add files not in exclude list
  1. source path, can include wild cards like * or ?
  2. exclude list comma separated with names only, wild card can be used as well
• C [prfx] - add files in classes
  1. source path
  2. exclude list, can be empty
• L [prfx] - add files in library
  1. source path
  2. exclude list, can be empty
• W filename_path - add content of parameter
  1. content to add

prfx -is path in .war to add files, it shouldn't start with / or \, if source path represent a single file, then prefix will be destination file name, unless it ended by / or /*. If a group started parameter has type an array, then its content considered as additional parameters. It allows to create group of parameters separately.

ask

1st parameter provides prompt and 2nd default value. Result of the function is user input or default value if user entered nothing.

7Bee file structure

Predefined variable names

Bee provides a mechanism of predefined variable 

1. ~#dir#~ - current working directory
2. ~#args#~ - array of command line arguments
3. ~#error#~ - value of last error
4. ~#exception#~ - value of last exception
5. ~#option-noinput#~ - value set if option -noinput used
6. ~#build-file#~ - path of build file
7. ~#class-lib#~ - array of class libraries set by command argument -lib

1. cd in user home directory and then create a project directory, mkdir helloworld-bee
2. create src directory, mkdir src
3. copy generic 7Bee templates form 7bee\deploy\examples\generic\bee.xml and 7bee\deploy\examples\generic\env.xml
4. step in src directory (cd src) and create domain directory, mkdir userdomain
5. step in userdomain directory and create HelloWorld.java, echo "package userdomain; public class HelloWorld { public static void main(String ... args) { System.out.printf(\"Hello, World\!\\n\");}}" > HelloWorld.java
6. go back in the project home directory (home/userdomain/helloworld-bee) and edit bee.xml, vi bee.xml

   before:

   <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
    <!DOCTYPE bee PUBLIC "-//Dmitriy Rogatkin//DTD 7Bee Project Builder 1.0//EN"
       "http://7bee.j2ee.us/xml/DTD/bee.dtd" [
         <!ENTITY env SYSTEM "./env.xml">
         <!ENTITY build_directory "your build directory">

         <!ENTITY source_directory "src">
         <!ENTITY build_file "your jar.jar">
         <!ENTITY domain "com">
         <!ENTITY manifestf "type relative path to manifest">
         <!ENTITY main_class "type main class for run">
         ]>

   after:

   <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
    <!DOCTYPE bee PUBLIC "-//Dmitriy Rogatkin//DTD 7Bee Project Builder 1.0//EN"
       "http://7bee.j2ee.us/xml/DTD/bee.dtd" [
         <!ENTITY env SYSTEM "./env.xml">
         <!ENTITY build_directory "build">
         <!ENTITY source_directory "src">
         <!ENTITY build_file "helloworld.jar">
         <!ENTITY domain "userdomain">
         <!ENTITY manifestf "">
         <!ENTITY main_class "userdomain.HelloWorld">
         ]>

7. Now you can run 7Bee.

   [dmitriy@BEEMACHINE mydomain]$bee Compiling... Jarring... Running... Hello, World!

variable

     <variable name="jdk version">1.5</variable>
     <variable name="resource path" type="path">/src/resources</variable>

expression

     <expression variable="class path">
        <operator name="append">
           <value variable="jdk root"/>
           <value variable="jdk version"/>
           <value>/lib/rt.jar</value>
        </operator>
     </expression>

task

<task exec="mkdir">
       <parameter value="&build_directory;"/>
</task>
<task name="main" code="com.sun.tools.javac.Main" path="compiler classes">
  <parameter value="-classpath"/>
  <parameter variable="class path"/>
  <parameter value="-source"/>
  <parameter value="1.5"/>
  <parameter value="-d"/>
  <parameter value="&build_directory;" type="dir"/>
  <parameter variable="java sources"/>>
  <onexit>
     <if>
        <expression>
           <operator name="neq"><value variable="resultcode"/><value>0</value></operator>
        </expression>
        <block type="then">
           <echo>Error(s) at compilation</echo>
           <function name="stop">
	      <parameter value="1"/>
           </function>
        </block>
     </if>
  </onexit>
</task>
    

dependency

     <dependency>
        <expression>
          <operator name="eq">
            <function name ="timestamp">
               <parameter value="lib"/>
            </function>
            <value/>
          </operator>
        </expression>
     </dependency>
     <dependency target="check lib"/>
     

for

<for variable="idl file" in="event, naming IDLs">
      <task name="idl compilation" exec="idl compiler">
         <parameter variable="old compatible"/>
         <parameter value="-i"/>
         <parameter variable="include_lib"/>
         <parameter value="-i"/>
         <parameter variable="common_src"/>
         <parameter value="-keep"/>
         <parameter value="-fall"/>
         <parameter value="-td"/>
         <parameter variable="Java src common"/>
         <parameter variable="packages list">
            <expression variable="packages list">
              <variable name="packages list"/>
              <for variable="package name" in="event, naming IDLs">
                  <operator name="array" variable="packages list">
                      <value variable="packages list"/>
                      <value>-pkgPrefix</value>
                      <function name="filename">
                         <parameter variable="package name"/>
                      </function>
                      <value>org.omg</value>
                  </operator>
               </for>
            </expression>
         </parameter>
         <parameter variable="idl file"/>
         <onexit>
            <if>
              <expression>
                 <operator name="neq"><value variable="resultcode"/><value>0</value></operator>
              </expression>
              <block type="then">
                 <echo>Error in IDL</echo>
                 <function name="stop">
			<parameter value="1"/>
                 </function>
              </block>
              <block type="else">
                  <function name="write">
                     <parameter variable="idl.timestamp"/>
                     <parameter value=""/>
                  </function>
              </block>
            </if>
        </onexit>
      </task>
    </for>
      

if

<if>
   <expression>
      <operator name="eq">
         <value>80</value>
         <value variable="access port"/>
      </operator>
   </expression>
   <block type="then">
      <expression variable="access port">
         <value></value>
      </expression>
   </block>
   <block type="else"> 
      <expression variable="access port">
        <operator name="append">
           <value>:</value>
           <value variable="access port"/>
        </operator>
      </expression>
   </block>
 </if>
      

block

 <block>
    <function name="touch">
       <parameter value="src/Java/org/omg/timestamp.touch" type="path"/>
    </function>
 </block>
     

switch

<switch variable="component">
  <block type="case" value="s">
     <echo>EPM server configuration</echo>
  </block>
  <block type="case" value="c">
     <echo>EPM client configuration</echo>
  </block>
  <block type="case" value="a">
     <echo>EPM All-in-one configuration</echo>
  </block>
  <block type="case" value="r">
     <echo>Scheduler only configuration</echo>
  </block>

</switch>
     

function

<function name="warit">
         <parameter value="&build_directory;/&webapp_file;"/>
         <parameter>src\javaarchitect\servlet\web.xml</parameter>
         <parameter>C &domain;</parameter>
         <parameter>&build_directory;/&domain;</parameter>
         <parameter/>
         <parameter>E config/</parameter>
         <parameter>src\javaarchitect\servlet\*.properties</parameter>
         <parameter>servlets\.properties|aliases.properties</parameter>
         <parameter>C &domain;/tree/resource/</parameter>
         <parameter>src\&domain;/tree/resource</parameter>
         <parameter>CVS*</parameter>
         <parameter>C &domain;/tree/</parameter>
         <parameter>src\&domain;/tree/tree.dtd</parameter>
         <parameter></parameter>
         <parameter>C &domain;/mishka/resource/</parameter>
         <parameter>src\&domain;/mishka/resource</parameter>
         <parameter>CVS*</parameter>
         <parameter>L</parameter>
         <parameter>
           <expression>
             <operator name="append">
		<value variable="DEMROG_HOME"/>
                <value>/lib/demrog.jar</value>              
             </operator>
           </expression>
         </parameter>
         <parameter/>
         <parameter>A</parameter>
         <parameter>src\javaarchitect\servlet\tree\resource/*.htm</parameter>
         <parameter>A tre_eview-doc.html</parameter>
         <parameter>doc\treeview-doc.html</parameter>
         <parameter>A</parameter>
         <parameter>doc\*.png</parameter>
         <parameter>A</parameter>
         <parameter>src\snoop.jsp</parameter>
      </function>
     

operator

<operator name="array">
  <value>-cmf</value>
  <value variable="manifest file"/>
</operator>
    

target

<target name="war" dir="." comment="Build J2EE deployer war.jar">
  <echo>Jarring war...</echo>
  <dependency target="compile j2ee"/>
  <dependency>
    <function name="allnewer">
      <parameter value="&build_directory;\rogatkin" type="dir"/>
      <parameter value="&build_directory;\war.jar" type="file"/>
    </function>
  </dependency>
  <task name="jar_do" code="sun.tools.jar.Main">
     <parameter value="-cf"/>
     <parameter value="&build_directory;/war.jar" type="file"/>
     <parameter value="-C"/>
     <parameter value="&build_directory;" type="dir"/>
     <parameter value="rogatkin" type="dir"/>
  </task>
</target>    

7BeeSP is 7Bee server pages. 7Bee can be used not only as a build tool, it can be used as a scripting language for generation web pages with JavaScript in, taking user requests, sending dynamic response and much more. Some examples are coming soon.