12.6.3 Build.xml

The hxcpp build.xml build system is designed to make compiling, cross-compiling and linking easy on a large variety of operating systems and devices. It was originally designed to build the Haxe-generated C++ code but has evolved to replace the need for configuration tools in many open source libraries.

Running

The source code for the tool lives in tools/hxcpp in the hxcpp repo. When compiled, it can be run with the Haxelib tool. This is usually done automatically by the Haxe compiler after the C++ code has been generated. It can be done manually like:

haxelib run hxcpp build.xml key=value ... [target]

Configuration

See the hxcpp build environment.

Format

The compiler specification and target lists all use the same format.

• Uses XML.
• Mostly declarative list of files and flags.
• Order is important:
• Overriding values is a valid technique.
• "commands" are run as they are parsed (e.g., echo).
• Conditions are possible with if and unless node attributes.
• Substitution is possible with ${VAR} syntax.
• The default target must be defined.

Conditions/Substitution

Most of the XML nodes support if and unless attributes. These will enable or disable the whole node according the existence or non-existence of a define. These can be combined with a space for "and" or two pipes for "or".

Substitution is supported via the dollars-brace syntax, and does basoc text substitution. In addition, there is some special syntax that can be used:

• ${VAR} - normal replacement.
• ${removeQuotes:VAR} - strips surrounding quotes from VAR, if any.
• ${dospath:VAR} - converts VAR to path with backward slashes (as used on Windows).
• ${dir:PathWithFilename} - just the directory part of a filename.
• ${this_dir} - location of the directory containing the build.xml file.

Example

The following code is saved as example.xml:

 <xml>
   <echo value="Hello ${WHO}" if="WHO" unless="SILENT" />
   <echo value="You are in ${haxelib:hxcpp}" unless="WHO||SILENT"/>
   <error value="Silent and who both specified" if="WHO SILENT"/>
   <target id="default" />
 </xml>

Some example usage:

unset SILENT
haxelib run hxcpp example.xml
haxelib run hxcpp example.xml WHO=world default
export SILENT=1
haxelib run hxcpp example.xml
haxelib run hxcpp example.xml WHO=world

Or, on Windows:

unsetenv SILENT
haxelib run hxcpp example.xml
haxelib run hxcpp example.xml WHO=world default
setenv SILENT 1
haxelib run hxcpp example.xml
haxelib run hxcpp example.xml WHO=world

Details

The build.xml file contains configuration, targets, compilers, linkers, and files. The details can be found in the subsections:

12.6.3.1: Structure of the top-level

12.6.3.2: Files

12.6.3.3: Tags

12.6.3.4: Targets

12.6.3.5: Compiler

12.6.3.6: Linker

12.6.3.7: Stripper

12.6.3.8: The Haxe Target

12.6.3.9: Xml Injection

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