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What is OpenID?Tool Time
I develop tools to transform, publish, and track documentation. As I develop tools, or encounter new ones, I'll journal the trials and tribulations of my work.
Well, before I could even discuss the types of tools I use, I encountered something that demands blogging.
I use Ant to build docs; I use a MySQL database to track the docs. Someone recently suggested that I allow writers to control whether a document gets built by setting a bit in the database (via the PHP/Web interface). Seemed easy enough.
...except that there's no direct way to load a property from the results of a SQL SELECT query. Searching the web,I found a handful of posts that suggest how one might do it, but no one explains how. Here's how I did it:
<target name="main" depends="test-it,success,fail"/>
<target name="test-it">
<sql driver="${mysql.driver}"
url="${mysql.url}"
userid="${mysql.user}"
password="${mysql.password}"
print="yes"
showheaders="false"
output="sqltest.txt"
><![CDATA
SELECT autobuild FROM docs WHERE id = '${book-id}';
]></sql>
<loadfile srcfile="sqltest.txt" property="sql-autobuild">
<filterchain>
<headfilter lines="1"/>
<striplinebreaks/>
</filterchain>
</loadfile>
<echo>sql-autobuild is: *${sql-autobuild}*</echo>
<condition property="autobuild" >
<equals arg1="1" arg2="${sql-autobuild}" />
</condition>
<echo>autobuild is: *${autobuild}*</echo>
</target>
<target name="success" if="autobuild">
<echo>Yes, autobuild the job.</echo>
</target>
<target name="fail" unless="autobuild">
<echo>No, do not autobuild the job.</echo>
</target>
If I needed anything more than a single bit from the database, I'd start to create a custom Ant class. If I ever need to do that, I'll document my trials and tribulations here.
I use Ant to build docs; I use a MySQL database to track the docs. Someone recently suggested that I allow writers to control whether a document gets built by setting a bit in the database (via the PHP/Web interface). Seemed easy enough.
...except that there's no direct way to load a property from the results of a SQL SELECT query. Searching the web,I found a handful of posts that suggest how one might do it, but no one explains how. Here's how I did it:
<target name="main" depends="test-it,success,fail"/>
<target name="test-it">
<sql driver="${mysql.driver}"
url="${mysql.url}"
userid="${mysql.user}"
password="${mysql.password}"
print="yes"
showheaders="false"
output="sqltest.txt"
><![CDATA
SELECT autobuild FROM docs WHERE id = '${book-id}';
]></sql>
<loadfile srcfile="sqltest.txt" property="sql-autobuild">
<filterchain>
<headfilter lines="1"/>
<striplinebreaks/>
</filterchain>
</loadfile>
<echo>sql-autobuild is: *${sql-autobuild}*</echo>
<condition property="autobuild" >
<equals arg1="1" arg2="${sql-autobuild}" />
</condition>
<echo>autobuild is: *${autobuild}*</echo>
</target>
<target name="success" if="autobuild">
<echo>Yes, autobuild the job.</echo>
</target>
<target name="fail" unless="autobuild">
<echo>No, do not autobuild the job.</echo>
</target>
If I needed anything more than a single bit from the database, I'd start to create a custom Ant class. If I ever need to do that, I'll document my trials and tribulations here.
A few words of introduction.
My name is Simon Bate. I currently work at Symantec in Durham, NC. My primary job is to generate print and online docs from our sources.
One of my main principles has always been: let the computer do the work.
Thus, to do my job efficiently, consistently, and accurately, software tools development is a big part of my job. Sometimes I find that the best solution is to use tools to develop tools.
I've worked in the field of technical publications for about 30 years. I put in my time as a writer (writing mainly API and other programmer's documents) and a manager. Through that time I always spent some portion of my time doing tools development. I've been developing tools as a full-time gig for the past eight years.
In this BLOG, I intend to write about the tools I'm currently using or evaluating, the challenges I face, the solutions to those challenges, any my current thoughts on what works (and what doesn't work) in the world of tools development.
Next up: Which tools?
My name is Simon Bate. I currently work at Symantec in Durham, NC. My primary job is to generate print and online docs from our sources.
One of my main principles has always been: let the computer do the work.
Thus, to do my job efficiently, consistently, and accurately, software tools development is a big part of my job. Sometimes I find that the best solution is to use tools to develop tools.
I've worked in the field of technical publications for about 30 years. I put in my time as a writer (writing mainly API and other programmer's documents) and a manager. Through that time I always spent some portion of my time doing tools development. I've been developing tools as a full-time gig for the past eight years.
In this BLOG, I intend to write about the tools I'm currently using or evaluating, the challenges I face, the solutions to those challenges, any my current thoughts on what works (and what doesn't work) in the world of tools development.
Next up: Which tools?
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