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Running NAnt
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v0.91
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<h1>Running NAnt</h1>
<p>
Running NAnt is simple once you have it <a href="../introduction/fog0000000013.html">
installed</a>, just type <code>NAnt</code>. Type <code style="whitespace: nowrap;">
NAnt -help</code> to get usage information.</p>
<h3>Specifying the Build File</h3>
<p>
When nothing is specified, NAnt looks for a file ending with <code>.build</code>,
e.g., <code>NAnt.build</code>, in the current directory. If found, it
uses that file as the build file. If more than one file is found you need
to specify the build file using the <code>-buildfile</code> option (see below).</p>
<p>
If you use the <code>-find</code> option, NAnt will search for a build file in
the parent directory, and so on, until the root of the file system has been
reached. To make NAnt use another build file, use the command-line option
-buildfile:<em>file</em>, where <em>file</em> is the build file you want to
use.</p>
<h3>Specifying Targets</h3>
<p>
You can specify one or more targets that should be executed. When omitted, the
target that is specified in the <code>default</code> attribute of the <code><project></code>
tag is used.</p>
<p>
The <code>-projecthelp</code> option prints out the description of the project,
if it exists, followed by a list of the project's targets. First those with a
description, then those without one.</p>
<h3>Setting Properties</h3>
<p>
To override properties specified in the build file use the <code style="whitespace: nowrap;">
-D:<i>property</i>=<i>value</i></code> option, where <i>property</i> is the
name of the property, and <i>value</i> is the value for that property. </p>
<h3>Examples</h3>
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<pre>NAnt</pre>
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<p>
Runs NAnt using the file ending in <code>*.build.xml</code> file in the
current directory, on the default target.</p>
<blockquote dir="ltr" style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
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<pre>NAnt -buildfile:..\ProjectName.build</pre>
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<p>
Runs NAnt using the <code>ProjectName.build</code> file in the parent
directory, on the default target.</p>
<blockquote dir="ltr" style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
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<pre>NAnt clean</pre>
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<p>
Runs NAnt using the default build file in the current directory, on a target
called <code>clean</code>.</p>
<blockquote dir="ltr" style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
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<pre>NAnt -D:debug=false clean dist</pre>
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<p>
Runs NAnt using the default build file in the current directory, first on
the <code>clean</code> target and then on the <code>dist</code> target
while setting the <code>debug</code> property to <code>false</code>. This
could, for example, make a release distribution from scratch.</p>
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