The `command` element

Steps are run by starting the scripting tool or interpreter that is specified by the <command> element. The <command> element's program attribute defines the location of the tool that runs the command.

In the following example, the location of the tool that runs the command (the Java™ scripting tool Groovy in this instance) is defined.

<command program='${GROOVY_HOME}/bin/groovy'>

The actual command and any parameters it requires are passed to the tool by the <command> element's <arg> child element. Any number of <arg> elements can be used. The <arg> element has several attributes:

Table 1. `<arg>` element attributes
Attribute	Description
`<value>`	Specifies a parameter that is passed to the tool. Format is tool-specific; must be enclosed by quotation marks.
`<path>`	Path to files or classes that are required by the tool. Must be enclosed by quotation marks.
`<file>`	Specifies the path to any files or classes that are required by the tool. Format is tool-specific; must be enclosed by quotation marks.

Because <arg> elements are processed in the order they are defined, ensured the order conforms to the order that is expected by the tool.


<command program='${GROOVY_HOME}/bin/groovy'>
  <arg value='-cp' />
  <arg path='classes:${sdkJar}:lib/commons-codec.jar:
    lib/activation-1.1.1.jar:
    lib/commons-logging.jar:lib/httpclient-cache.jar:
    lib/httpclient.jar:lib/httpcore.jar:
    lib/httpmime.jar:lib/javamail-1.4.1.jar' />
  <arg file='registerInstancesWithLB.groovy' />
  <arg file='${PLUGIN_INPUT_PROPS}' />
  <arg file='${PLUGIN_OUTPUT_PROPS}' />
</command>

The <arg file='${PLUGIN_INPUT_PROPS}'/> specifies the location of the tool-supplied properties file. The <arg file='${PLUGIN_OUTPUT_PROPS}'/> specifies the location of the output file for the step-generated properties.

Note: new lines are not supported by the <arg> element and are shown in this example only for presentation.

The command element

The `command` element