diff --git a/build.xml b/build.xml
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--- /dev/null
+++ b/build.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,541 @@
+<?xml version="1.0"?>
+
+<project name="Helma" default="usage" basedir=".">
+
+    <!-- =================================================================== -->
+    <!-- Initializes some variables                                          -->
+    <!-- =================================================================== -->
+    <target name="init">
+        <property name="Name" value="helma"/>
+        <property name="year" value="1998-${year}"/>
+        <property name="version" value="1.7.0-pre"/>
+        <property name="project" value="helma"/>
+
+        <property name="cvs.root.apps" value=":pserver:anonymous@adele.helma.at:/opt/cvs/apps"/>
+        <property name="cvs.root.helma" value=":pserver:anonymous@adele.helma.at:/opt/cvs/helma"/>
+        <property name="cvs.apps.tag" value="HEAD"/>
+
+        <property name="home.dir" value="."/>
+        <property name="build.dir" value="${home.dir}/build"/>
+        <property name="build.src" value="${home.dir}/src"/>
+        <property name="build.lib" value="${home.dir}/lib"/>
+        <property name="build.classes" value="${home.dir}/classes"/>
+        <property name="build.docs" value="${home.dir}/docs"/>
+        <property name="build.javadocs" value="${home.dir}/docs/api"/>
+        <property name="build.externals" value="${build.dir}/externals"/>
+
+        <property name="build.work" value="${home.dir}/work"/>
+        <property name="build.dist" value="${home.dir}/dist"/>
+
+        <property name="jar.name" value="${project}"/>
+        <property name="package.name" value="${project}-${version}"/>
+        <property name="core.name" value="${project}-core-${version}"/>
+
+        <property name="debug" value="on"/>
+        <property name="optimize" value="on"/>
+        <property name="deprecation" value="off"/>
+
+        <property name="build.jsdocs" value="${home.dir}/docs/framework"/>
+        <property name="jsdoc" value="${home.dir}/work/reference/templates/jsdoc.pl"/>
+
+        <path id="build.class.path">
+            <fileset dir="${home.dir}/lib">
+                <exclude name="**/helma*.jar" />
+                <include name="**/*.jar" />
+            </fileset>
+        </path>
+
+        <tstamp/>
+
+        <filter token="year" value="${year}"/>
+        <filter token="version" value="${version}"/>
+        <filter token="date" value="${TODAY}"/>
+    </target>
+
+
+    <!-- =================================================================== -->
+    <!-- Help on usage                                                       -->
+    <!-- =================================================================== -->
+    <target name="help" depends="usage" />
+    <target name="usage">
+        <echo message=""/>
+        <echo message=""/>
+        <echo message="Helma build instructions"/>
+        <echo message="-------------------------------------------------------------"/>
+        <echo message=""/>
+        <echo message=" available targets are:"/>
+        <echo message=""/>
+        <echo message=" compile       --> compiles the source code to ./classes"/>
+        <echo message=" jar           --> generates the ./lib/helma-YYYYMMDD.jar file"/>
+        <echo message=" javadocs      --> generates the API docs"/>
+        <echo message=" jsdocs        --> generates the framework docs"/>
+    <!--<echo message=" docs           -> tries to retrieve the HTML documentation "/>   -->
+    <!--<echo message="                   (may need proxy settings in startscript)"/>    -->
+        <echo message=" package       --> generates the distribution (zip and tar.gz)"/>
+        <echo message=" app [name]    --> gets an application from the cvs and zips it"/>
+        <echo message=" module [name] --> gets a module from the cvs and zips it"/>
+        <echo message=" core          --> generates core for production updates (zip and tar.gz)"/>
+        <echo message=" clean         --> clean up temporary build directories and files"/>
+        <echo message=""/>
+        <echo message=" usage         --> provides help on using the build tool (default)"/>
+        <echo message=""/>
+        <echo message=" See comments inside the build.xml file for more details."/>
+        <echo message="-------------------------------------------------------------"/>
+        <echo message=""/>
+        <echo message=""/>
+    </target>
+
+
+    <!-- =================================================================== -->
+    <!-- Compiles the source directory                                       -->
+    <!-- =================================================================== -->
+    <target name="compile" depends="init">
+        <mkdir dir="${build.classes}"/>
+        <!-- copy the imageio file -->
+        <copy file="${build.src}/META-INF/services/javax.imageio.spi.ImageWriterSpi"
+            todir="${build.classes}/META-INF/services"/>
+        <!-- copy helma db style sheet -->
+        <copy file="${build.src}/helma/objectmodel/dom/helma.xsl"
+            todir="${build.classes}/helma/objectmodel/dom" />
+        <!-- copy source files over to work directory -->
+        <delete dir="${build.work}/src" quiet="true"/>
+        <mkdir dir="${build.work}/src" />
+        <copy todir="${build.work}/src" overwrite="true">
+            <fileset dir="${build.src}" includes="**/*.java"/>
+        </copy>
+        <replace file="${build.work}/src/helma/main/Server.java"
+            token="__builddate__" value="${TODAY}"/>
+        <javac srcdir="${build.work}/src"
+            source="1.5"
+            target="1.5"
+            destdir="${build.classes}"
+            debug="${debug}"
+            deprecation="${deprecation}"
+            optimize="${optimize}"
+            includeAntRuntime="no">
+            <classpath refid="build.class.path" />
+        </javac>
+        <delete dir="${build.work}/src"/>
+        <rmic classname="helma.framework.core.RemoteApplication" base="${build.classes}"/>
+    </target>
+
+
+    <!-- =================================================================== -->
+    <!-- Creates a helma.jar file (snapshot) in the lib-directory            -->
+    <!-- =================================================================== -->
+    <target name="jar" depends="compile">
+        <jar jarfile="${build.lib}/${jar.name}-${DSTAMP}.jar"
+            basedir="${build.classes}"
+            excludes="**/package.html,**/main/launcher/**"/>
+        <jar jarfile="${home.dir}/launcher.jar"
+            basedir="${build.classes}"
+            includes="**/main/launcher/**"
+            manifest="${build.src}/helma/main/launcher/manifest.txt"/>
+        <!-- Copy timestamped helma jar file to lib/helma.jar  -->
+        <copy file="${build.lib}/${jar.name}-${DSTAMP}.jar" 
+              tofile="${build.lib}/${jar.name}.jar"/>
+    </target>
+
+
+    <!-- =================================================================== -->
+    <!-- Creates the javadoc API documentation                               -->
+    <!-- =================================================================== -->
+    <target name="javadocs" depends="init">
+        <mkdir dir="${build.javadocs}"/>
+        <javadoc packagenames="helma.*"
+            sourcepath="${build.src}"
+            destdir="${build.javadocs}"
+            author="false"
+            private="false"
+            version="false"
+            windowtitle="${Name} ${version} API"
+            doctitle="${Name} ${version} API"
+            bottom="Copyright &#169; ${year} Helma.org. All Rights Reserved."
+            classpathref="build.class.path"
+        />
+    </target>
+
+
+    <!-- =================================================================== -->
+    <!-- Create the jsdoc Framework documentation                            -->
+    <!-- =================================================================== -->
+    <target name="jsdocs" depends="init, package-modules">
+        <!-- cvs cvsRoot="${cvs.root.apps}" command="export" tag="${cvs.apps.tag}" package="reference" dest="${build.work}" /-->
+
+        <!-- add a copy of the reference -->
+        <mkdir dir="${build.work}/reference"/>
+        <copy todir="${build.work}/reference">
+            <fileset dir="${build.externals}/reference"/>
+        </copy>
+ 
+        <!-- add a copy of the modules -->
+        <mkdir dir="${build.work}/reference/modules"/>
+        <copy todir="${build.work}/reference/modules">
+            <fileset dir="${build.externals}/modules/"/>
+        </copy>
+ 
+    	<mkdir dir="${build.jsdocs}"/>
+    	<java dir="${home.dir}" fork="true" jar="${build.lib}/rhino.jar">
+          <sysproperty key="jsdoc.dir" value="work/reference"/>
+          <arg value="work/reference/app/run.js"/>
+          <arg value="-t=work/reference/templates"/>
+          <arg value="-d=docs/framework"/>
+          <arg value="-r=3"/>
+          <arg value="work/reference/coreEnvironment"/>
+          <arg value="work/reference/coreExtensions"/>
+          <arg value="work/reference/modules"/>
+        </java>
+        <delete dir="${build.work}/reference" />
+    </target>
+
+
+    <!-- =================================================================== -->
+    <!-- Get the documentation (currently can fail due to request time-out   -->
+    <!-- or missing support for proxies)                                     -->
+    <!-- =================================================================== -->
+    <!-- <target name="docs" depends="init">                                 -->
+    <!--     <get src="http://www.helma.org/docs/reference/print"            -->
+    <!--          dest="${build.docs}/reference.html"                        -->
+    <!--          ignoreerrors="true"                                        -->
+    <!--     />                                                              -->
+    <!-- </target>                                                           -->
+
+
+    <!-- =================================================================== -->
+    <!-- Builds and packages only the core for the deployment and updating   -->
+    <!-- of production environments                                          -->
+    <!-- =================================================================== -->
+    <target name="core" depends="init, jar">
+        <mkdir dir="${build.work}"/>
+        
+        <!-- copy all libraries except helma-YYYYMMDD.jar -->
+        <copy todir="${build.work}/lib">
+            <fileset dir="${home.dir}/lib">
+                <exclude name="**/helma-*.jar" />
+                <include name="**/*.jar" />
+            </fileset>
+        </copy>
+
+        <!-- copy the launcher jar and start files-->
+        <copy file="${home.dir}/launcher.jar" todir="${build.work}/lib"/>
+
+        <!-- create lib/ext directory -->
+        <mkdir dir="${build.work}/lib/ext"/>
+
+        <!-- copy the license files -->
+        <copy todir="${build.work}/licenses">
+            <fileset dir="${home.dir}/licenses" excludes="**/CVS**"/>
+        </copy>
+        <copy file="${home.dir}/license.txt" todir="${build.work}/licenses"/>
+
+        <!-- zip up the whole thing -->
+        <antcall target="package-zip">
+            <param name="filename" value="${core.name}"/>
+        </antcall>
+        <antcall target="package-tgz">
+            <param name="filename" value="${core.name}"/>
+        </antcall>
+
+        <!-- clean up -->
+        <delete dir="${build.work}"/>
+    </target>
+
+
+    <!-- =================================================================== -->
+    <!-- Creates the full helma distribution                                 -->
+    <!-- =================================================================== -->
+    <target name="package" depends="init">
+        <mkdir dir="${build.work}"/>
+        
+        <!-- checkout the demo apps (and zip manage-app) -->
+        <antcall target="package-apps" />
+
+        <!-- generate the framework and modules documentation -->
+        <antcall target="jsdocs" />
+
+        <!-- create the main part of helma -->
+        <antcall target="package-raw">
+            <param name="distribution" value="main" />
+        </antcall>
+
+        <chmod perm="755">
+            <fileset dir="${build.work}">
+                <include name="start.sh"/>
+            </fileset>
+        </chmod>
+
+        <!-- zip up the whole thing -->
+        <antcall target="package-zip">
+            <param name="filename" value="${package.name}"/>
+        </antcall>
+        <antcall target="package-tgz">
+            <param name="filename" value="${package.name}"/>
+        </antcall>
+
+        <!-- make the src distributions -->
+        <antcall target="javadocs"/>
+        <antcall target="package-src-zip">
+            <param name="filename" value="${package.name}"/>
+        </antcall>
+        <antcall target="package-src-tgz">
+            <param name="filename" value="${package.name}"/>
+        </antcall>
+
+        <!-- clean up -->
+        <delete dir="${build.work}"/>
+    </target>
+
+
+    <!-- =================================================================== -->
+    <!-- Compile Helma and prepare the skeleton in a temporary directory.    -->
+    <!-- Used by package             .                                       -->
+    <!-- =================================================================== -->
+    <target name="package-raw" depends="init, jar">
+
+        <!-- copy the framework (apps.props, server.props, hop/db, hop/static) -->
+        <copy todir="${build.work}">
+            <fileset dir="${build.dir}/${distribution}" excludes="**/CVS**"/>
+        </copy>
+
+        <!-- copy the launcher jar and start files -->
+        <copy file="${home.dir}/launcher.jar" todir="${build.work}/"/>
+        <copy file="${home.dir}/start.sh" todir="${build.work}"/>
+        <copy file="${home.dir}/start.bat" todir="${build.work}"/>
+
+        <!-- copy README.txt -->
+        <copy file="${home.dir}/README.txt" todir="${build.work}/"/>
+
+        <!-- copy the whole docs-directory -->
+        <copy todir="${build.work}/docs">
+            <fileset dir="${build.docs}"/>
+        </copy>
+
+        <!-- copy all libraries except helma-YYYYMMDD.jar -->
+        <copy todir="${build.work}/lib">
+            <fileset dir="${home.dir}/lib">
+                <exclude name="**/helma-*.jar" />
+                <include name="**/*.jar" />
+            </fileset>
+        </copy>
+
+        <!-- create lib/ext directory -->
+        <mkdir dir="${build.work}/lib/ext"/>
+
+        <!-- copy the license files -->
+        <copy todir="${build.work}/licenses">
+            <fileset dir="${home.dir}/licenses" excludes="**/CVS**"/>
+        </copy>
+        <copy file="${home.dir}/license.txt" todir="${build.work}/licenses"/>
+
+        <!-- copy the scripts directory -->
+        <copy todir="${build.work}/scripts">
+            <fileset dir="${home.dir}/scripts" excludes="**/CVS**"/>
+        </copy>
+
+        <!-- zip the sourcecode -->
+        <!-- mkdir dir="${build.work}/src"/>
+        <tar tarfile="${build.work}/src/helma-src.tar" basedir="${build.src}/">
+             <tarfileset dir="${build.src}">
+                  <include name="${build.src}/**"/>
+             </tarfileset>
+        </tar>
+        <gzip zipfile="${build.work}/src/helma-src.tar.gz" src="${build.work}/src/helma-src.tar"/>
+        <delete file="${build.work}/src/helma-src.tar"/ -->
+    </target>
+
+
+    <!-- =================================================================== -->
+    <!-- Checkout demo apps, put them in work directory and zip manage app   -->
+    <!-- =================================================================== -->
+    <target name="package-apps" depends="init">
+
+        <mkdir dir="${build.work}/apps" />
+
+        <!-- get demo apps -->
+        <!--cvs cvsRoot="${cvs.root.apps}" command="export" tag="${cvs.apps.tag}" package="welcome" dest="${build.work}/apps" /-->
+        
+        <!-- add a copy of the welcome app -->
+        <mkdir dir="${build.work}/apps/welcome"/>
+        <copy todir="${build.work}/apps/welcome">
+            <fileset dir="${build.externals}/welcome"/>
+        </copy>
+ 
+        <antcall target="package-manage" />
+
+    </target>
+
+
+    <!-- =================================================================== -->
+    <!-- Checkout and zip manage application                                 -->
+    <!-- =================================================================== -->
+    <target name="package-manage" depends="init">
+        <!--cvs cvsRoot="${cvs.root.apps}" command="export" tag="${cvs.apps.tag}" package="manage" dest="${build.work}" /-->
+        <mkdir dir="${build.work}/apps/manage"/>
+        <zip zipfile="${build.work}/apps/manage/manage.zip" basedir="${build.externals}/manage/" includes="**" excludes="**/properties,readme/**" />
+            <copy todir="${build.work}/apps/manage">
+                <fileset dir="${build.externals}/manage" includes="app.properties,class.properties,readme.txt"/>
+            </copy>
+        <!-- delete dir="${build.work}/manage" /-->
+    </target>
+
+
+    <!-- =================================================================== -->
+    <!-- Checkout modules, and include helmaTools                            -->
+    <!-- =================================================================== -->
+    <target name="package-modules" depends="init">
+        <!--cvs cvsRoot="${cvs.root.apps}" command="export" tag="${cvs.apps.tag}" package="modules" dest="${build.work}" /-->
+
+        <!-- add a copy of the modules -->
+        <mkdir dir="${build.work}/modules"/>
+        <copy todir="${build.work}/modules">
+            <fileset dir="${build.externals}/modules"/>
+        </copy>
+ 
+        <antcall target="package-helmaTools" />
+    </target>
+
+
+    <!-- =================================================================== -->
+    <!-- Checkout and zip helmaTools                                         -->
+    <!-- =================================================================== -->
+    <target name="package-helmaTools" depends="init">
+        <!-- cvs cvsRoot="${cvs.root.apps}" command="export" package="helmaTools" dest="${build.work}" /-->
+        <mkdir dir="${build.work}/modules"/>
+        <zip zipfile="${build.work}/modules/helmaTools.zip" basedir="${build.externals}/helmaTools/" includes="**" excludes="**/*.txt, **/*.html, **/*.bat, **/*.sh" />
+        <!--delete dir="${build.work}/helmaTools" /-->
+    </target>
+
+
+    <!-- =================================================================== -->
+    <!-- Packages the work directory with TAR-GZIP                           -->
+    <!-- needs parameter ${filename} for final dist-file                     -->
+    <!-- =================================================================== -->
+    <target name="package-tgz" depends="init">
+        <mkdir dir="${build.dist}" />
+        <fixcrlf srcdir="${build.work}" eol="lf" eof="remove" includes="**/*.txt, **/*.properties, **/*.hac, **/*.js, **/*.skin" />
+        <tar tarfile="${build.dist}/${filename}.tar" basedir="${build.work}" excludes="**">
+            <tarfileset prefix="${filename}" dir="${build.work}" mode="755">
+                <include name="start.sh"/>
+            </tarfileset>
+            <tarfileset prefix="${filename}" dir="${build.work}">
+                <include name="**"/>
+                <exclude name="start.sh"/>
+                <exclude name="lib/jimi.jar"/>
+                <exclude name="lib/apache-dom.jar"/>
+                <exclude name="docs/api/**"/>
+            </tarfileset>
+        </tar>
+        <gzip zipfile="${build.dist}/${filename}.tar.gz" src="${build.dist}/${filename}.tar"/>
+        <delete file="${build.dist}/${filename}.tar"/>
+    </target>
+
+
+    <!-- =================================================================== -->
+    <!-- Packages the work directory with ZIP                                -->
+    <!-- needs parameter ${filename} for final dist-file                     -->
+    <!-- =================================================================== -->
+    <target name="package-zip" depends="init">
+        <mkdir dir="${build.dist}" />
+        <fixcrlf srcdir="${build.work}" eol="crlf" includes="**/*.txt, **/*.properties, **/*.hac, **/*.js, **/*.skin, **/*.xml" />
+        <zip zipfile="${build.dist}/${filename}.zip">
+            <zipfileset dir="${build.work}" prefix="${filename}">
+              <include name="**"/>
+              <exclude name="start.sh"/>
+              <exclude name="lib/jimi.jar"/>
+              <exclude name="lib/apache-dom.jar"/>
+              <exclude name="docs/api/**"/>
+            </zipfileset>
+        </zip>
+    </target>
+
+
+    <!-- =================================================================== -->
+    <!-- Packages Helma src and build directories with TAR-GZIP              -->
+    <!-- needs parameter ${filename} for final dist-file                     -->
+    <!-- =================================================================== -->
+    <target name="package-src-tgz" depends="init">
+        <mkdir dir="${build.dist}" />
+        <tar tarfile="${build.dist}/${filename}-src.tar">
+            <tarfileset prefix="${filename}" dir="${home.dir}">
+                <include name="src/**"/>
+                <include name="build/**"/>
+                <include name="docs/**"/>
+                <include name="licenses/**"/>
+                <include name="license.txt"/>
+                <include name="lib/jimi.jar"/>
+                <include name="lib/apache-dom.jar"/>
+                <exclude name="docs/modules/**"/>
+            </tarfileset>
+        </tar>
+        <gzip zipfile="${build.dist}/${filename}-src.tar.gz" src="${build.dist}/${filename}-src.tar"/>
+        <delete file="${build.dist}/${filename}-src.tar"/>
+    </target>
+
+
+    <!-- =================================================================== -->
+    <!-- Packages Helma src and build directories with ZIP                   -->
+    <!-- needs parameter ${filename} for final dist-file                     -->
+    <!-- =================================================================== -->
+    <target name="package-src-zip" depends="init">
+        <mkdir dir="${build.dist}" />
+        <zip zipfile="${build.dist}/${filename}-src.zip">
+            <zipfileset dir="${home.dir}" prefix="${filename}">
+              <include name="src/**"/>
+              <include name="build/**"/>
+              <include name="docs/**"/>
+              <include name="licenses/**"/>
+              <include name="license.txt"/>
+              <include name="lib/jimi.jar"/>
+              <include name="lib/apache-dom.jar"/>
+              <exclude name="docs/modules/**"/>
+            </zipfileset>
+        </zip>
+    </target>
+
+    <!-- =================================================================== -->
+    <!-- Cleans up temporary build directories                               -->
+    <!-- =================================================================== -->
+    <target name="clean" depends="init">
+        <delete dir="${build.work}" />
+        <delete dir="${build.classes}" />
+    </target>
+
+    <!-- =================================================================== -->
+    <!-- Gets an application from the cvs and zips/targzs it                 -->
+    <!-- =================================================================== -->
+    <target name="app" depends="init">
+        <mkdir dir="${build.dist}" />
+        <mkdir dir="${build.work}" />
+
+        <!-- to retrieve special versions of an application insert
+        additional attributes: tag="TAGNAME" or date="1972-09-24 20:05" -->
+        <!--cvs cvsRoot="${cvs.root.apps}" command="export" tag="${cvs.apps.tag}" package="${application}" dest="${build.work}" /-->
+
+        <fixcrlf srcdir="${build.work}" eol="crlf" eof="add"  includes="**/*.txt, **/*.properties, **/*.hac, **/*.js, **/*.skin, **/*.xml" />
+        <zip zipfile="${build.dist}/${application}-${DSTAMP}.zip" basedir="${build.work}" includes="**"/>
+
+        <fixcrlf srcdir="${build.work}" eol="lf" eof="remove" includes="**/*.txt, **/*.properties, **/*.hac, **/*.js, **/*.skin" />
+        <tar tarfile="${build.dist}/${application}-${DSTAMP}.tar" basedir="${build.work}">
+        <tarfileset dir="${build.work}">
+            <include name="${build.work}/**"/>
+        </tarfileset>
+        </tar>
+        <gzip zipfile="${build.dist}/${application}-${DSTAMP}.tar.gz" src="${build.dist}/${application}-${DSTAMP}.tar" />
+
+        <delete file="${build.dist}/${application}-${DSTAMP}.tar" />
+        <!--delete dir="${build.work}" /-->
+    </target>
+
+
+    <!-- =================================================================== -->
+    <!-- Checkout and zip a module                                           -->
+    <!-- =================================================================== -->
+    <target name="module" depends="init">
+        <cvs cvsRoot="${cvs.root.apps}" command="export" tag="${cvs.apps.tag}" package="${application}" dest="${build.work}" />
+        <mkdir dir="${build.work}/modules"/>
+        <zip zipfile="${build.work}/modules/${application}-${DSTAMP}.zip" basedir="${build.work}/${application}/" includes="**" excludes="**/*.txt, **/*.html, **/*.bat, **/*.sh" />
+        <delete dir="${build.work}/${application}" />
+    </target>
+
+
+</project>