Using Ant XmlTask to read properties from xml file

xmltask provides the facility for automatically editing XML files as part of an Ant build
http://www.oopsconsultancy.com/software/xmltask/

    <path id="externaltask.ant.classpath">
        <pathelement location="./xmltask-v1.15.jar"/>
    </path>
    
    <taskdef name="xmltask" classname="com.oopsconsultancy.xmltask.ant.XmlTask" classpathref="externaltask.ant.classpath"/>

    <xmltask source="config.xml">
            <copy path="//deploymentPath/text()" property="deployment"/>
            <copy path="//software/beaHome/text()" property="weblogicHome"/>
    </xmltask>