diff --git a/WHATSNEW b/WHATSNEW
index a29d48b28..a54f66634 100644
--- a/WHATSNEW
+++ b/WHATSNEW
@@ -40,7 +40,9 @@ behavior has been dropped.
 
 * <ejbjar> task syntax has been changed significantly
 
-* build.compiler supports now jvc as well.
+* <exec> is no longer implemented by org.apache.tool.ant.taskdefs.Exec. 
+Custom tasks that rely on Project.createTask("exec") to return an
+instance of this class are going to fail.
 
 Other changes:
 --------------
@@ -77,6 +79,8 @@ on log output.
 
 * <ejbc> optional task no longer uses a separate VM to invoke the ejbc tool.
 
+* build.compiler supports now jvc as well.
+
 * project specific help can now be obtained with the -projecthelp option.
 
 * Added a -debug option to make -verbose less verbose (and more useful)
@@ -85,6 +89,8 @@ on log output.
 and above (towards the root of the filesystem) if you didn't specify
 -buildfile and there is no build.xml in the current directory.
 
+* <echo> can now write to a file and accepts nested text.
+
 Fixed bugs:
 -----------
 
diff --git a/docs/index.html b/docs/index.html
index d994fa9f9..afbb99dfb 100644
--- a/docs/index.html
+++ b/docs/index.html
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
 <!-- Names are in alphabetical order, on last name -->
 <ul>
   <li>Jacques Bergeron (<a href="mailto:jacques.bergeron@dogico.com">jacques.bergeron@dogico.com</a>)</li>
-  <li>Stefan Bodewig (<a href="mailto:stefan.bodewig@megabit.net">stefan.bodewig@megabit.net</a>)</li>
+  <li>Stefan Bodewig (<a href="mailto:stefan.bodewig@epost.de">stefan.bodewig@epost.de</a>)</li>
   <li>Patrick Chanezon (<a href="mailto:chanezon@netscape.com">chanezon@netscape.com</a>)</li>
   <li>James Duncan Davison (<a href="mailto:duncan@x180.com">duncan@x180.com</a>)</li>
   <li>Tom Dimock (<a href="mailto:tad1@cornell.edu">tad1@cornell.edu</a>)</li>
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
   <li>Dave Walend (<a href="mailto:dwalend@cs.tufts.edu">dwalend@cs.tufts.edu</a>)</li>
 </ul>
 
-<p>Version 1.2 - 2000/09/20</p>
+<p>Version 1.2 - 2000/09/27</p>
 
 <hr>
 <h2>Table of Contents</h2>
@@ -1493,7 +1493,7 @@ subdirectories.</p>
 <hr>
 <h2><a name="echo">Echo</a></h2>
 <h3>Description</h3>
-<p>Echoes a message to System.out.</p>
+<p>Echoes a message to System.out or a file.</p>
 <h3>Parameters</h3>
 <table border="1" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0">
   <tr>
@@ -1507,6 +1507,16 @@ subdirectories.</p>
     <td valign="top" align="center">Yes, unless data is included in a
       character section within this element.</td>
   </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td valign="top">file</td>
+    <td valign="top">the file to write the message to.</td>
+    <td valign="top" align="center">No</td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td valign="top">append</td>
+    <td valign="top">Append to an existing file?</td>
+    <td valign="top" align="center">No - default is false.</td>
+  </tr>
 </table>
 <h3>Examples</h3>
 <pre>  &lt;echo message=&quot;Hello world&quot; /&gt;</pre>
diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/Echo.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/Echo.java
index d6b70f974..8c480fddc 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/Echo.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/Echo.java
@@ -56,7 +56,6 @@ package org.apache.tools.ant.taskdefs;
 
 import org.apache.tools.ant.*;
 import java.io.*;
-import java.net.*;
 /**
  * Echo
  *
@@ -64,6 +63,8 @@ import java.net.*;
  */
 public class Echo extends Task {
     private String message = ""; // required
+    private File file = null;
+    private boolean append = false;
     
     /**
      * Does the work.
@@ -71,7 +72,23 @@ public class Echo extends Task {
      * @exception BuildException if someting goes wrong with the build
      */
     public void execute() throws BuildException {
-	System.out.println(message);
+        if (file == null) {
+            System.out.println(message);
+        } else {
+            FileWriter out = null;
+            try {
+                out = new FileWriter(file.getAbsolutePath(), append);
+                out.write(message, 0, message.length());
+            } catch (IOException ioe) {
+                throw new BuildException(ioe, location);
+            } finally {
+                if (out != null) {
+                    try {
+                        out.close();
+                    } catch (IOException ioex) {}
+                }
+            }
+        }
     }
 
     /**
@@ -83,10 +100,25 @@ public class Echo extends Task {
 	this.message = msg;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Sets the file attribute.
+     */
+    public void setFile(File file) {
+        this.file = file;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Shall we append to an existing file?
+     */
+    public void setAppend(boolean append) {
+        this.append = append;
+    }
+
     /**
      * Set a multiline message.
      */
     public void addText(String msg) {
-        message += msg;
+        message += 
+            ProjectHelper.replaceProperties(msg, project.getProperties());
     }
 }