diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/types/Assertions.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/types/Assertions.java
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+/*
+ *  The Apache Software License, Version 1.1
+ *
+ *  Copyright (c) 2003 The Apache Software Foundation.  All rights
+ *  reserved.
+ *
+ *  Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
+ *  modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions
+ *  are met:
+ *
+ *  1. Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright
+ *  notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
+ *
+ *  2. Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright
+ *  notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in
+ *  the documentation and/or other materials provided with the
+ *  distribution.
+ *
+ *  3. The end-user documentation included with the redistribution, if
+ *  any, must include the following acknowlegement:
+ *  "This product includes software developed by the
+ *  Apache Software Foundation (http://www.apache.org/)."
+ *  Alternately, this acknowlegement may appear in the software itself,
+ *  if and wherever such third-party acknowlegements normally appear.
+ *
+ *  4. The names "The Jakarta Project", "Ant", and "Apache Software
+ *  Foundation" must not be used to endorse or promote products derived
+ *  from this software without prior written permission. For written
+ *  permission, please contact apache@apache.org.
+ *
+ *  5. Products derived from this software may not be called "Apache"
+ *  nor may "Apache" appear in their names without prior written
+ *  permission of the Apache Group.
+ *
+ *  THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED ``AS IS'' AND ANY EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED
+ *  WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES
+ *  OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE
+ *  DISCLAIMED.  IN NO EVENT SHALL THE APACHE SOFTWARE FOUNDATION OR
+ *  ITS CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL,
+ *  SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT
+ *  LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF
+ *  USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND
+ *  ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY,
+ *  OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT
+ *  OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF
+ *  SUCH DAMAGE.
+ *  ====================================================================
+ *
+ *  This software consists of voluntary contributions made by many
+ *  individuals on behalf of the Apache Software Foundation.  For more
+ *  information on the Apache Software Foundation, please see
+ *  <http://www.apache.org/>.
+ */
+
+package org.apache.tools.ant.types;
+
+import org.apache.tools.ant.BuildException;
+
+import java.util.List;
+import java.util.ArrayList;
+import java.util.Iterator;
+
+/**
+ * implement the assertion datatype. This type describes
+ * assertion settings for the &lt;java&gt; task and derivatives.
+ * One can set the system assertions, and enable/disable those in
+ * packages & classes.
+ * Assertions can only be enabled or disabled when forking Java.
+ *
+ * Example: set system assertions and all org.apache packages except
+ * for ant, and the class org.apache.tools.ant.Main.
+ * <pre>
+ * &lt;assertions enableSystemAssertions="true" &gt;
+ *   &lt;enable package="org.apache" /&gt;
+ *   &lt;disable package="org.apache.ant" /&gt;
+ *   &lt;enable class="org.apache.tools.ant.Main"/&gt;
+ * &lt;/assertions&gt;
+ *</pre>
+ * Disable system assertions; enable those in the anonymous package
+ * <pre>
+ * &lt;assertions enableSystemAssertions="false" &gt;
+ *   &lt;enable package="..." /&gt;
+ * &lt;/assertions&gt;
+ * </pre>
+ * enable assertions in a class called Test 
+ * <pre>
+ * &lt;assertions &gt;
+ *   &lt;enable class="Test" /&gt;
+ * &lt;/assertions&gt;
+ * </pre>
+ * This type is a datatype, so you can declare assertions and use them later
+ *
+ * <pre>
+ * &lt;assertions id="project.assertions" &gt;
+ *   &lt;enable project="org.apache.test" /&gt;
+ * &lt;/assertions&gt;
+ *
+ * &lt;assertions refid="project.assertions" /&gt;
+ *
+ * </pre>
+ * @since Ant 1.6
+ * @author steve loughran
+ */
+public class Assertions extends DataType {
+
+    /**
+     * enable/disable sys assertions; null means undefined
+     */
+    private Boolean enableSystemAssertions;
+
+    /**
+     * list of type BaseAssertion
+     */
+    private List assertionList=new ArrayList();
+
+
+    /**
+     * enable assertions
+     * @param assertion
+     */
+    public void addEnable(EnabledAssertion assertion) {
+        checkChildrenAllowed();
+        assertionList.add(assertion);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * disable assertions
+     * @param assertion
+     */
+    public void addDisable(EnabledAssertion assertion) {
+        checkChildrenAllowed();
+        assertionList.add(assertion);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * enable or disable system assertions
+     * @param enableSystemAssertions
+     */
+    public void setEnableSystemAssertions(Boolean enableSystemAssertions) {
+        checkAttributesAllowed();
+        this.enableSystemAssertions = enableSystemAssertions;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Set the value of the refid attribute.
+     *
+     * <p>Subclasses may need to check whether any other attributes
+     * have been set as well or child elements have been created and
+     * thus override this method. if they do the must call
+     * <code>super.setRefid</code>.</p>
+     */
+    public void setRefid(Reference ref) {
+        if(assertionList.size()>0 || enableSystemAssertions!=null) {
+            throw tooManyAttributes();
+        }
+        super.setRefid(ref);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * get whatever we are referencing to. This could be ourself.
+     * @return the object that contains the assertion info
+     */
+    private Assertions getFinalReference() {
+        if(getRefid()==null) {
+            return this;
+        } else {
+            Object o = getRefid().getReferencedObject(getProject());
+            if(!(o instanceof Assertions)) {
+                throw new BuildException("reference is of wrong type");
+            }
+            return (Assertions)o;
+        }
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * apply all the assertions to the command.
+     * @param command
+     */
+    public void applyAssertions(CommandlineJava command) {
+        Assertions clause=getFinalReference();
+        //do the system assertions
+        if(Boolean.TRUE.equals(clause.enableSystemAssertions)) {
+            addVmArgument(command,"-enablesystemassertions");
+        } else if (Boolean.FALSE.equals(clause.enableSystemAssertions)) {
+            addVmArgument(command, "-disablesystemassertions");
+        }
+
+        //now any inner assertions
+        Iterator it= clause.assertionList.iterator();
+        while (it.hasNext()) {
+            BaseAssertion assertion = (BaseAssertion) it.next();
+            String arg=assertion.toCommand();
+            addVmArgument(command, arg);
+        }
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * helper method to add a string JVM argument to a command
+     * @param command
+     * @param arg
+     */
+    private static void addVmArgument(CommandlineJava command, String arg) {
+        Commandline.Argument argument;
+        argument = command.createVmArgument();
+        argument.setValue(arg);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * base class for our assertion elements.
+     */
+
+    public static abstract class BaseAssertion {
+        private String packageName;
+        private String className;
+
+        /**
+         * name a class
+         * @param className
+         */
+        public void setClass(String className) {
+            this.className = className;
+        }
+
+        /**
+         * name a package
+         * @param packageName
+         */
+        public void setPackage(String packageName) {
+            this.packageName = packageName;
+        }
+
+        /**
+         * what is the class name?
+         * @return classname or null
+         * @see #setClass
+         */
+        protected String getClassName() {
+            return className;
+        }
+
+        /**
+         * what is the package name?
+         * @return package name or null
+         * @see #setPackage
+         */
+        protected String getPackageName() {
+            return packageName;
+        }
+
+        /**
+         * get the prefix used to begin the command; -ea or -da.
+         * @return prefix
+         */
+        public abstract String getCommandPrefix();
+
+        /**
+         * create a full command string from this class
+         * @throws BuildException in case of trouble
+         * @return
+         */
+        public String toCommand() {
+            //catch invalidness
+            if(getPackageName()!=null && getClassName()!=null) {
+                throw new BuildException("Both package and class have been set");
+            }
+            StringBuffer command=new StringBuffer(getCommandPrefix());
+            //see if it is a package or a class
+            if(getPackageName() != null) {
+                //packages get a ... prefix
+                command.append(':');
+                command.append(getPackageName());
+                if(!command.toString().endsWith("...")) {
+                    //append the ... suffix if not there already
+                    command.append("...");
+                }
+            } else if(getClassName()!=null) {
+                //classes just get the classname
+                command.append(':');
+                command.append(getClassName());
+            }
+            return command.toString();
+        }
+    }
+
+
+    /**
+     * an enabled assertion enables things
+     */
+    public static class EnabledAssertion extends BaseAssertion {
+        /**
+         * get the prefix used to begin the command; -ea or -da.
+         * @return prefix
+         */
+        public String getCommandPrefix() {
+            return "-ea";
+        }
+
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * A disabled assertion disables things
+     */
+    public static class DisabledAssertion extends BaseAssertion {
+        /**
+         * get the prefix used to begin the command; -ea or -da.
+         * @return prefix
+         */
+        public String getCommandPrefix() {
+            return "-da";
+        }
+
+    }
+}