build_config.txt

- build_config
    - build.properties

build_directory.txt

- build_directory
    - plugins
        - plugin_to_build_a
        - plugin_to_build_b
        - ...
    - features
        - feature_to_build
        - ...

build_properties.txt

topLevelElementType: feature or plugin
topLevelElementId: the id of the top level element we are building
archivePrefix: the prefix that will be used in the generated archive
collectingFolder: the location under which all of the build output will be collected
configs: the list of {os, ws, arch} configurations to build

directory_structure.txt

- build_directory
    - plugins
        - plugin_to_build_a
        - plugin_to_build_b
        - ...
    - features
        - feature_to_build
        - ...
- target_platform
    - plugins
        - org.eclipse.core.runtime
        - org.eclipse.ui
        - ...
    - features
        - org.eclipse.equinox.launcher
        - ...
- build_config
    - build.properties

run_pde_build.txt

java -jar #{eclipseInstall}/plugins/org.eclipse.equinox.launcher_#{version}.jar 
     -application org.eclipse.ant.core.antRunner
     -buildfile #{eclipseInstall}/plugins/org.eclipse.pde.build_#{version}/scripts/build.xml
     -DbuildDirectory=#{path_to_the_build_directory}
     -DbaseLocation=#{path_to_the_target_platform_directory}
     -Dbuilder=#{path_to_the_build_configuration_directory}

target_platform.txt

- target_platform
    - plugins
        - org.eclipse.core.runtime
        - org.eclipse.ui
        - ...
    - features
        - org.eclipse.equinox.launcher
        - ...