VER in package.xml

Is there already a proper, well-used way to use replacement markers (like
@VER@) to provide you with a fully named release ("1.4.0alpha1") rather than
only having the release shorthand ("1.4.0a1") available via "@VER@"? It
looks to me like it may be as simple as me arbitrarily choosing a new
replacement marker ("@VERSION@") while keeping the old one ("@VER@") so that
I have both options available, but I wanted to make sure this isn't a piece
of functionality already defined in the package.xml specs.

Thanks,
CRB

Chuck Burgess wrote:
> Is there already a proper, well-used way to use replacement markers (like
> @VER@) to provide you with a fully named release ("1.4.0alpha1") rather
> than
> only having the release shorthand ("1.4.0a1") available via "@VER@"? It
> looks to me like it may be as simple as me arbitrarily choosing a new
> replacement marker ("@VERSION@") while keeping the old one ("@VER@") so
> that
> I have both options available, but I wanted to make sure this isn't a piece
> of functionality already defined in the package.xml specs.

This shorthand vs. longhand seems a bit awkward to me. The version
number should be uniform throughout all docs, otherwise you run the risk
of confusing users endlessly. If you want the release stability, use:

<tasks:replace from="@STATE@" to="state" type="package-info" />
<tasks:replace from="@VER@" to="version" type="package-info" />

@VER@ (@STATE@)

to get

1.4.0a1 (alpha)

Greg