String type = settings.substitute(attributes.getValue("type"));
type = type == null ? "jar" : type;
String ext = settings.substitute(attributes.getValue("ext"));
ext = ext != null ? ext : type;
String url = settings.substitute(attributes.getValue("url"));
artifact = new MDArtifact(getMd(), artName, type, ext, url == null ? null
: new URL(url), ExtendableItemHelper.getExtraAttributes(settings,
attributes, new String[] {"ext", "type", "name", "conf"}));
String confs = settings.substitute(attributes.getValue("conf"));
// only add confs if they are specified. if they aren't, endElement will
// handle this