diff --git a/build.gradle b/build.gradle
index c7d6471..8e03cf1 100644
--- a/build.gradle
+++ b/build.gradle
@@ -1,89 +1,147 @@
-plugins {
-	id 'application'
-}
-
-repositories {
-	mavenCentral()
-
-	// since the Jasper devs keep using their own custom builds of ancient
-	// versions of other projects we need to add a repository for their
-	// "special" versions.
-
-	maven {
-		url 'https://jaspersoft.jfrog.io/jaspersoft/third-party-ce-artifacts/'
-	}
-
-}
-
-dependencies {
-	implementation group: 'com.h2database', name: 'h2', version: '1.4.200'
-	implementation group: 'net.sourceforge.dynamicreports', name: 'dynamicreports-core', version: '6.12.1'
-	implementation group: 'org.simplejavamail', name: 'simple-java-mail', version: '7.1.1'
-	implementation group: 'com.formdev', name: 'flatlaf', version: '2.3'
-	implementation group: 'javax.xml.bind', name: 'jaxb-api', version: '2.3.1'
-	implementation group: 'org.slf4j', name: 'slf4j-api', version: '1.7.36'
-	implementation group: 'ch.qos.logback', name: 'logback-classic', version: '1.2.11'
-}
-
-task copyLibs(type: Copy) {
-	from configurations.implementation
-	into 'libs/'
-}
-
-project.configurations.implementation.setCanBeResolved(true)
-
-jar {
-	manifest {
-		attributes (
-			'Main-Class': 'Main',
-			'Class-Path':  configurations.implementation.collect { 'lib/' + it.name }.join(' ')
-		)
-	}
-}
-
-task createMissingSourceDirs {
-	group = "Directories"
-	description = "Create all of the missing source directories for this project."
-	doFirst {
-		sourceSets.each { def sourceRoot ->
-			sourceRoot.allSource.srcDirTrees.each { def sourceDir ->
-				if(!sourceDir.dir.exists()) {
-					println "Creating ${sourceDir}"
-					mkdir sourceDir.dir
-				}
-			}
-		}
-	}
-}
-
-task deleteEmptySourceDirs {
-	group = "Directories"
-	description = "Delete all empty source directories."
-	doFirst {
-		sourceSets.each { def sourceRoot ->
-			sourceRoot.allSource.srcDirTrees.each { def sourceDir ->
-				if(sourceDir.dir.exists() && sourceDir.dir.isDirectory() && sourceDir.dir.list().length == 0) {
-					println "Removing empty ${sourceDir}"
-					sourceDir.dir.delete()
-				}
-			}
-		}
-	}
-
-}
-
-task openBuildFolder {
-	group = "Directories"
-	description = "Open the project build directory in the system file manager."
-	doFirst {
-		println('Opening: ' + file(buildDir))
-		java.awt.Desktop.getDesktop().open(file(buildDir));
-	}
-}
-
-compileJava {
-    sourceCompatibility = '1.8'
-    targetCompatibility = '1.8'
-}
-
-mainClassName = 'Main'
+plugins {
+	id 'application'
+}
+
+def defaultMainClassName = "Main"
+
+application {
+	mainClass = project.hasProperty("mainClass") ? project.getProperty("mainClass") : defaultMainClassName;
+}
+
+compileJava {
+	sourceCompatibility = "1.8";
+	targetCompatibility = "1.8";
+}
+
+repositories {
+	mavenCentral()
+
+		// since the Jasper devs keep using their own custom builds of ancient
+		// versions of other projects we need to add a repository for their
+		// "special" versions.
+		maven {
+			url 'https://jaspersoft.jfrog.io/jaspersoft/third-party-ce-artifacts/'
+		}
+
+}
+
+dependencies {
+	implementation group: 'com.h2database', name: 'h2', version: '1.4.200'
+		implementation group: 'net.sourceforge.dynamicreports', name: 'dynamicreports-core', version: '6.12.1'
+		implementation group: 'org.simplejavamail', name: 'simple-java-mail', version: '8.1.0'
+		implementation group: 'com.formdev', name: 'flatlaf', version: '3.1.1'
+		implementation group: 'javax.xml.bind', name: 'jaxb-api', version: '2.3.1'
+		implementation group: 'org.slf4j', name: 'slf4j-api', version: '2.0.7'
+		implementation group: 'ch.qos.logback', name: 'logback-classic', version: '1.4.7'
+}
+
+project.configurations.implementation.setCanBeResolved(true)
+
+jar {
+	manifest {
+		attributes (
+				'Main-Class': 'Main',
+				'Class-Path':  configurations.implementation.collect { 'lib/' + it.name }.join(' ')
+				)
+	}
+}
+
+/* convenience tasks for working with a project */
+
+tasks.register("copyDependencies", Copy) {
+	group = "Project";
+	description = "Copy all dependencies into a 'libs' folder in the root of the project.";
+
+	from configurations.implementation
+		into 'libs/'
+}
+
+tasks.register("createMissingSourceDirs") {
+	group = "Project";
+	description = "Create all of the missing source directories for this project.";
+	doFirst {
+		sourceSets.each { def sourceRoot ->
+			sourceRoot.allSource.srcDirTrees.each { def sourceDir ->
+				if(!sourceDir.dir.exists()) {
+					println "Creating ${sourceDir}";
+					mkdir sourceDir.dir;
+				}
+			}
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+tasks.register("deleteEmptySourceDirs") {
+	group = "Project";
+	description = "Delete empty source directories.";
+	doFirst {
+		sourceSets.each { def sourceRoot ->
+			sourceRoot.allSource.srcDirTrees.each { def sourceDir ->
+				if(sourceDir.dir.exists() && sourceDir.dir.isDirectory() && sourceDir.dir.list().length == 0) {
+					println "Removing empty ${sourceDir}";
+					sourceDir.dir.delete();
+				}
+			}
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+tasks.register("openProjectDir") {
+	group = "Project";
+	description = "Open the project directory in the system file manager.";
+	doFirst {
+		println("Opening: " + file(projectDir));
+		java.awt.Desktop.getDesktop().open(file(projectDir));
+	}
+}
+
+tasks.register("openBuildDir") {
+	group = "Project";
+	description = "Open the project build directory in the system file manager.";
+	doFirst {
+		println("Opening: " + file(buildDir));
+		java.awt.Desktop.getDesktop().open(file(buildDir));
+	}
+}
+
+tasks.register("createGitIgnore") {
+	group = "Project";
+	description = "Create the project's .gitignore file.";
+
+	def gitIgnored="""
+		.gradle/
+		.nb-gradle/
+		.settings/
+		nbproject/
+		build/
+		bin/
+		dist/
+		tmp/
+		.classpath
+		.project
+		*.zip
+		*.tgz
+		*.tar.gz
+		*.class
+		*.jar
+		.DS_Store
+		!gradle-wrapper.jar
+		""";
+
+	doLast {
+		def file = new File(projectDir, ".gitignore");
+		if ( !file.exists() ) {
+			println("Creating .gitignore");
+
+			gitIgnored.lines().each { f ->
+				if(!f.trim().isBlank()) {
+					file.append(f.trim()+"\n");
+				}
+			}
+
+		} else {
+			println(".gitignore already exists");
+		}
+	}
+}
+