Common resources for multiple projects

[Stephan Hartmann]

Hello everybody,

we have made up a small multi- application framework that will allow switching between multiple web applications. The web apps are also developed by us.
Each web app will contain a messages.properties file with the messages, this will be loaded as a resource bundle.
And, each web app will also have a layout.xhtml which will be the "top view" for all applications. (This is the page index.jsp will point to)
This construct will allow to switch between applications without having frames (ouch...) or having a construct like a portal.
But, the files like the "common" messages (login, username, logout, company...) and the layout.xhtml and index.jsp (among others) have to be maintained across the projects, since they are intended to be the same.

Does anybody have an idea how to keep the files or content common between the projects without copying / editing?
Either with a tool or by declaring them in a way that keeps them in a single place and just added to the projects?

Thanks
Stephan