How to use Maven to create directories then copy jars and dependencies into those directories

I am converting a Java project from an any build process to Maven.

Maven can currently compile the jars from the project but to fully replace Ant I need to do two additional steps:

1. Create a file tree
2. Copy the compiled jars and other files stored in the project into desired directories created in step 1.

This tree needs to mirror the structure that both jars and resource files will appear in installed machine.

e.g. the contents of srs/foo/bar/scripts might need to be moved to /usr/local/myFoo/spam/bar/scripts

while jars might need to
go from ./myPjroject/target/*.jar to /usr/local/tomcat/webaps/fooApp/WEB-IBF/lib

ect

this tree does not then get zipped but processed by a subsequent program.

I have read that that install mojo can copy the jars but I have not seen any documentation showing that it can also copy the other files I need to move.

I'm not sure about your question but if you only want to copy files creating target directories on the fly you can use the maven-antrun-plugin.

Something like

<plugin>
<groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
<artifactId>maven-antrun-plugin</artifactId>
<version>1.7</version>
<executions>
	<execution>
		<id>copywar</id>
		<phase>install</phase>
		<goals>
			<goal>run</goal>
		</goals>
		<configuration>
			<target name="copy war into install folder">
				<copy 
					file="target/my.war"
					tofile="/install/my/${maven.build.timestamp}/my.war" />
			</target>
		</configuration>
	</execution>
</executions>
</plugin>		

Is this what you are looking for?