code: private static Variable toVariable(final String argument)
     {
        final Variable retVal = new Variable();
        final int equalSignIndex = argument.indexOf('=');
  
        if (equalSignIndex == -1)
        {
           final String key = argument.substring(2);
           retVal.setKey(key);
        }
        else
        {
           final String key = argument.substring(2, equalSignIndex);
           retVal.setKey(key);
           final String value = argument.substring(equalSignIndex + 1);
           retVal.setValue(value);
        }
  
        return retVal;
     }
docs: Converts JVM property of format -Dkey=value to ANT Variable object.
  
  @param argument to be converted
  @return ANT Variable object