Classpath for java and javac

Question

Hi,
I'm a bit confused as to when include the "current" path to java/javac's "-classpath". For instance, if the project has the following structure:
test
  |___foo (package "foo")
         |___B.java (extends foo.A)
         |___A.javaand the "current" directory is at "test/", then a simple "javac foo/B.java" or "java foo.B" works. However, if the structure of the project is altered to the following:
test
  |___foo  (package "foo")
  |      |___B.java (extends foo.A and imports boo.C)
  |      |___A.java
  |
  |___myapp (just a directory)
          |____boo (package "boo")
                |____C.javathen in order to compile or run foo.B when the current directory is at "test/", I have to explicitly specify the "current" directory (or "."), i.e.
javac -classpath myapp/:. foo/B.java or java -cp myapp/:. foo.B
Why is it that in the first example, the current directory need not to be specified (".") but in the second example, it must? Is it because as soon as "-classpath/-cp" option is included in the command line, java ignores the default current path ("./")?
Sincerely,

Answer 1

If nothing is specified via -cp and no CLASSPATH is set, then the default classpath contains one entry, which is the current directory (a.k.a the classpath is ".").
If you set the classpath, then the classpath is exactly what you set it to and doesn't include any default.
That's the only reasonable way to model such things, because if you included the current directory in all cases, then that would produce many unexpected side effects.