How do I create an executable JAR File ?

Hi,
Let's say I have several Class Files that perform a special task.
How do I bundle them in a JAR file and make it executable, so that the user simply types "prog.jar" and is happy.
I wonder how that works, as I have to tell the starting point for execution.
Does anybody now ?
cu
Oliver

Three importants things to do :
- don't forget to indicate in your manifest.mf the main class and the pacckage
ex:
Manifest-Version: 1.0
Main-Class: mypackage.MyMainClass
Created-By: 1.3.0 (Sun Microsystems Inc.)
- don't forget to associate the .jar file with the application java.exe -jar -classpath %CLASSPATH%
- don't forget to set the environment CLASSPATH correctly
Hope this help
Jean

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Unable to create an executable jar file

Hi,
I am unable to create an executable jar file,
I am using the command as follows:
C\> jar cvfm MyJarName.jar manifest.txt Demo.class
where as Demo.class has appropriate main method; manifest.txt contains [ Main-Class: Demo ] and a new line
Please help.
thanks & regards
M K Rayapudi
Edited by: R6i on Apr 30, 2009 5:15 AM

Your jar is perfectly generated, but your machine has a problem with .jar file associations.
You have two options:
1. Play with the registry. Dangereous if you are not used to.
2. Reinstall the jre.
Just to verify my theory, open a command prompt and the command:
reg query HKCR\jarfile\shell\open\command
What does it say? I have executed your command , here is the output
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\jarfile\shell\open\command
(Default) REG_SZ "C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\bin\javaw.exe" -jar "%1" %*I am not getting anything from this command, can you please explain clearly.
thanks & regards
M K Rayapudi
Edited by: R6i on May 3, 2009 10:18 PM

Creating an executable jar-file including a custom package

I am trying to learn how to create executable jar-files. I have managed this with a single class. However having a class which is an extention of another class which in turn belongs to custom package, I can't make it work.Running the program normally is not a problem. I don't think the problem is the actual code, but I will include it here anyway. I create the jar-file using:
jar -cmf Direkt2b.txt Direkt2b.jar *.class
where Direkt2b.txt is just:
Main-Class: Diriekt2b
Only the main class-file is included this way. Copying the other file to the same directory before creation doesn't help either. There is no error messages, the jar-file just refuses to run no matter what.
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import java.awt.*;
import extra.*;
class Direkt2b extends ExtendedFrame {
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package extra;
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import java.awt.event.*;
public class ExtendedFrame extends Frame {
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My problem wasn't really getting more than one class in a jar-file,
but rather that my jar-file with multiple classes wouldn't execute.
Reading the original post I realized that maybe I was unclear about that.
However I have solved the problem now so for anybody reading this
thread in the future I will tell you how.
The general setting is this: You have a bunch of self-made help-classes
organized in some classdirectory somewhere in the filesystem. You use these
in your programming from time to time. You have set a classpath-varible
in your OS such that Java could find your help-classes.
Now you want to create executable jar-files so that you could publish your work.
My problem was that while I added all needed classes in a jar-file, the main-class
couldn't find the others because they were referenced incorrectly. The solution I
came up with may not be elegant, but it works. I copied the main-class and all directories
(only one in my case) just as they appear in the classpath-directory, to the same temporary
directory. Then I created the jar-file from there, using: jar -cmfv Direkt2b.txt Direkt2b.jar Direkt2b.class extra/*.class
I suspected that incorrect referencing was the problem and I tried several variations on the theme above
before giving up and writing the first post. Part the problem was that I didn't get any error messages,
just an annoying error-sound double-clicking the jar-file. I learned later that you could run jar-files from
the command -prompt using: java -jar myjarfile.jar. This way you get a more useful response.
I guess there is a way to include the classpath instead somehow, but I will use my method for now.
I hope this was helpful to somebody.

Large project in JBuilder 2007... How do I create an executable JAR?

First, I've googled quite a bit and keep getting thiings about "Jbuilder Application Wizard", etc... Well, I don't see any "wizard" menu in the version of JBuilder I'm using!
I'm using JBuilder 2007 Enterprise edition, however it's a trial version apparently. I'm not sure if that matters, and perhaps the functionality was taken out with the trial version..
Anyway, the issue is that I have a multi class (with one main function) program that I want to run (it's a command line based application) as an executable JAR file. The program uses LOTS of include statements including quite a few custom libraries ("external JARs") that I had to import.
Basically I want the application to do exactly what it does now when I hit the ol' "RUN" button. Except I want to be able to run it from a batch file with "java -jar (or whatever) myProgram".
Anybody have any experience with this type of thing?

OK, here's what I've got:
I've got a jar file that contains:
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4. a .project file
Inside the importQD folder are my three .class files that are the classes I created myself.
Inside the META-INF folder is the MANIFEST.MF file which looks like:
Manifest-Version: 1.0
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<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<classpath>
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     <classpathentry kind="lib" path="C:\Programs\CMQualityDocumentImport\SENAFileHandler.jar"/>
     <classpathentry kind="output" path=""/>
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Inside the .project file we have:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<projectDescription>
     <name>importOldQD</name>
     <comment></comment>
     <projects>
     </projects>
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               <arguments>
               </arguments>
          </buildCommand>
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java -jar importQD.jar I get a ton of various errors such as "Exception in thread "main" java.lang.UnsupportedClassVersionError: importQD/importQD (unsupported major.minor version 49.0) + a nice stack trace with a bunch of java.lang and java.net references.
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Creating an Executable jar file

Hello ! I have a application that has been fully developed and all i want to do is to create an executable file using my own icon so that whenever it is double clicked it opens up the appliation.
Please provide an example fro easy refrence.
Thanks

i have the procedure for creating executable jar file in a separate file.
if u r interested then mail me at:
[email protected]
regards
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How to pass paramets to executable jar file

hello,
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I was not thinking of changing the manifest, but of how you invoke the main class.
Consider the following three files:
File: test.txtThis is
a text fileFile: manifestmain-class: JarTestFile: JarTest.javaimport java.io.*;
public class JarTest {
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}Compile and run like the following:pbrockway@linuxdeskd6off:~/Desktop$ javac -cp . JarTest.java
pbrockway@linuxdeskd6off:~/Desktop$ jar cmf manifest test.jar JarTest.class
pbrockway@linuxdeskd6off:~/Desktop$ java -jar test.jar test.txt
The first line is: This is
pbrockway@linuxdeskd6off:~/Desktop$ java -jar test.jar <test.txt
The first line is: This is
pbrockway@linuxdeskd6off:~/Desktop$ cat test.txt | java -jar test.jar
The first line is: This is
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the main() method.

How do i create an executable jar?

I have built a GUI, and want to make it executable. I have tried compiling it to a jar, but when i double click this nothing happens. I even added Main-Class to the manifest file but still no luck.
any help would be appreciated, or a link to a good tutorial. I have already tried the sun tutorial, but it still doesnt work.
Thanks
Ben

I got it working :D
jar -cfm TestJar.jar manifest.txt GUI.class GUI$1.class ./org/gui/*.class ./info/clearthought/layout/*.class
java -jar TestJar.jar
This created the .jar. I will experiment with Class-Name: later, atleast i have something to show now.
Thanks to everyone for their help on this matter
Ben
edit:
just changed the manifest file to include,
Class-Path: JCalendar4.jar TableLayout.jar
Worked a dream..... thanks everyone i think i have a pretty good grasp on how to create jars now. Just need to learn now how to create jnlp files :D
Message was edited by:
CyborgAvenger

Create Executable Jar file

How do I creat a Executable Jar file?

on my WIndows XP jars are automatically "executable".
if its not on yours (you can check) check out this thread:
http://forum.java.sun.com/thread.jspa?threadID=653572&tstart=0

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[ejb-jar.xml]

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Creating an exacutable jar file in netbeans

Hey, how can i create an exacutable jar file in netbeans ?

i guess you already have a project created, if you don't create a new java application project.
Then you need to do the following:
1. Set the main class. This is the class that will run first.
for this you need to right click in the project node, select properties, then run and in the Main Class field put the main class.
2. Set the classpath: you need to put all the libraries or resources you use in your project.
to do that right click the libraries node, select properties, then add library and add all the libraries that your project needs
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Escobar5

Executable JAR file and subdirectories, locale...

Hi:
I have created an executable jar file. In my program, I have to display an icon in which I stored in a subdirectory. This subdirectory is also archived into the jar file. However, as the application runs, it can't find the icon! I have to seperately create a subdirectory (with the same name and structure as the archived directory) for my program to display the icon properly! Does anybody know how I can use the archived subdirectory directly?
Also, the executable jar file has a problem of using the proper locale... Does anyone know how to get around this?
Thanx in advance for helping me out = )

Thanx! It worked!
Does anyone know the answer to my second problem, namely, using the correct locale to display characters? When I run the application on the unarchived class file it works fine. However, when I run the application double-clicking the executable jar file icon, the characters are displayed incorrectly, which I assume to be problem with the locale...

A few questions about executable Jar files

Hi,
I have to make an a tutorial system and was going to make it using applets embedded in webpages. This approach causes certain limitations so decided to make it using JPanels that open up as windows on the users computer.
I intend on compressing all the files (java, images, sound etc) within a Jar file and would like a few questions answering.
1. How would I make an executable Jar file that when clicked on will load the program on the users computer. Is there some software to do it for me or do I have to do it from the command prompt?
2. Is using a Jar file the best approach or is there a better way to get my java program to run on other peoples pc's
3. If I create an executable Jar file on windows xp, will it run on a Linux machine?
Cheers

1. How would I make an executable Jar file that when clicked on will load the program on the users computer. Is there some software to do it for me or do I have to do it from the command prompt?The SDK contains all the tools you need. Use the jar command. To make your jar executable, include a manifest file that references your main class.
2. Is using a Jar file the best approach or is there a better way to get my java program to run on other peoples pc'sA jar will work just fine.
3. If I create an executable Jar file on windows xp, will it run on a Linux machine?Yes.

Executable jar files and manifest file

Hi,
I have the following files in a folder named: Test
a.jar
b.jar
c.jar
Driver.class
Driver.mf
Here, MainClass is the main executable class that uses a,band c.jar files. This is how my MainClass.mf file looks:
Manifest-Version: 1.0
Main-Class: Driver
Class-Path: a.jar b.jar c.jar
Now I use the following command to make one executable jar file:
jar cmf Driver.mf DriverMain.jar *
It creates an executable jar file named : DriverMain.jar
Now I copy the executable jar file (DriverMain.jar) into a different folder named: RunTest
and double click it, doesn't work.
my question is:
what am I doing wrong? Any special characters needed in my Driver.mf file (space/newline/etc)?
What I am trying to get is: One execuatble jar file so I can just double click to run it, and that single executable jar file will have all the necessary jars in it (i.e. a.jar, b.jar, c.jar in this case)
Anyone please help!
Thanks
-Ron

Rony,
Sorry to disappoint, but you can not use embeded jar/zip files within an executable jar. The JDK sadly for some reason decided this was not a useful idea, so developers like me who want to distribute plugins with thier own dependencies have one of two choices. You either have to unzip the jar file that contains the embeded jars to a directory, then run your primary exectuable jar, OR you have to write a custom classloader that your "launcher" creates then loads the embeded jar files.
The best thing to do is either jar up a, b, c and driver into one jar, so that it works, if you can legally do this. A lot of 3rd party libraries may not allow this per their license. Otherwise, another choice is to use a free installer or buy an installer that allows you to distribute a single exectuable installer program that will properly create the dir structure you need.
As for the way it works, if you declare:
Class-Path: a.jar b.jar c.jar
the JAR loader code in the JDK looks in the root dir where your application was started for a/b/c jar files. They have to be on disk.
If you want to place them in /lib, for example, you would havd a jar file like:
Driver.class
Driver.mf
lib/a.jar
lib/b.jar
lib/c.jar
When unzipped, your "root" dir would look exactly like the above, and your manifest would have Class-Path using ./lib/a.jar ./lib/b.jar ./lib/c.jar
Anyway, there thus far isn't any way around this issue of embeding jar files in an executable jar file. You MIGHT be able to not specify any classpath, then in your Driver.class, create a new custom classloader that dervies from URLClassLoader, but in the findClass(), you get a ref to the .jar file that the classloader class is inside of, and from that use it to find the lib/*.jar files and add them to the classpath. For this to work, however, your Driver.class code should ALSO be contained in an embeded jar file that is loaded by this custom loader. The only thing Driver.class would contain (and I would rename it to something like Launcher) is the code to create the custom classloader.
It's fun stuff, but a little bit of work to make it work. You can infact make it work! I may yet one day take our plugin engine custom loader and create a way for this to work!

Making executable jar file the database using JTable

How can i make an executable jar file if I will use a JTable on my database?Can you tell me how?
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dantte wrote:
in truth, ur question is not clear enough. elaborate on what exactly it is u want, and what u ar truin to achieve.You don't seem to know enough English, let along Java, to be answering questions here.
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Newbie's problem with executable jar file

hello
i create an executable jar file and it seems ok except it fails to locate all of my image files.
when i use
java -jar myproject.jar
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however, when i extract this jar file and run, it works fine (displays everything).
do i need to do add some informations about these included file's information into Manifest file?
thank you

thank you for the reply.
i have searched through java, and find "class javax.commerce.cassette.JARCassetteLoader". is this one you referred? i have used file related examples from the java-swing samples.
//post - return the file path
protected static ImageIcon getImageIcon(String path)
java.net.URL imgURL = TestDialog.class.getResource(path);
if (imgURL != null)
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else
System.out.println("Couldn't find file: " + path);
return null;
then i just use
ImageIcon icon = getImageIcon("images"+File.separator+"simple.gif"); // images\simple.gif
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How do I create an executable JAR File ?

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