The .keystore file now cannot be found (No such file or directory)

Question

hi,
so, I'm trying to sign a JAR file connected to an applet.
I got to creating the keystore and had a "where do you want to store it? and what do you want to call it?" messages.
I saved it as '.keystore' and was warned by the system that files beginning with '.' are invisible.
I clicked ok (thinking the compiler should be able to 'see' it) and now whenever I try to sign anything the Terminal tells me:
jarsigner error: java.lang.RuntimeException: keystore load: /Users/spikenigma/.keystore (No such file or directory)
It doesn't matter how many other keystores I create, it looks for it in said directory and throws up an error.
I've tried everything
HELP

Answer 1

Ok, I'll be as specific as possible and maybe you can tell where I am going wrong. I am on a Mac.
1)
I have a JAR file called csvjdbc.jar . It is a driver that enables offline SQL operations of sorts on tabular data.
It works perfectly when loaded in the classpath both dynamically and at runtime.
The contents of it's manifest file are, as expected:
Manifest-Version: 1.0
Ant-Version: Apache Ant 1.8.1
Created-By: 1.6.0_22-b04 (Sun Microsystems Inc.)
2)
A test of csvjdbc.jar to check if it is already signed returns that it is not, as expected:
(input)
jarsigner -verify csvjdbc.jar
(input)
(output from terminal)
jar is unsigned. (signatures missing or not parsable)
(output from terminal)
3)
I want to sign the jar file so that I can load said JAR file in an applet I have not yet created.
4)
My steps are:
(navigate to the folder via the terminal)
cd desktop
cd progamming
cd java
etc….
(navigate to the folder via the terminal)
(try to sign the jar)
jarsigner csvjdbc.jar spikenigma
(try to sign the jar)
(response from terminal)
Enter Passphrase for keystore:
(response from terminal)
(entered passphrase)
************** (censored)
(entered passphrase)
(response from terminal as previously mentioned)
/Users/spikenigma/.keystore (No such file or directory)
(response from terminal as previously mentioned)
(Ok, let's create another keystore in a different location)
keytool -genkey -alias signFiles -keystore thekeystore
(Ok, let's create another keystore in a different location)
(answer standard questions)
Enter keystore password:
Re-enter new password:
What is your first and last name?
What is the name of your organizational unit?
What is the name of your organization?
What is the name of your City or Locality?
What is the name of your State or Province?
What is the two-letter country code for this unit?
(answer standard questions)
(so, we try signing again)
jarsigner csvjdbc.jar spikenigma
(so, we try signing again)
(enter the passphrase)
Enter Passphrase for keystore:
(enter the passphrase)
(response from terminal as previously mentioned)
jarsigner error: java.lang.RuntimeException: keystore load: /Users/spikenigma/.keystore (No such file or directory)
(response from terminal as previously mentioned)