executable jar file

[Philip Mat]

Hi

I'm new to java and I'm trying to make an executable jar file with no luck so far. My OS is windows xp.

I have my compiled class file: GuiDemo.class located at C:\Java Projects\bin\com\test\common. I created a manifest file: GuiDemo.mf at the same location which has the below contents and a blank line at the end of the manifest file.

Manifest-Version: 1.0
Main-Class: com.test.common.GuiDemo

I created the executable jar file like below at command prompt:

C:\Java Projects\bin\com\test\common>jar cmf GuiDemo.mf GuiDemo.jar GuiDemo.class

The above command did create an executable jar file: GuiDemo.jar, which I tested using C:\Java Projects\bin\com\test\common>jar -tf GuiDemo.jar and it gave the following result.

META-INF/
META-INF/MANIFEST.MF
GuiDemo.class

But, when I try to execute the jar file using: C:\Java Projects\bin\com\test\common>java -jar GuiDemo.jar, it is giving NoClassDefFound exception and the last line says: Could not find the main class: com.test.common.GuiDemo.class. Program will exit.

My CLASSPATH is set as C:\Java Projects\bin. I can execute GuiDemo without any issues using C:\>java com.test.common.GuiDemo

What could be wrong?

[Rob Spoor]

The classes inside your JAR file must be placed in a directory structure that matches the package declarations. In this case, your JAR file must contain a folder com\test\common and the GuiDemo.class file must be placed inside that folder.

[Philip Mat]

Hi

Thank you for that information. How can I include a folder structure in a jar file?

Can you show me an example?

[Rob Spoor]

http://java.sun.com/docs/books/tutorial/deployment/jar/index.html
The input files do not necessarily need to be files - they can be folders as well.

[Philip Mat]

Thanks .. It worked ..