Base lesson 2, step 7: Pack the project into a JAR (JAva-Archive)-file and run the application out of this file.

This step of the tutorial
* covers the packing of different packages into a JAR-file using the 'Packaging Configuration' of Eclipse and
* and the command-line command to run the application with the inclusion of JAR-files for DOM and database-access.

Preface:

There is a functionality in Eclipse to pack a project in a JAR-file which is shown in Struts lesson 4a: A Test-Client to test the Session-Bean.
Nevertheless the 'Packaging Configurations' is used in this Tutorial as in the projects using Struts this knowledge is expanded for packing more than just JAVA-applications.
Thereafter the simplified functionality is explained - I hope you understand my idea.

Credits:

I took the guideline for packing from the 'JBoss 3.0 Workbook For Enterpris JavaBeans 3rd Edition' by Bill Burke and Sacha Labourey.
As the 4th Edition is already available as hardcover, the book is no longer available for download.
Before you are going to buy this book: for a beginner, this book is not easy readable - it is a good textbook if you want to continue after my tutorials are finished.

Prerequisites:

• JS_Base02f, Step 6 – Print out the report completed – and its prerequisites too.

Pack into a JAR (JAva-Archive):

Eclipse has a pretty sophisticated functionality to select files for further processing (not only packaging) and carry out the processing.
This functionality is based on the ANT (Another Neat Tool) but has a pretty easy to operate GUI.
  ;-) If you wrote ANT-scripts you will understand what I mean ;-) .

• To start the Packaging by clicking with the right mouse-button onto the project (JS_Base02) and selecting >Properties.
:


• In the left area select 'Packaging Configurations' and click the button [ Add... ]



• In the window popping up enter the 'Name:' (js-base02.jar) and click the button [ OK ]



• Now, the files which should be packed into the JAR-files have to be selected.
To do so, click with the right mouse button onto the text ('js_base02.jar) and select >Add Folder...



• In the window popping up click the button [ Project Folder... ]



• Select the folder 'gen/classes' and click the button [ OK ].



• Enter **/*.class in the field 'Includes' and click the button [ OK ].
The value **/*.class is a little bit overkill as in this project only (Java-)class-files are located there.
Also the **/ would not be necessary as it means 'include files in sub-folders' which are not present in this project.
As this step is also a preparation for more complex tutorials I found it a good idea to introduce a little bit of the capabilities that Eclipse and ANT offer.



• The future content of the jar-file can be seen by clicking onto the little triangle left of 'js_base02.jar' (if it is not already expanded).
Click the button [ OK ] to close the window and generate the script-file which controls the packaging-process.



• To start the packaging process click onto the project 'JS_Base02' suing the right mouse-button and select >Run Packaging.



• The process can be watched in the 'console' window of Eclipse.



In this example, the generated JAR-file (with the name 'js_base02.jar') is stored in the directory '/home/kurti-o/js_tutorials/JS_Base02'.
The directory depends on your individual configuration and will - for sure - be different !

top.

Run the application outside Eclipse:

For the 'real-life' a JAVA-application is started by a command issued over the command-line.
This command also has to include the libraries (jar-files) with packages that are included in the developed application.

For this tutorial the following configuration was valid.
* developed application packed in file 'js_base02.jar' in directory '/home/kurti-o/js_tutorials/JS_Base02';
* libraries for the DOM-methods (Document-Object-Model) in file 'jdom.jar'
   in directory '/usr/java/j2sdk1.4.2_08/lib/extern';
* libraries for the access to the MySQL-database in file 'mysql-connector-java-3.1.12-bin.jar'
   in directory '/usr/java/j2sdk1.4.2_08/lib/extern'.

For your configuration please adapt your command !

• To start the application open a 'Terminal'-window and enter the following command:
   
java -cp /home/kurti-o/js_tutorials//JS_Base02/js_base02.jar:/usr/java/j2sdk1.4.2_08/lib/extern/jdom.jar:/use/java/j2sdk1.4.2_08/lib/extern/mysql-connector-java-3.1.12-bin.jar js_base02.application.JS_DBLoad

The above classpath-delimiter (:) between the files is LINUX-specific; for other operating-system it might be different.

.

• The user-dialog starts.

..

top.

Next Step(s):

There is no direct continuation to this step.
Depending on your interest you may continue with the following tutorials

• Exploring the Struts framework.
This supports the development of applications using a Web-Browser as GUI (Graphic-User-Interface).
Starting point is JS_Struts00 - Import the Struts framework.

• Develop EJBs (Enterprise Java Beans).
EJB is a technology to support a client/server-architecture utilizing the capabilities of a Java-Application-Server (e.g. JBoss):
Tutorial will be available soon.