We have an application developed in NetBeans, based on the NetBeans platform. There's a 3'rd party program that we have a runtime dependency on, more specifically a jar in the other progams lib folder.
How should we include the other progam's jar in our classpath?
The recommendation from the other progam's manufacturer is to set environment variable CLASSPATH to include
C:\Progam Files\Other Program\lib\theJAR.jar
And if that's not possible, we should copy theJAR.jar to JRE-HOME\lib\ext
We must not copy theJAR.jar anywhere else, that might cause it to stop working...
Now NetBeans takes no notice of what's on environment variable CLASSPATH. Their recommended way seems to be to make a wrapper, but that would lead to copying the jar, unless there's some way to make a wrapper module that points to CLASSPATH?
At the moment we are copying the jar into JRE-HOME\lib\ext. But then there's unnecessary hassle when we install some java update.
Do you have any solution to this problem? It seems like something that might be simple, but I haven't found the right place to look yet...
Edit: The application is ant-based.
From the documentation for the Module System API's overview of the runtime infrastructure (bottom of the page under the section "Common Problems and Solutions"):
Q: Can my module add a library JAR to the classpath from outside the
IDE [read: platform] installation?...
A: Not easily. You have a few options:
Add an entry to ide.cfg [your app's .config file]. For example:
-cp:a c:\eak\lib\eak.jar This startup file provides the ability to add classpath entries to the IDE's Java invocation.
...
It goes on to list two more options. The second option is the same solution you've come up with. The third is to "partition your module and use a new classloader" which I can't recommend either way since I have no experience doing this (but it's worth a read).
Assuming that this first option is what you are looking for, you will need to add a custom .conf file to your project and point to it in your project.properties file, like so: app.conf=nbproject/my.conf. This will add your custom .conf file to your app's install directory instead of the default config file that is normally added. Of course, you'll need to add the -cp:a c:\eak\lib\eak.jar entry to this custom config file in order to load the .jar.
During development you'll need to add the following entry to the project.properties file: run.args.extra=-cp:a c:\eak\lib\eak.jar. This will pass the command line option to your debug instance.
You can add that .jar file by following the steps below:
In the left side panel named "Projects" open your project and right click on the "Libraries", then select "Add JAR/Folder...".
Then select your .jar file from the location where you have stored it in the next dialog box that opens and then press "Open".
Vola Finished!!! (with the same process you can add other libraries also like JavaCV, JMF,etc)
And Now You Can Use That .Jar File From Your Project Library.
Hope It Helps.
Related
Just recently started using Eclipse and ran into an issue with exporting the plugin I'm working on. I tried to search but so far no luck - but if the answer is already here I'd be grateful if someone can point me to it.
I'm writing a n OSGi/Equinox plugin with Eclipse. The plugin is for a 3rd party system, which allows extensions: basically all jars placed in the application's plugin folder are automatically loaded into the application at startup. I have managed to put together my plugin, it's loading fine and it works.
The issue is that I rely on another plugin which is placed beside mine in the plugins folder. For obvious reasons I do not want to package that plugin into my plugin jar file. I have tried to add the dependency as an external archive, but this breaks the export: when I try to export my plugin project ant complains about missing dependencies and types. (If I actually include the other jar file in my plugin everything works, but obviously this is less then ideal.)
So: how do I set up my plugin project dependency, that it's a) an external dependency and b) doesn't need to be specified with a path or a variable - i.e. how do I tell my exporter to "don't worry, it will be there right beside you"?
Edit: Apparently there's an important detail I didn't mention. The external jar file I depend on is not an OSGi plugin, just a regular jar file with some classes in it. To the 3rd party system it seems all the same (all are under the plugins folder, all are loaded into the application), but for Eclipse the distinction seems important.
If you reference the other plug-in as a dependency in your plug-in's MANIFEST.MF the export should work without errors. The plug-in should be listed in the Require-Bundle list in the MANIFEST.MF.
You can do this in the MANIFEST.MF editor by adding to the 'Required Plug-ins' list on the 'Dependencies' tab of the editor.
Note: When referencing other plug-ins you must always use this method. Do not try adding the plug-in jar to the Java build path or anything like that.
If the jar you want to use is not an Eclipse plug-in you must should include it as part of the plug-in and list the jar in the Bundle-Classpath in the MANIFEST.MF. If you cannot do this you can reference an external jar in the Bundle-Classpath using something like:
Bundle-Classpath: .,external:$LIB_LOCATION$/lib.jar
. is the normal entry in for the plug-in code. external:$LIB_LOCATION$/lib.jar looks for lib.jar in a location defined by the environment variable LIB_LOCATION. This method can be difficult to get right.
In the end the solution to my specific problem was to add the external jar file as an Extra Classpath Entry on the build properties tab (this translated to a "jars.extra.classpath = .jar" entry in the build.properties file). I have also added the jar file to the project itself - after adding the extra class path entry that got changed into an external dependency automatically.
With these two changes I was able to successfully export my plugin, which didn't contain the external jar file, but was able to reference it when loaded into the 3rd party system.
This question has been covered here before, but the only solutions I could find were in relation to a project using Ant or Maven. I am using neither. Here is the situation:
I have some application parameters in a properties file. This file is located in my Eclipse project (but in the src folder) and used when I run the application from Eclipse. In addition, I would like the application to also run as an executable jar file, in which case the user can provide the name of a properties file to use in a command line parameters.
The problem now is that the properties file from the project is always packaged into the executable jar and therefore the user is not able to easily modify the properties (yes, I know that (s)he could unzip the jar, but I want to avoid the extra steps).
How can I prevent the properties from being packages into the executable jar file?
Cheers,
Martin
Create a executable jar without properties file in it. Place both jar and properties file in a folder. Now add little code in your main program which should look for a properties file in the same folder and get the complete path of it. And then you can do something like this
System.getProperties().load(new FileInputStream(completepath));
So now your properties will be loaded into system properties with out affecting the actual system properties. You can access your properties by System.getProperty("Propertyname");
Hope this helps. Let me know if you have more questions.
I'm working on eclipse-kepler.
when I try to add external jars, they are added under the project and not under any folder (that is under the project),
Is there a way I can abbreviate (shorten/shrink) them so it wouldn't be so annoying?
Well, it depends on what is your issue.
If you would like to filter out libraries, there is a magical button, a white triangle on the top bar of the Package Explorer. There you can filter out all the libraries with a click so they won't be enumerated (see this screenshot).
If the issue is that they are included as external Jars (which I'd discourage, since it becomes harder to set up the project in a different environment both for you and others), simply create a lib folder, copy the Jar there and include it as simple Jar files (that way the .classpath file won't have any absolute paths).
Actually this feature is quite handy, it saved me a dozens of times. When there is a problem with a class you are using you can easily locate it by opening the type with Ctrl+Shift+T and linking it with the editor. It can go into the Jar files and show you where is it. When there is a Claspath conflict it can be a life saviour.
My environment:
Netbean 6.9.1
Glassfish 3.0.1
Windows 7
Goal:
When my coworkers opens the Netbean Project, the library is already referenced without them manually create library, adding jars into it and reference it.
Detail:
I created Netbean project and the project has reference to few jar files in the folder.
Currently whoever opens the project for the first time, they have to manually create library and refer it to the project.
My project location:
C:\Users\masatosan\Desktop\myProject\myApp
My library location:
C:\Users\masatosan\Desktop\myProject\lib\myLib
The myLib folder contains:
some1.jar
some2.jar
some3.jar
I can achieve my goal if I create reference to individual jar file by defining to project.properties file like below: (creating reference to sqljdbc4.jar)
file.reference.sqljdbc4.jar=../lib/sqljdbc4.jar
javac.classpath=\
${libs.restlib_gfv3ee6.classpath}:\
${file.reference.sqljdbc4.jar}:
But my case is different since I have 3 jars in the myLib folder and wanting to reference them all.
Is it possible to reference all jars in myLib folder?
Please let me know if you need more clarification.
I'm sorry, but it doesn't work that way. When you create a project, you have to add the jar files individually.
However, if you put your lib folder under your project, netbeans will refer to them via relative paths. Then when you share the project (lib directory included), netbeans will be able to automatically find the jar files when the next person uses the project. That way you only have to add jar files once.
Short of using a dependency management tool like maven (which Netbeans has good support for), this is really the best solution. It uses a bit more disk space (obviously), but that's never been a huge issue for me.
I figured how so let me share.
Tool --> Library then library window pop up.
Create library called "MyLib" which contains multiple jars.
Add "MyLib" to your project. This change will be written to project.properties file under nbproject folder.
project.properties file indicates the classpath of lib reference you just added.
It should look like something below
javac.classpath=\
${libs.Excella.classpath}:\
${libs.MyLib.classpath}
Now someone else opens the project from different machine and she just needs to do step#1 and #2, which is to create library with same library name i.e. "MyLib"
I think this is what Bill was saying originally but thought it would be helpful to give step by step instructions since I finally figured .... after long time :D
Question
Given a Classpath Container I've written as a plugin/extension, how do I add it to the classpath, automatically?
Background
Ok so I'm an experienced Java Developer but extremely new to writing Eclipse Plugins. I've been googling, following tutorials and reading source code of other plugins for a couple days. I know exactly what I want to do but not exactly how to do it.
Right now, in Eclipse, when I click a resource and choose "Run as JUnit test" as in:
Behind the scenes, the m2eclipse plugin somehow generates a run configuration that contains the "Maven Dependencies" classpath container, like the following:
My best guess is that the "Maven Dependencies" classpath container is added through some extension point being used by the M2Eclipse plugin. Similarly, I want to add my classpath container, automatically, whenever a user runs a JUnit test--so it shows up under "User Entries." What extension point(s) can I use to make something like that happen? I've been looking at org.eclipse.jdt.core.classpathContainerInitializer but I'm not sure that's going to do what I need.
Ideal Result
Ideally, I'd like to write a plugin that takes every entry in the project's build path and adds it to the classpath of a run configuration (whenever a new launch configuration is created via: Run As > JUnit test). This should be the default behavior of Eclipse but it's not!
My next-best solution would be to simply add my custom classpath container to the run configuration's build path, automatically. At the end of the day, I just want one classpath for any java code our team runs/launches. This shouldn't be so hard!
Any advise on how to achieve any of this would be appreciated! Even basic pointers on where to look to understand how particular Extension Points are intended to be used (the basic JavaDocs APIs are terrible). Thanks,
gMale
Roostergx provides part of the answer (i.e., how to create the classpath container). The second part, as you admit, is how to add it automatically.
I would recommend using an extension point called org.eclipse.ui.startup. This allows you to contribute code that runs (pretty much) as early as possible when Eclipse starts up. On every startup, you can iterate through all projects and see if any existing projects require the classpath container that you created.
The article at http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/opensource/tutorials/os-eclipse-classpath/index.html provides an exellent description and source for a plugin that defines a project specific classpath container that includes all the jar files in a specified directory.