How do I create executable Java program

Question

I have programmed a Java Program in JCreator  everything is done  but I want to create an executable file from it  ie I dont want to have to run the program by loading the java classes and compiling then executing  but instead have it as a stand alone executable file   What the quickest way to do this

User · Answer

You can use the jar tool bundled with the SDK and create an executable version of the program.

This is how it's done.

I'm posting the results from my command prompt because it's easier, but the same should apply when using JCreator.

First create your program:

$cat HelloWorldSwing.java
    package start;

    import javax.swing.*;

    public class HelloWorldSwing {
        public static void main(String[] args) {
            //Create and set up the window.
            JFrame frame = new JFrame("HelloWorldSwing");
            frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);

            JLabel label = new JLabel("Hello World");
            frame.add(label);

            //Display the window.
            frame.pack();
            frame.setVisible(true);
        }
    }
    class Dummy {
        // just to have another thing to pack in the jar
    }

Very simple, just displays a window with "Hello World"

Then compile it:

$javac -d . HelloWorldSwing.java

Two files were created inside the "start" folder Dummy.class and HelloWorldSwing.class.

$ls start/
Dummy.class     HelloWorldSwing.class

Next step, create the jar file. Each jar file have a manifest file, where attributes related to the executable file are.

This is the content of my manifest file.

$cat manifest.mf
Main-class: start.HelloWorldSwing

Just describe what the main class is ( the one with the public static void main method )

Once the manifest is ready, the jar executable is invoked.

It has many options, here I'm using -c -m -f ( -c to create jar, -m to specify the manifest file , -f = the file should be named.. ) and the folder I want to jar.

$jar -cmf manifest.mf hello.jar start

This creates the .jar file on the system

enter image description here

You can later just double click on that file and it will run as expected.

enter image description here

To create the .jar file in JCreator you just have to use "Tools" menu, create jar, but I'm not sure how the manifest goes there.

Here's a video I've found about: Create a Jar File in Jcreator.

I think you may proceed with the other links posted in this thread once you're familiar with this ".jar" approach.

You can also use jnlp ( Java Network Launcher Protocol ) too.

User · Answer

Take a look at WinRun4J  It s windows only but that s because unix has executable scripts that look  to the user  like bins  You can also easily modify WinRun4J to compile on unix   It does require a config file  but again  recompile it with hard-coded options and it works like a config-less exe

User · Answer

If you are using Eclipse   you can try the below 7 steps to get a  exe file for Windows     Now you have a JAR file  Use java -jar path jarname jar to execute       If you want to convert this to  exe  you can try http   sourceforge net projects launch4j files launch4j-3     STEP7  Give the  xml file an appropriate name and click  Save   The  xml file is standard  don t worry about it  Your executable file will now be created

User · Answer

You could use GCJ to compile your Java program into native code  At some time they even compiled Eclipse into a native version

User · Answer

Jexecutable can create Windows exe for Java programs  It embeds the jars into exe file and you can run it like a Windows program

User · Answer

Java Web Start is a good technology for installing Java rich clients off the internet direct to the end user s desktop  whether the OS is Windows  Mac or  nix    It comes complete with desktop integration and automatic updates  among many other goodies     For more information on JWS  see the JWS info page

User · Answer

As suggested earlier too  you can look at launch4j to create the executable for your JAR file  Also  there is something called  JExePack  that can put an  exe wrapper around your jar file so that you can redistribute it  note  the client would anyways need a JRE to run the program on his pc  Exes created with GCJ will not have this dependency but the process is a little more involved

User · Answer

If you are using NetBeans  you just press f11 and your project will be build  The default path is projectfolder dist

User · Answer

On the command line  navigate to the root directory of the Java files you wish to make executable   Use this command   jar -cvf  name of jar file   name of directory with Java files    This will create a directory called META-INF in the jar archive  In this META-INF there is a file called MANIFEST MF  open this file in a text editor and add the following line   Main-Class   fully qualified name of your main class    then use this command   java -jar  name of jar file    and your program will run

User · Answer

Take a look at launch4j

User · Answer

I m not quite sure what you mean    But I assume you mean either 1 of 2 things    You want to create an executable  jar file   Eclipse can do this really easily File --  Export and create a jar and select the appropriate Main-Class and it ll generate the  jar for you  In windows you may have to associate  jar with the java runtime  aka Hold shift down  Right Click  open with  browse to your jvm and associate it with javaw exe   create an actual  exe file then you need to use an extra library like    http   jsmooth sourceforge net  or http   launch4j sourceforge net  will create a native  exe stub with a nice icon that will essentially bootstrap your app  They even figure out if your customer hasn t got a JVM installed and prompt you to get one

User · Answer

Write a script and make it executable  The script should look like what you d normally use at the command line   java YourClass   This assumes you ve already compiled your  java files and that the java can find your  class files  If java cannot find your  class files  you may want to look at using the -classpath  option or setting your CLASSPATH environment variable

[java] How do I create executable Java program?

Examples related to java

Examples related to jar

Examples related to executable

Examples related to jcreator