Java Packaging and Deployment

[Dillinger4]

Im still trying to figure the same thing out also....
Java's big thing is that applications written in Java
can be run on many platforms but to bundle and deploy
an app i havent seen anything........ You would think they would have something to package and deploy an app right in the SDK that you download from there site.
especially since we have to include the JRE with whatever application we distribute.

[TheGoldenShogun]

Yeah, it seems like an Unsolved Mystery. I haven't been able to find a single website that shows you, even a small example of how to do it. No useful documentation with the SDK, nothing. Thanks for the feedback and if anybody knows something, please help us out.

[sweetsupra]

Hey guys,

The JVM handles any and/or all types of class files as long as it is illegimate java byte codes. That's one of the reason's why java rigid when it comes to certain things. For example:
int, double, float, etc have defined size. They only except one type of number no matter what machine it is running on.

Manoj

[Dillinger4]

Yes sweetsupra you are correct.... Java defines well defined primative type sizes. Which on the other hand languages like C fail to do. In C the sizes of short, long and int types is platform dependent which hampers portability.

But what about Packaging and Deploying for Java App's?????????????

[VirtuallyVB]

This will help http://java.sun.com/docs/books/tutorial/jar/index.html , but I have also failed to find the minimal set of classes and other files required (to put into the jar) for deployment.

This link has a "Debug and Deploy" section
http://developer.java.sun.com/develo...y/forum.jshtml

I just posted at sun, so hopefully we'll get an answer
http://forum.java.sun.com/read/21910...tFLuVQAAYwu#LR

I've asked about this minimal set of dependencies at vb-world, but no-one had an answer.

If I recall correctly, I once found something that said src.jar is required, but you'd think that we'd only need a subset of that. Then there are other non-class type files that are required (which ones?). Then there are the "business" requirements of the sun license agreement (again, which files?). I've never had the complete answer and I've only written two apps that I would want to deploy. Mostly, users on my local network are the end-users.

[VirtuallyVB]

Sun replied. Go back to http://forum.java.sun.com/read/21910...tFLuVQAAYwu#LR

or to get the java runtime environment (which you should already have with the sdk), see
http://java.sun.com/j2se/1.3/jre/download-windows.html
I'm sure you could eventually find an appropriate link by following the info in your installation of the jdk (sdk) jdk1.3\jre\Welcome.htm

This explains how to deploy the simple "helloworld" app.
http://java.sun.com/j2se/1.3/runtime.html

I guess what was holding me back is that I wanted the answer on one web page. The part about what must be in the jar and what can be omitted is here: http://java.sun.com/products/jdk/1.3/jre/README

A JAVA Package and Deployment Wizard would be sweet.

[TheGoldenShogun]

You are a saint! Thank you so much Virtually VB for digging deep and helping us figure that out.

[VirtuallyVB]

No Problem.

If you ever hear of a Java Deployment Wizard, let us all know.

I've been asking, "How do I get a dependency list for MyCustomClass?" and no-one had an answer. Just now I tried "javac -verbose MyCustomClass.java" and it looks like it lists all the required classes. It seems to me that a jar file that included this minimal list of classes would be all of the CLASSES you technically need. There are some non-class files technically required, but I don't know which ones. All of the rest is contractual requirements.