Create Java Executable
by John Vincent
Posted on May 5, 2018
This document discusses how to Create a Java Executable for macOS. This discussion will use the Gomoku project as a working example.
Create a Java Executable
There are a number of approaches available. Let's start with some basics.
Logging messages
Review the code, clean out all traces.
May want to review any log4j settings.
May require different log4j configuration files.
Development
src/main/resources/log/log4j.xml
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?>
<!DOCTYPE log4j:configuration SYSTEM "log4j.dtd">
<log4j:configuration xmlns:log4j="http://jakarta.apache.org/log4j/" debug="true">
<appender name="consoleAppender" class="org.apache.log4j.ConsoleAppender">
<layout class="org.apache.log4j.PatternLayout">
<param name="ConversionPattern" value="%m%n" />
</layout>
</appender>
<appender name="fileAppender" class="org.apache.log4j.FileAppender">
<param name="File" value="/tmp/gomoku.log" />
<param name="Append" value="true" />
<layout class="org.apache.log4j.PatternLayout">
<param name="ConversionPattern" value="[%d{ISO8601}] [%t] %p - %m%n" />
</layout>
</appender>
<root>
<priority value="info" /> <!-- off, info, debug, error -->
<appender-ref ref="consoleAppender" />
<appender-ref ref="fileAppender" />
</root>
</log4j:configuration>
Also, copy standard log4j.dtd
to src/main/resources/log/log4j.dtd
Production
Packaging/log/log4j-production.xml
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?>
<!DOCTYPE log4j:configuration SYSTEM "log4j.dtd">
<log4j:configuration xmlns:log4j="http://jakarta.apache.org/log4j/" debug="true">
<appender name="consoleAppender" class="org.apache.log4j.ConsoleAppender">
<layout class="org.apache.log4j.PatternLayout">
<param name="ConversionPattern" value="%m%n" />
</layout>
</appender>
<appender name="fileAppender" class="org.apache.log4j.FileAppender">
<param name="Append" value="true" />
<layout class="org.apache.log4j.PatternLayout">
<param name="ConversionPattern" value="[%d{ISO8601}] [%t] %p - %m%n" />
</layout>
</appender>
<root>
<priority value="error" /> <!-- off, info, debug, error -->
<appender-ref ref="consoleAppender" />
</root>
</log4j:configuration>
Running Gomoku from Eclipse
Ensure src/main/resources/
is on the Build Path. Ensure log/log4j.xml
is in classes
. If not, then:
- Project, Clean
to rebuild.
Running Gomoku from the Command Line
Create script app.command
#!/bin/sh
#
# script to run java app Gomoku
#
PARAMS="$*"
echo "PARAMS are $PARAMS"
#
DEV_HOME=/Users/jv/Desktop/MyDevelopment/github/java/Games/java-gomoku/Gomoku
#
cd $DEV_HOME
#
MYCP=$DEV_HOME/classes:$DEV_HOME/Jars/log4j-1.2.13.jar
#
MY_FILE=$PARAMS
#
java -cp $MYCP -Xdock:name="Gomoku" io.johnvincent.gomoku.App $MY_FILE
#
Notice the classpath which is from where the log4j.xml
file will be loaded.
log4j Configuration
This is a real pain so let's describe the configuration.
Use an Absolute Path
This approach works fine for local development but is of no value for a distributable package.
Shown here for reference
public class App extends JFrame {
static {
init();
}
private static void init() {
String log4jConfPath = System.getProperty("user.dir")+File.separator+"log4j.xml";
System.out.println("log4jConfPath "+log4jConfPath);
DOMConfigurator.configure(log4jConfPath);
}
which will load /Users/jv/Desktop/MyDevelopment/github/java/Games/java-gomoku/Gomoku/log4j.xml
Load from the root of the classpath
If use src/main/resources/log4j.xml
, then this file will be loaded by log4j on startup. This is the simplest configuration as no specialized code is needed to load log4j.xml
Load from non-root of the classpath
This is my preferred configuration as it allows for better separation of resource files.
To load log4j.xml
public class App extends JFrame {
static {
init();
}
private static void init() {
URL url = App.class.getResource("/log/log4j.xml");
DOMConfigurator.configure(url);
}
or
private static void init() {
URL url = App.class.getClassLoader().getResource("log/log4j.xml");
DOMConfigurator.configure(url);
}
Create Packaging files
Need a working directory working
mkdir working
- Add
working
to.gitignore
The pkg
file that will be created is too large for the repository.
- Add
Gomoku.pkg
to.gitignore
Create packaging source directory Packaging
mkdir -p Packaging/src Packaging/output
Create manifest file Packaging/src/manifest.mf
Manifest-Version: 1.0
Class-path: .
Main-Class: io.johnvincent.gomoku.App
Copied johnvincentio.png
icon from the main website. This icon is my corporate identity.
cp {absolute path} Packaging/src/johnvincentio.png
Create Packaging Script
Create script create-package
#!/bin/sh
#
# script to create Gomoku package
#
createJar() (
echo;
echo "Creating executable Jar $EXECUTABLE_JAR";
echo;
#
# Copy base files
#
echo "Copy base files";
cp $CUR_DIR/Packaging/src/manifest.mf $JAR_WORK_FILES_DIR;
#
echo "Copy class files";
cp -R $CUR_DIR/classes/* $JAR_WORK_FILES_DIR;
#
# Copy log4j files last as they must overwrite classes
#
echo "Copy log4j files";
cp $CUR_DIR/Packaging/log/log4j-production.xml $JAR_WORK_FILES_DIR/log/log4j.xml;
#
# Handle referenced Jar files
#
(cd $JAR_WORK_FILES_DIR && exec jar xf $CUR_DIR/Jars/log4j-1.2.13.jar);
#
# clean working directory
#
echo;
echo "Cleaning working directory $JAR_WORK_FILES_DIR";
(cd $JAR_WORK_FILES_DIR && exec find . -name '.DS_Store' -type f -delete);
#
# Create an executable Jar
#
echo;
echo "Creating Executable Jar $EXECUTABLE_JAR";
(cd $JAR_WORK_FILES_DIR && exec jar cmf manifest.mf $EXECUTABLE_JAR .);
)
createImages() (
echo;
echo "Creating images in $MACOSX_PACKAGE_FILES_DIR";
echo;
#
# Create Installer background
#
echo;
echo "Creating Installer background in $WORK_IMAGES_DIR";
sips -z 100 100 -p 150 150 $MACOSX_PACKAGE_FILES_DIR/johnvincentio.png --out $MACOSX_PACKAGE_FILES_DIR/johnvincentio-background.png;
)
createIcons() (
echo;
echo "Creating icons in $MACOSX_PACKAGE_FILES_DIR";
echo;
#
# Create Application icon
#
echo;
echo "Creating Application icon in $WORK_DIR/$APP_NAME.iconset";
mkdir $WORK_DIR/$APP_NAME.iconset;
sips -z 128 128 $MACOSX_PACKAGE_FILES_DIR/johnvincentio.png --out $WORK_DIR/$APP_NAME.iconset/icon_128x128.png;
echo;
echo "Creating Application icon set in $WORK_ICONSET_DIR";
iconutil --convert icns $WORK_DIR/$APP_NAME.iconset --output $MACOSX_PACKAGE_FILES_DIR/$APP_NAME.icns;
)
createApplication() (
#
# MacOS application and installer
#
echo;
echo "Creating MacOS application and installer";
echo
javapackager -deploy \
-vendor johnvincent.io \
-description $APP_NAME \
-name $APP_NAME \
-appclass io.johnvincent.gomoku.App \
-native pkg \
-BappVersion=1.0.0 \
-Bicon=$MACOSX_PACKAGE_FILES_DIR/$APP_NAME.icns \
-srcdir $PACKAGE_WORK_FILES_DIR \
-srcfiles $APP_NAME.jar \
-outdir $WORK_DIR \
-outfile $APP_NAME
)
CUR_DIR=`pwd`
APP_NAME=Gomoku
WORK_DIR=$CUR_DIR/working/$$
JAR_WORK_FILES_DIR=$WORK_DIR/jar_files
PACKAGE_WORK_FILES_DIR=$WORK_DIR/package_files
MACOSX_PACKAGE_FILES_DIR=$PACKAGE_WORK_FILES_DIR/package/macosx
EXECUTABLE_JAR=$PACKAGE_WORK_FILES_DIR/$APP_NAME.jar
echo
echo "Current directory: $CUR_DIR"
echo "Work directory: $WORK_DIR"
echo "Jar Files directory: $JAR_WORK_FILES_DIR"
# echo "Output directory: $WORK_OUTPUT_DIR"
#
# make directories
#
echo
echo "Creating work directories"
mkdir -p $JAR_WORK_FILES_DIR $MACOSX_PACKAGE_FILES_DIR
#
# create the executable Jar
#
createJar
#
# create images
#
echo
echo "Packaging Files directory: $PACKAGE_WORK_FILES_DIR"
echo "MacOSX directory: $MACOSX_PACKAGE_FILES_DIR"
echo
cp $CUR_DIR/Packaging/src/johnvincentio.png $MACOSX_PACKAGE_FILES_DIR
createImages
#
# create icons
#
createIcons
#
# Build MacOS application and installer
#
createApplication
#
# Copy application files
#
echo
echo "Copy $APP_NAME.jar"
cp $PACKAGE_WORK_FILES_DIR/$APP_NAME.jar $CUR_DIR/$APP_NAME.jar
echo
echo "Copy $APP_NAME.pkg"
cp $WORK_DIR/bundles/$APP_NAME-*.pkg $CUR_DIR/$APP_NAME.pkg
echo "Completed"
Set privileges
chmod 700 create-package
Create Installer
./create-package
which creates
Gomoku.jar
Gomoku.pkg
Execute the Jar
java -jar Gomoku.jar
Install the Application
open Gomoku.pkg
References
Signing Applications for Gatekeeper on macOS
Signing Your Apps for Gatekeeper
Distribute outside the Mac App Store (macOS)
Get a developer account on Apple Developer Website
How to use java packager to build a macOS application bundle