Run java application from command line with external jar files

Question

I have an external jar file(have package structure), which contains the main class, and I can run the app from command line like this:

java -jar example.jar

But I still have another test.class file outside this jar file, and some classes inside this jar file will invoke the methods in test.class. How can I specify the test.class file to be used by jar file in command line? Tried many ways, always show:

NoClassDefFoundError for test.class

NB: the test.class file also use class files in example.jar file, has its own package structure.

I know I can put them together in one jar file, unfortunately I need separate the test.class file.

Solution 1

If the class is in bin directory :

java -cp xxx.jar;bin pck1.pck2.MainClass

If the class is in the current directory :

java -cp xxx.jar;. pck1.pck2.MainClass

and so on...

More info in the manual, please read it at least one time... ;-)

Solution 2

In Linux System

Compile and Run Java Program along with External JARs.

javac -cp </path/jar1>:<path/jar2>:<path/jar3> MainClass.java

If Compiler throws deprecation warning. You can recompile with -Xlint:deprecation argument.

javac -Xlint:deprecation -cp </path/jar1>:<path/jar2>:<path/jar3> MainClass.java

Finally, run the Java Program:

java -cp </path/jar1>:<path/jar2>:<path/jar3>:. MainClass

If you want to run Java Process in Background. You can use nohup.

nohup java -cp </path/jar1>:<path/jar2>:<path/jar3>:. MainClass &

Solution 3

You can use following commands to run java main class or java jar file:

java -Djava.ext.dirs=E:\lib  E:\Executable\MyMainClass

java -Djava.ext.dirs=E:\lib  E:\Executable\purging.jar

Comments

[LifeOnCodes]

Sorry, not in workspace, no bin directory. Assume test.class file is in the same folder with example.jar file

[Andrew Thompson]

"Assume test.class file is in the same folder with example.jar file" How about you 'pick up the ball & run with it' rather than try to get us to code this to your exact specification?

[LifeOnCodes]

I think I forgot to mention one important thing: the test.class also use the class files in example.jar, and has its own package structure too...and you use ; to separate class path to search the class files?

[Qix - MONICA WAS MISTREATED]

Seriously how hard is java.exe -?

[Qix - MONICA WAS MISTREATED]

@Aubin I was asking LifeOnCodes lol. This question could have been summed up for him if he had just done java.exe -?.

[kayochin]

It works. I want to stress that the options -cp xxx.jar;. should come before the class containing the main method, otherwise the annoying "Error: Could not find or load main class" appears.