Drop file onto .jar and pass filename to main()

Question

I'd like to drop a file onto my jar and have the filename passed on to my main method as argument. I'm on OSX. How can I do that?

Answer 1

If the app. is deployed using Java Web Start, a file association can be declared. Double click any file of that type and the path of the file is supplied to the main(String[]).

BTW - here is a demo. of the JNLP file API. Note well the 2nd bug report, which would mean a minimum version of 1.6.0_10+ in order not to delete a file dropped on the application's icon.

Answer 2

To do this on OSX you might have to create an application bundle from your .jar. This process is documented pretty well at the Apple Developer Center (scroll down to "Mac OS X Application Bundles"). You can build a Java app which blends really well into the OSX desktop if you follow what they present there, and it's pretty easy.