help with ant file - classpath for Java task

Question

I have the below build file for Ant and trying to use the target 'run' for executing the program.

<property name="springjar"  location="E:/Tools/spring-30/dist/" />
<property name="logjar"     location="E:/Tools/commons-logging-1.1.1/" />

<patternset id="jar.files"><include name="**/*.jar"/></patternset>

<path id="springlearn.classpath">
    <fileset dir="${springjar}"><patternset refid="jar.files"/></fileset>
    <fileset dir="${logjar}"><patternset refid="jar.files"/></fileset>
</path>


<target name="run" depends="dist" description="Execute the Java Program">
    <java dir ="." fork="true" jar="dist\app.jar" classpathref ="springlearn.classpath">
    </java>
</target>

Using the same classpathref, I am able to successfully compile & create the jar, but when use the target run, I get the below error

java.lang.NoClassDefFoundError: org/springframework/core/io/Resource
Caused by: java.lang.ClassNotFoundException: org.springframework.core.io.Resource
    at java.net.URLClassLoader$1.run(URLClassLoader.java:200)
    at java.security.AccessController.doPrivileged(Native Method)
    at java.net.URLClassLoader.findClass(URLClassLoader.java:188)
    at java.lang.ClassLoader.loadClass(ClassLoader.java:307)
    at sun.misc.Launcher$AppClassLoader.loadClass(Launcher.java:289)
    at java.lang.ClassLoader.loadClass(ClassLoader.java:252)
    at java.lang.ClassLoader.loadClassInternal(ClassLoader.java:320)

Exception in thread "main"

Any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks

Answer 1

From the java task docs:

When using the jar attribute, all classpath settings are ignored according to Sun's specification.

So the classpath you set up isn't being looked at at all.

You could add dist/app.jar to your classpath and call the main class direct:

<java dir ="." fork="true" classname="com.yourdomain.YourMainClass">
  <classpath>
    <path refid="springlearn.classpath" />
    <pathelement location="dist\app.jar" />
  </classpath>
</java>

If you want to call the jar, you'll need to set up a classpath entry in the manifest when you build it. Have a look at the pathconvert task, it could be useful.

Answer 2

Here's a generic Ant build.xml that works well for me. See if it can help you as well:

    <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
    <project name="ui" basedir="." default="package">

    <property name="version" value="1.6"/>
    <property name="haltonfailure" value="no"/>

    <property name="out" value="out"/>

    <property name="production.src" value="src"/>
    <property name="production.lib" value="lib"/>
    <property name="production.resources" value="config"/>
    <property name="production.classes" value="${out}/production/${ant.project.name}"/>

    <property name="test.src" value="test"/>
    <property name="test.lib" value="lib"/>
    <property name="test.resources" value="config"/>
    <property name="test.classes" value="${out}/test/${ant.project.name}"/>

    <property name="exploded" value="out/exploded/${ant.project.name}"/>
    <property name="exploded.classes" value="${exploded}/WEB-INF/classes"/>
    <property name="exploded.lib" value="${exploded}/WEB-INF/lib"/>

    <property name="reports.out" value="${out}/reports"/>
    <property name="junit.out" value="${reports.out}/junit"/>
    <property name="testng.out" value="${reports.out}/testng"/>

    <path id="production.class.path">
        <pathelement location="${production.classes}"/>
        <pathelement location="${production.resources}"/>
        <fileset dir="${production.lib}">
            <include name="**/*.jar"/>
            <exclude name="**/junit*.jar"/>
            <exclude name="**/*test*.jar"/>
        </fileset>
    </path>

    <path id="test.class.path">
        <path refid="production.class.path"/>
        <pathelement location="${test.classes}"/>
        <pathelement location="${test.resources}"/>
        <fileset dir="${test.lib}">
            <include name="**/junit*.jar"/>
            <include name="**/*test*.jar"/>
        </fileset>
    </path>

    <path id="testng.class.path">
        <fileset dir="${test.lib}">
            <include name="**/testng*.jar"/>
        </fileset>
    </path>

    <available file="${out}" property="outputExists"/>

    <target name="clean" description="remove all generated artifacts" if="outputExists">
        <delete dir="${out}" includeEmptyDirs="true"/>
        <delete dir="${reports.out}" includeEmptyDirs="true"/>
    </target>

    <target name="create" description="create the output directories" unless="outputExists">
        <mkdir dir="${production.classes}"/>
        <mkdir dir="${test.classes}"/>
        <mkdir dir="${junit.out}"/>
        <mkdir dir="${testng.out}"/>
        <mkdir dir="${exploded.classes}"/>
        <mkdir dir="${exploded.lib}"/>
        <mkdir dir="${reports.out}"/>
    </target>

    <target name="compile" description="compile all .java source files" depends="create">
        <!-- Debug output
                <property name="production.class.path" refid="production.class.path"/>
                <echo message="${production.class.path}"/>
        -->
        <javac srcdir="src" destdir="${out}/production/${ant.project.name}" debug="on" source="${version}">
            <classpath refid="production.class.path"/>
            <include name="**/*.java"/>
            <exclude name="**/*Test.java"/>
        </javac>
        <javac srcdir="${test.src}" destdir="${out}/test/${ant.project.name}" debug="on" source="${version}">
            <classpath refid="test.class.path"/>
            <include name="**/*Test.java"/>
        </javac>
    </target>

    <target name="junit-test" description="run all junit tests" depends="compile">
        <!-- Debug output
                <property name="test.class.path" refid="test.class.path"/>
                <echo message="${test.class.path}"/>
        -->
        <junit printsummary="yes" haltonfailure="${haltonfailure}">
            <classpath refid="test.class.path"/>
            <formatter type="xml"/>
            <batchtest fork="yes" todir="${junit.out}">
                <fileset dir="${test.src}">
                    <include name="**/*Test.java"/>
                </fileset>
            </batchtest>
        </junit>
        <junitreport todir="${junit.out}">
            <fileset dir="${junit.out}">
                <include name="TEST-*.xml"/>
            </fileset>
            <report todir="${junit.out}" format="frames"/>
        </junitreport>
    </target>

    <taskdef resource="testngtasks" classpathref="testng.class.path"/>
    <target name="testng-test" description="run all testng tests" depends="compile">
        <!-- Debug output
                <property name="test.class.path" refid="test.class.path"/>
                <echo message="${test.class.path}"/>
        -->
        <testng classpathref="test.class.path" outputDir="${testng.out}" haltOnFailure="${haltonfailure}" verbose="2">
            <classfileset dir="${out}/test/${ant.project.name}" includes="**/*.class"/>
        </testng>
    </target>

    <target name="exploded" description="create exploded deployment" depends="testng-test">
        <copy todir="${exploded.classes}">
            <fileset dir="${production.classes}"/>
        </copy>
        <copy todir="${exploded.lib}">
            <fileset dir="${production.lib}"/>
        </copy>
    </target>

    <target name="package" description="create package file" depends="exploded">
        <jar destfile="${out}/${ant.project.name}.jar" basedir="${production.classes}" includes="**/*.class"/>
    </target>

</project>