how to compile & run java program in another java program?

Question

I have modified the code to include some checks:

public class Laj {

  private static void printLines(String name, InputStream ins) throws Exception {
    String line = null;
    BufferedReader in = new BufferedReader(
        new InputStreamReader(ins));
    while ((line = in.readLine()) != null) {
        System.out.println(name + " " + line);
    }
  }

  private static void runProcess(String command) throws Exception {
    Process pro = Runtime.getRuntime().exec(command);
    printLines(command + " stdout:", pro.getInputStream());
    printLines(command + " stderr:", pro.getErrorStream());
    pro.waitFor();
    System.out.println(command + " exitValue() " + pro.exitValue());
  }

  public static void main(String[] args) {
    try {
      runProcess("javac Main.java");
      runProcess("java Main");
    } catch (Exception e) {
      e.printStackTrace();
    }
  }
}

Here is the Main.java:

public class Main {
  public static void main(String[] args) {
    System.out.println("ok");
  }
}

When everything is fine, it just works:

alqualos@ubuntu:~/tmp$ java Laj
javac Main.java exitValue() 0
java Main stdout: ok
java Main exitValue() 0

Now, for example, if I have some error in Main.java:

alqualos@ubuntu:~/tmp$ java Laj
javac Main.java stderr: Main.java:3: package Systems does not exist
javac Main.java stderr:     Systems.out.println("ok");
javac Main.java stderr:            ^
javac Main.java stderr: 1 error
javac Main.java exitValue() 1
java Main stdout: ok
java Main exitValue() 0

It still prints "ok" because the previously compiled Main.class is still there, but at least you can see what exactly is happening when your processes are running.