Maven: add a folder or jar file into current classpath

Question

I am using maven-compile plugin to compile classes. Now I would like to add one jar file into the current classpath. That file stays in another location (let's say c:/jars/abc.jar . I prefer to leave this file here). How can I do that?

If I use classpath in the argument:

<configuration>  <compilerArguments>   <classpath>c:/jars/abc.jar</classpath>  </compilerArguments> </configuration> 

it will not work because it will override the current classpath (that includes all the dependencies)

Answer 1

This might have been asked before. See Can I add jars to maven 2 build classpath without installing them?

In a nutshell: include your jar as dependency with system scope. This requires specifying the absolute path to the jar.

See also http://maven.apache.org/guides/introduction/introduction-to-dependency-mechanism.html

Answer 2

From docs and example it is not clear that classpath manipulation is not allowed.

<configuration>  <compilerArgs>   <arg>classpath=${basedir}/lib/bad.jar</arg>  </compilerArgs> </configuration> 

But see Java docs (also https://www.cis.upenn.edu/~bcpierce/courses/629/jdkdocs/tooldocs/solaris/javac.html)

-classpath path Specifies the path javac uses to look up classes needed to run javac or being referenced by other classes you are compiling. Overrides the default or the CLASSPATH environment variable if it is set.

Maybe it is possible to get current classpath and extend it,
see in maven, how output the classpath being used?

    <properties>       <cpfile>cp.txt</cpfile>     </properties>    <plugin>     <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>     <artifactId>maven-dependency-plugin</artifactId>     <version>2.9</version>     <executions>       <execution>         <id>build-classpath</id>         <phase>generate-sources</phase>         <goals>           <goal>build-classpath</goal>         </goals>         <configuration>           <outputFile>${cpfile}</outputFile>         </configuration>       </execution>     </executions>   </plugin> 

Read file (Read a file into a Maven property)

<plugin>   <groupId>org.codehaus.gmaven</groupId>   <artifactId>gmaven-plugin</artifactId>   <version>1.4</version>   <executions>     <execution>       <phase>generate-resources</phase>       <goals>         <goal>execute</goal>       </goals>       <configuration>         <source>           def file = new File(project.properties.cpfile)           project.properties.cp = file.getText()         </source>       </configuration>     </execution>   </executions> </plugin> 

and finally

  <plugin>     <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>     <artifactId>maven-compiler-plugin</artifactId>     <version>3.6.1</version>     <configuration>       <compilerArgs>          <arg>classpath=${cp}:${basedir}/lib/bad.jar</arg>       </compilerArgs>     </configuration>    </plugin>