Develop Reference

Java export jar including libraries

I have been looking around for some time now, but didn't a find way how to export a JAR (not runnable jar) that contains in it's build path the referenced libraries.
Using Eclipse, I have included the lib folder which contains the jars of the referenced libraries in the export process.
Importing that JAR to another project and calling some method results in a ClassNotFoundException.
Looking at the MANIFEST, I didn't see any reference to those jars in the classpath, though the jars are indeed included in the jar.
So my questions are:
1. Is there any way to accomplish the packaging of the non-executable JAR so it will include libraries?
2. Is there any best practice for building and deploying a jar that include other jars libraries?

I tried it too but it doesn't work for me. I added the final .jar file but it doesn't work.
So, I did a workaround.
Extract the .jar file that you want as a dependency.
Copy that content and put it all inside your .jar file.
Add your .jar file as dependency inside an eclipse project.
Run it and see if everything is ok.

How to create a jar file of a java project which internall uses some external jars

I want to create a jar file of my project which is internally using some other external jars.
Basically what I am expecting is a single jar file which has all the class files and external files in it.
can someone help me in this

If your classes use external jar files then you need to enclose those jars into your jar file.

Right click on the project in eclipse then :
Click on 'export'->'Runnable Jar`
Here: Make sure you select 'Extract required libraries into generated JAR'
This will extract all the libraries present on the classpath of your project. into the exported jar file

Creating jar issue

This question may be theoretical but I could not find any proper solution.
Suppose I am making a module which uses 3 jar file(hibernate,log4j,jackson).
Now I want to compile my module and create a jar such that my module can be used by any other module and that module should not require the three jars(hibernate,log4j,jackson) to again.
i.e my module jar file should not have any dependencies.
I am using eclipse.I am able to create a jar(project->export->jar) but it does not include the jars in it
Guide me how can I do that.
Is apache ant of any use here?

Eclipse's Runnable Jar Wizard
Eclipse's Runnable Jar Wizard (File → Export… → Java → Runnable Jar File) allows developers to create executable jars from an existing run configuration:
The wizard includes 3 options for handling dependencies:
Extract required libraries into generated jar: unarchives library
dependencies and repackages them into your executable jar. This
option has the advantage of simplicity and does not require a custom
class loader. However repackaging library jars can cause other
problems and does not preserve the signatures of signed jars. This
option may also violate the license terms of the libraries you are
using.
Package required libraries into generated jar: creates a "fat jar"
with a custom class loader. The resultant jar contains
the application's classes and resources
library jars required to launch the application
a small custom class loader that knows how to find jar libraries inside another jar archive
Copy required libraries…: creates the application archive and copies
any required library dependencies to the destination folder.
I think the second option suits your present purpose.

You will need to include all classes from your dependencies into your jar file.
Since a jar file is merely a zip file, you can use any archive manager such as Winzip to explore them, then copy the contents of the jars you depend on into your own jar, taking care to keep the directory structure intact.
That way you have everything in one jar.

How do I include external JARs in my own Project JAR

I have a Java application and created a JAR file and deployed it.
The App uses external JARs such as the Log4J JAR. When creating my JAR file, how do I include all external dependent JARs into my archive?
In order to get my App working, I'm having to copy the Log4J JAR into the same directory as my own JAR which kinda defeats the purpose of the jar. Wouldn't it be more elegant to have 1 single JAR file to deploy?

If you use Eclipse, You can extract all included files into one runnable jar like this:
Right click on your project name from Package Explorer and select Export.
In Export screen, select Java -> Runnable JAR file and Next.
Fill in the Runnable JAR File Spec screen and Finish.
You can choose whether to package dependency jars as individual jar files or extract them into the generated JAR.

You could use something like One-JAR to package your Java application together with its dependency into a single executable Jar file (One-JAR uses a custom classloader to make JARs nesting possible).

You have to expand the library jars into the same place where your compiled classes go, then make a jar from that. Depending on how your build process is set up, there may be multiple ways to achieve this. It's not rocket science - a jar is just a zip archive with a META-INF directory at the root level.

Keeping JAR separate is better as it is easy to upgrade only the specific JARs to its new versions without touching any other configuration. As of your issue of having to copy each file to same location as of your JAR, you can always use Java CLASSPATH and include any JAR to your application's class path.

A JAR is not itself capable of nesting other JARs, as you discovered.
Traditionally, one would distribute a ZIP archive or other installer that would unwind the application JAR (yours) as well as any support JARs in the appropriate location for classpath access. Frequently, then, the application was invoked through a script that invoked the primary JAR and created a classpath that listed the support JARs.
As other posters have noted, you have some options to create a super-JAR if that's what you want.

You can use Maven + assembly plugin (http://maven.apache.org/plugins/maven-assembly-plugin/)
BTW, probably that's not the easiest way, if you did not work with maven.

creating jar file for java application

i have created a java application which uses data from its config folder and , it also uses third party jar files those are located in lib folder, could anyone tell me how to create jar file for this project with the content stored in config file and lib folder.
i tried creating jar using eclipse export functionality. when i run this jar file, it says it can not find the third party libraries that i have used for this project and configuration file.
thanks in advance for any help

You can create a Runnable JAR in Eclipse 3.4+ in the Export wizard selection dialog (right click on a project and go to Export...) using an existing launch configuration which will incorporate the libraries or repack them. Config files should be readable from the same directory as the runnable jar is located. If you need any help with loading these in, just ask :)
(source: eclipse.org)

You have two options
include the stuff in the third-party jars in your jar
provide access to the jars on the classpath when you run your jar.
Both have their benefits and their drawbacks.

Java does not support putting JAR files inside executable JAR files, so you can't just put your third-party library JAR files inside your own JAR - Java won't be able to find them.
If you don't want to distribute your application as a whole bunch of JAR files, you can use a look such as One-JAR which will build a JAR file for you that contains your own classes plus the classes of the third-party libraries that you're using.
To learn more about how to package a program in an executable JAR file, see Packaging Programs in JAR Files in Sun's Java Tutorials.

If you use netbeans just by click on "build" a jar file will show up in the "dist" file in your project directory