Develop Reference

NetBeans and Inno Setup don't produce a proper Native .exe

I've created a JavaSE app in Netbeans and am using Inno Setup 5 to generate what I thought was a complete Windows installation, including JRE. As instructed, I have checked the NetBeans property boxbox for Native, and have Inno Setup 5 in the Path. The EXE is generated and installs nicely PROVIDED the target machine has Java installed. If it doesn't, there's no file association with .jre and no javac.exe so the .jar file won't run.
3/4/2017: After lots of poking around and trying things today I now understand more fully what NetBeans Native packaging is really doing. It creates an Installer exe that, when transferred to and executed on a target machine with or without JRE, creates the actual myApp.exe and puts it on the Start menu. My problem has been thinking the myApp.jar file had the JRE in it, so I was just trying to double-click the myApp.jar. If I use the myApp.exe it works.
However, I now see I still have a problem. myApp requires a number of supporting data files and reading from an .ini file. Consequently, I'm going to have to create an Inno setup to do that stuff separately, and my users will have to download and run TWO installers, so to speak. Had the person who did the NetBeans Native installer thing made the Inno setup file accessible for editing, that would be neat.
Ed

NetBeans has a Packaging option for creating a "Native" application, i.e., a MyApp.exe file for Windows. The importance of this is you get a Windows executable the INCLUDES JRE, meaning that the ultimate user doesn't need to install Java or JRE on his/her machine to run the application.
This sounds wonderful, but the documentation is not at all clear about how to make it work, at least not to me. Here's what I've learned.
First, for this to work you have to have Inno Setup 5 or higher installed on you development computer. Apparently, NetBeans creates an Inno .iss file and runs it.
To understand it better I made a NetBeans projects for the Inno AnagramGame example. To enable the Native packaging option, first select the Project in NetBeans , right-click and select Properties|Deployment. Check the Native packaging box. This causes the EXE option to be placed on the NetBeans Packaging menu. I.e., Select the Project, right-click and click on Package As. Clicking EXE Installer launches the process of building the "package."
Building the installer takes a LONG time because it has to accumulate all the necessary pieces of the JRE and incorporate into the package. This also makes the installer BIG. Even for the smallest Java program it will be about 35 Mb.
After the Native packaging of some app, for example AnagramGame2, you will find the following in the NetBeans project folder:
C:\Users\Ed Sowell\Documents\NetBeansProjects\AnagramGame2\dist\anagrams.jar
and
C:\Users\Ed Sowell\Documents\NetBeansProjects\AnagramGame2\dist\bundles\AnagramGame2-1.0.exe
Anagrams.jar is the Java archive file for the AnagramGame2 app. IF YOU HAVE JAVA INSTALLED, this will actually run the project by double clicking. However, if you move it to another computer WITHOUT Java or JRE installed, it will not be executable. The reason is the jar file does NOT incorporate the JRE. It took me long time to recognize this.
Now, you might be thinking AnagramGame2-1.0.exe is the Native executable for the app but, nay, it is not. It is in fact the installer, another thing that took me a long time to recognize.
So, where is the fabled Windows Native app file? The answer is it is nowhere, yet. In order to get it YOU MUST RUN THE INSTALLER! After running it you will find the much wanted EXE in, of all places, C:\Users\Ed Sowell\AppData\Local\AnagramGame2:
C:\Users\Ed Sowell\AppData\Local\AnagramGame2\AnagramGame2.exe
Also, with the appropriate options selected, the app name will appear on the Windows Start menu and desktop.
So, to distribute the Windows Native application you have to:
Create a NetBeans project.
Do a Clean build of the project
To enable the Native packaging option for the project
Do a Package as|Native installer
Distribute the installer, in this example it is AnagramGame2-1.0.exe
Your user then runs the installer. Afterwards, he/she runs the app from the Start menu or double clicking the desktop icon.
There's still a lot I don't understand about the proper use of this NetBeans/Inno Setup process. There are some small mysteries, such as why it hides the location of the end product in User AppData Local. Who would have thought to look there? And why does it call the Installer AnagramGame2-1.0.exe instead of something like setupAnagramGame2.exe? But here's the biggest problem I've yet to solve: How does one install ancillary files needed by the app? Or get needed data out of an INI file? If the .iss that is built and used in the NetBeans process were made available it could be edited, but so far I've not been able to find it. My guess is it gets deleted. Short of that, the only thing I can think of is to write another .iss file to do that work. Unfortunately than means the user has to download and run two installers!

The problem with the NetBeans packaging mechanism using Inno Setup is that - AFAIK - you can't give your own .iss file to the build mechanism. NetBeans creates an own installation script file with little to no external influence.
The biggest problem I too have is that the package is installed (at least for Windows) in C:\Users\<user>\AppData\Local. Who on earth is going to look over there in the first place to find back an application??? Don't know why they've taken that decision.
Whenever you click the executable generated by NetBeans, you don't have any control whatsoever over location, shortcuts,... And that's too bad...
To overcome this, I did the following:
Allow NetBeans to do its job and create an executable installer
Once the installer is created, run the installer and let it install the app in the weirdest of all places on a Windows installation
Open Inno Setup Compiler and create your own installation script, using all the files and subdirectories that were created by the original NetBeans generated installation executable.
Generate my own installation executable using the above
Run the self-created installer: you now have all the options you want since you yourself created the installation executable (option to change installation directory, default installation directory, default installation directory name, use desktop shortcut or not, allow for all users or current user only, ...)
I know this is a workaround and a 2-way process but that was at the time I needed it the only(?) / best(?) way I could find.
In the mean time, I found an alternative way to create an installer executable on this page where you can create your own .iss file and as such, have much more control over what is going to happen.
I didn't try it out myself yet, but I think it has quite some opportunities.

How automatically import JAR files in Lotus Java Agent?

I'm developing Java code in Eclipse IDE.
I wrote ANT script for export it in some JAR files.
Now I'd like to import these JAR files in Lotus Agent through ANT script too.
But I don't know how to do it :(
I found this topic, but I don't understand how it can help me
How to build a Lotus Domino Database using SVN and Ant, Maven or Gradle

Rombs,
The headless designer command-line you mention in your post will take a whole Notes Database which has been stored in a source control system (and this means it has been translated to hundreds of small files instead of being one monolithic file) and then 'compile' it into an nsf. I don't think you can do this for a single agent.
If you want the jar files to be available to a single database, then I am afraid the only way is to do this manually, either into a Java Library or directly into the agent.
Another possibility which could work if you have access is writing the JAR files directly into the 'magic' paths on both your server and your notes client.
jvm/lib/ext
However, there are security issues involved because any code which is in this path is considered absolutely safe and will run without any restrictions. If you have a godd admin, he will definitely not be happy about this and will probably want to have a long look at your code.
If your server is at least 8.5.2 then a cool option would be to deploy your jars as an OSGi bundle (tip from Stephan Wissel, haven't done it myself)

Creating an installer for Java desktop application

I know this question has been asked many a times and all the time there is an answer which says about using an executable jar or making an .exe using launch4j or similar app.
I may sound like a novice, which I actually am.
I have been trying a few things with a Java project. I have successfully made an executable jar and also an .exe file from it. All thanks to your previous answers in SO :)
But, I want to create a installer for Windows. Like, pressing Next for 2 - 3 times(which shows all the terms and conditions etc), then a user specify a location(like C:\Program Files\New Folder\My App), then my .exe, lib folder, img folder, other important folders get pasted in the destination folder along with the .exe file and then a shortcut is created on a desktop.
Any pointers to how can I achieve this ?

I have been using InnoSetup for a long time. It has always worked very well. It can do everything you need (unpack files, put shortcuts on desktop, start menu etc) and generates installers that we are used to.

If you want free and open source, you could take a look IzPack. We use this at work for its command line support in our builder.
You could also take a look install4j which is a commercial product we've trialed on and off before (but when it comes to spending money, you tend to want to know you're getting what you want ;))

If you are on JDK 13 or above, you can package any Java program along with its runtime by using the default packaging tool in the JDK called jpackage.
jpackage can create installers for Linux, Mac and Windows operating system.
You can create a specific runtime by using jlink.
jpackage needs some 3rd party free software for creating Windows bundles:
* To create .exe bundle, it uses Wix
* To create .msi bundle, it uses Inno
Wix is now the only dependency to create both exe and msi bundles.
All the details about jpackage can be found at JEP 343: Packaging Tool.

Edit: I'll leave this here for reference, but note: The Java plug-in needed to launch JWS and applets was removed by browser manufacturers, and both were deprecated in Java 9 and removed from the API.
Use Java Web Start.
Like, pressing Next for 2 - 3 times (which shows all the terms and conditions etc)
The ExtensionInstallerService of the JNLP API provides this. Here is a demo. of the installer service.
..then a user specify a location(like C:\Program Files\New Folder\My App), ..
The ExtensionInstallerService provides a method getInstallPath() which..
Returns the directory where the installer is recommended to install the extension in. It is not required that the installer install in this directory, this is merely a suggested path.
That is not quite the same as what you are asking, but then I think it is generally a bad idea to allow the user that level of control.
then my .exe, lib folder, img folder, other important folders get pasted in the destination folder along with the .exe file ..
JWS installs the resources mentioned in the JNLP automatically, as and when they are needed. Further, it updates the resources if the archives on the server change.
and then a shortcut is created on a desktop.
JWS can supply desktop shortcuts and menu items on supported systems.
E.G.
From How to run Java programs by clicking on their icon on Windows?
This answer, which shows a JWS app. installed in 'Programs and Features', with the desktop icon to the left of it.

I was in the same situation a few months ago. After trying out a lot. I suggest NSIS. There is a nice plug-in for Eclipse EclipseNSIS with some templates. It helps a lot to get a basic installer with just some easy clicks. If the resulting code is not sufficient you can do the rest work by coding, but most of the code is generated by EclipseNSIS.

You can also use Advanced Installer. Since you already have an EXE to launch your JAR, you don't need to use the Java Launcher support from Advanced Installer, you can create a Simple project, which is available in the free edition, so you don't need to purchase a license.
It will take you maximum 10 minutes to install it and create the setup package, as you will see it is very easy to learn using it.

use Launch4j to create exe file. you must give the relative path to jre folder.
next use Inno Setup to make setup. You can bundle jre inside the installer.
I've use it and it works like a magic. I can show details.

I wanted to share another project. This project have two part:updating your desktop app and ready installers for mac os, linux, windows. If you want only installer so you can adopt for your needs documentation in this way you should replace starter-core-1.0.jar with your jar

Java Application Build

We have a Java EE application which requires some jar files, a JVM and Tomcat.
How do I create a build through which a user can install and run my application in a non Java Windows environment?
The user won't need to install a JVM or Tomcat separately, but my build will configure a JVM and Tomcat for my application.

The Java installer creates a couple of registry entries but these are not necessary for it to run. So what you can do:
Ask for permission to package Java along with your code (the Java VM is copyrighted work, so you can't simply do what you want)
Install Java once and then simply add the new files on the hard disk to your installer
Unpack Tomcat and add those files as well
Copy your app into the tomcat/webapp/ folder
Write a script that packages and configures everything

install4j packaged application requires administrator access to access disk on windows 7

We are working on packaging Java 7 application for Windows using install4j. The problem we are having is that on my Windows 7 computer I need to run the installed application as administrator for it to work properly. It fails at the point in which it needs to access the disk. If I run it as administrator, then it works fine.
Is there a way around this? I have used other application that were packaged with install4j and access disk and I did not need to run as administrator, so I suspect what I want is possible.
Thank you in advance.

What kind of application is it? Usually all applications are going to be installed in C:\Program Files folder. And probably install4j tries to install your application to the C:\Program Files folder.
Regular users (not admins) are not authorized to alter this directory neither create new folders there.
Is it necessary to install the application or it is enough to just wrap it in exe file to launch?
If installation is mandatory, i.e you need system folders, access to system dlls, then admin permissions are required and it is logical.
If you can omit installation and use a portable exe-file, then use an exe-wrapper for java applications. For instance - JSmooth