Develop Reference

Java runs in eclipse and will compile, but wont execute on cmd, but still runs in eclipse. How can I get it to execute in cmd?

So I have a basic hello world set up in eclipse and I can compile it using cmd easily (I have set all the necessary paths), however when I then try to use the java command to execute the hello world, it always returns the same error:
Error: Could not find or load main class helloWorld
Caused by: java.lang.NoClassDefFoundError: net/codejava/helloWorld (wrong name: helloWorld)
This is the code used:
package net.codejava;
public class helloWorld {
public static void main(String[] args) {
System.out.println("Hello World");
}
}
I am cd in the right directory (I think, I cd into the src directory and then into the package file stored in src) and am using Windows 10 with java 18.0.1 and JRE build 18.0.1+10-24
Any help would be greatly appreciated, as this is highly frustrating, when the code runs effortlessly on the eclipse console. Thanks.

Your file has a 'package' of net.codejava and a name of helloWorld, meaning, the full name of this class is net.codejava.helloWorld.
The java command, at least in the way you're using it, requires that you pass the full name, thus, you must run java net.codejava.helloWorld. Just java helloWorld simply isn't going to work.
But that's not all.
Java needs to then find the class file that contains the code for class net.codejava.helloWorld. It does this by first turning that full name into a path of sorts: net/codejava/helloWorld.class, and it will then scan each entry in the classpath for that. You can put directories and jar files on the classpath.
Thus, you have a directory on your system; let's call this directory X. X contains a directory named net, which contains a directory named codejava, which contains a file named helloWorld.class. If there is no such X (i.e. your class file is not in a dir named codejava for example), you're going to have to fix that by making these directories.
Then, X (and not the codejava dir!) needs to be on the classpath. Usually (it depends on how you configured things), 'the current dir' is by default on the classpath.
Given that your code is in, say, /home/PythonSux/workspace/learningjava/net/codejava/helloWorld.class, that means the dir that needs to be on the classpath is /home/PythonSux/workspace/learningjava. After all, if you, from there, look for net/codejava/helloWorld.class, you find the right file.
Therefore, either cd to that directory, or run java -cp /home/PythonSux/workspace/learningjava net.codejava.helloWorld
Note that this isn't usually how you actually run java apps. You either run them from your IDE, or you ask your build tool to run it, or you package your java app into a jar file and run that, etcetera.

Why does android studio does not recognize the "package net.simplifiedcoding.spacefighter;" code? [duplicate]

I'm a C++ developer - not a java developer, but have to get this code working...
I have 2 public classes that will be used by another product. I used the package directive in each of the java files.
package com.company.thing;
class MyClass ...
When I try to compile a test app that uses that I add
import com.company.thing.*;
The javac compiler fails with errors about com.company does not exist. (even if I compile it in the same directory as the class files I just made a package of)
I am sure I am doing something bone-headed and silly.
I've read the http://java.sun.com/docs/books/tutorial/java/package/usepkgs.html pages and tried to set up a directory structure like /com/company/thing etc, but either I have totally screwed it all up or am missing something else.
EDIT
thanks for the suggestions - I had tried the classpath previously. It does not help.
I tried compiling
javac -classpath <parent> client.java
and the result is:
package com.company does not exist
I have the code I want to import (the two java files) in \com\company\product. I compile those fine. (they contain MyClass) I even made a jar file for them. I copied the jar file up to the parent directory.
I then did (in the parent directory with the client java file)
javac -cp <jarfile> *.java
the result is:
cannot access MyClass
bad class file: MyClass.class(:MyClass.class)
class file contains wrong class: com.company.product.MyClass
Please remove or make sure it appears in the correct subdirectory of the classpath.
EDIT
I got the client code to compile and run if I used the fully qualified name for MyClass and compiled it in the parent directory. I am totally confused now.
compiled with no classpath set - just
javac *.java
in the parent directory - and it worked fine.
I can get a test app to compile, but that is not going to cut it when i have to integrate it into the production code. Still looking for help.
EDIT:
Finally - not sure why it didn't work before - but I cleaned up all the files all over the directory structure and now it works.
Thanks

Okay, just to clarify things that have already been posted.
You should have the directory com, containing the directory company, containing the directory example, containing the file MyClass.java.
From the folder containing com, run:
$ javac com\company\example\MyClass.java
Then:
$ java com.company.example.MyClass
Hello from MyClass!
These must both be done from the root of the source tree. Otherwise, javac and java won't be able to find any other packages (in fact, java wouldn't even be able to run MyClass).
A short example
I created the folders "testpackage" and "testpackage2". Inside testpackage, I created TestPackageClass.java containing the following code:
package testpackage;
import testpackage2.MyClass;
public class TestPackageClass {
public static void main(String[] args) {
System.out.println("Hello from testpackage.TestPackageClass!");
System.out.println("Now accessing " + MyClass.NAME);
}
}
Inside testpackage2, I created MyClass.java containing the following code:
package testpackage2;
public class MyClass {
public static String NAME = "testpackage2.MyClass";
}
From the directory containing the two new folders, I ran:
C:\examples>javac testpackage\*.java
C:\examples>javac testpackage2\*.java
Then:
C:\examples>java testpackage.TestPackageClass
Hello from testpackage.TestPackageClass!
Now accessing testpackage2.MyClass
Does that make things any clearer?

Yes, this is a classpath issue. You need to tell the compiler and runtime that the directory where your .class files live is part of the CLASSPATH. The directory that you need to add is the parent of the "com" directory at the start of your package structure.
You do this using the -classpath argument for both javac.exe and java.exe.
Should also ask how the 3rd party classes you're using are packaged. If they're in a JAR, and I'd recommend that you have them in one, you add the .jar file to the classpath:
java -classpath .;company.jar foo.bar.baz.YourClass
Google for "Java classpath". It'll find links like this.
One more thing: "import" isn't loading classes. All it does it save you typing. When you include an import statement, you don't have to use the fully-resolved class name in your code - you can type "Foo" instead of "com.company.thing.Foo". That's all it's doing.

It sounds like you are on the right track with your directory structure. When you compile the dependent code, specify the -classpath argument of javac. Use the parent directory of the com directory, where com, in turn, contains company/thing/YourClass.class
So, when you do this:
javac -classpath <parent> client.java
The <parent> should be referring to the parent of com. If you are in com, it would be ../.

You got a bunch of good answers, so I'll just throw out a suggestion. If you are going to be working on this project for more than 2 days, download eclipse or netbeans and build your project in there.
If you are not normally a java programmer, then the help it will give you will be invaluable.
It's not worth the 1/2 hour download/install if you are only spending 2 hours on it.
Both have hotkeys/menu items to "Fix imports", with this you should never have to worry about imports again.

The standard Java classloader is a stickler for directory structure. Each entry in the classpath is a directory or jar file (or zip file, really), which it then searches for the given class file. For example, if your classpath is ".;my.jar", it will search for com.example.Foo in the following locations:
./com/example/
my.jar:/com/example/
That is, it will look in the subdirectory that has the 'modified name' of the package, where '.' is replaced with the file separator.
Also, it is noteworthy that you cannot nest .jar files.

Just add classpath entry ( I mean your parent directory location) under System Variables and User Variables menu ...
Follow : Right Click My Computer>Properties>Advanced>Environment Variables

Error; Could not find or load main class (Java using Windows CMD)

I am trying to compile and run some java files I have made in Eclipse. The full path to the .java file is C:\Users\MYNAME\Documents\Java\Introduction\src\tests\Test.java. tests is the package I created in Eclipse and src is a folder that Eclipse made under Introduction (which is the project name).
In my environment variables, I have the following relevant variable:
JAVA_HOME C:\Program Files (x86)\Java\jdk1.7.0_40\bin
Under system variables I have the following:
CLASSPATH %JAVA_HOME%
I go to my cmd and cd into the tests directory (cd C:\Users\MYNAME\Documents\Java\Introduction\src\tests). Then I compile using javac Test.java. This seems to work as I then have a Test.class file under the same directory. Now I want to run the file, I type java Test and I get the error, "could not find or load main class". I've tried a variety of things including appending .class and .java to the end but I keep getting the error. I looked at some answers and docs and I managed to get it to work if I cd into:
cd C:\Users\MYNAME\Documents\Java\Introduction\src (i.e, get out of the package)
and then run:
java -cp . tests.Test
So that seems to temporarily set the class path to the current directory, and run Test from the package tests. However, I want to simply be able to type java Test. I know it's possible as I used to be able to do it, but now for some reason I cannot (I must have changed something along the way...).
Any help is appreciated.

However, I want to simply be able to type java Test
That will only work if Test is in the default package - it's as simple as that. You need to pass the java executable the fully-qualified name of the class you want to launch. There's no way round that.
Of course, you could create your own launcher which looks in the current directory for class files, finds out the fully-qualified name of the classes within those files, and launches java providing the full name and probably specifying an appropriate classpath... but that seems like a lot of hassle compared with just including the package name in the command.

You could be making the same mistake I made. So, try the following.
Here is my code for your reference.
class A{
public static void main(String args[]) {
System.out.println("Hello world");
}
}
Once you saved this as "C:\JavaStudy\ClassA.java", try the following.
c:\JavaStudy>javac ClassA.java
c:\JavaStudy>java A.class
Error: Could not find or load main class A.class
c:\JavaStudy>java A
Hello world
c:\JavaStudy>
Note: You don't need to use " java.exe -cp . " if you have class file in the same directory from where you are executing.

Can you run a .class file from terminal that is outputted by an IDE

I am trying to run a file from command line. The file is a .class file and is apart of a larger project that I compiled in Netbeans. I navigated to the .class file and ran
java MyFile
And I got:
Exception in thread "main" java.lang.NoClassDefFoundError: PersonTest/class
Caused by: java.lang.ClassNotFoundException: PersonTest.class
at java.net.URLClassLoader$1.run(URLClassLoader.java:217)
at java.security.AccessController.doPrivileged(Native Method)
at java.net.URLClassLoader.findClass(URLClassLoader.java:205)
at java.lang.ClassLoader.loadClass(ClassLoader.java:321)
at sun.misc.Launcher$AppClassLoader.loadClass(Launcher.java:294)
at java.lang.ClassLoader.loadClass(ClassLoader.java:266)
Could not find the main class: PersonTest.class. Program will exit
Whats up with that? (I should mention that i'm running ubuntu)

You need to check this useful link java - the Java application launcher:
By default, the first non-option
argument is the name of the class to
be invoked. A fully-qualified class
name should be used
So, you have to write the full qualified name of the class (this includes the package name).
So, the right way to execute your command is this (from the root dir where your class files are stored):
> java my.package.MyFile
Also, make sure to include all the needed dependencies at the classpath (-cp) argument (check the referenced link).
UPDATE: to include a classpath setting example:
java -classpath C:\MyProject\classes;C:\MyProject\lib\utility.jar my.package.MyFile
With this, the java runtime will search for the classes at the C:\MyProject\classes directory, and at the C:\MyProject\lib\utility.jar JAR file. You'll need not only your class direct dependencies, but the dependencies needed by the referenced files (the whole tree).

The answer appears to be in this line:
Exception in thread "main" java.lang.NoClassDefFoundError: PersonTest/class
It means you didn't type:
java MyFile
as you said in your original post, you typed
java PersonTest.class
you should have typed
java PersonTest

Yes you can, they are compiled by a java compiler. If you have the right version of the jvm (often other versions work aswell) than it can be run. The information about your error is not enough to tell what went wrong.
Your probably in the wrong folder, mistyped the classname, used a class in your code that couldn't be found, etc.

Unless your class is entirely standalone (i.e. only references java.lang classes like String), you'll need to add other classes/JARs to the classpath when you invoke Java.
The NoClassDefFoundError (which usually states the name of the class by the way, and always includes a stacktrace) indicates that an external class that was available when your class was compiled, is not available on the classpath at runtime.
EDIT based on update:
You're invoking your process incorrectly. You don't need to append the .class suffix of the file - doing so makes Java look for a file class class in a subpackage.
(P.S. you said you ran java MyFile. That's a lie, you actually ran java PersonTest.class. If you'd noted that to start with, it would have made it much easier for people to answer the question!)

Just consider this example
say I already have a folder src and I wrote in my notepad
package test.oye;
class testclass {
static public void main (String [] args)
{
int a=3;
System.out.println(a);
}
}
then what go to src folder and you ,yourself create a folder named test and inside it oye . Then put your .java file in it . Then cd src/test/oye only(in Command prompt or terminal).From there itself
javac testclass.java
cd src
java test.oye.testclass
This will work for sure.
If you don’t want to put .java file there … then just compile your .java file and get the .class file .
Now create the test folder and then oye inside it ….and put .class file inside it ….
Now go back to src …and then type
java test.oye.testclass;

according to terminal ide, android requires classes in DEX format when running them.
Try:
dx --dex --output=practice.jar practice.class
Then run using this:
java -jar practice.jar practice

Java NoClassDefFoundError Error

I wrote the basic code below and saved to a file called pdf.java.
package pdf;
import java.util.*;
import java.io.*;
import com.lowagie.text.DocumentException;
import org.xhtmlrenderer.pdf.ITextRenderer;
import java.util.regex.*;
public class pdf {
public static void main(String[] args) throws IOException, DocumentException{
System.out.println("Hello World2!");
}
}
I then compiled it like this,
javac pdf.java -cp core-renderer.jar:iText-2.0.8.jar
Which seemed to work as I got a pdf.class file. I then tried to run it with the following command.
java pdf
And I got the following output,
Exception in thread "main" java.lang.NoClassDefFoundError: pdf (wrong name: pdf/pdf)
at java.lang.ClassLoader.defineClass1(Native Method)
at java.lang.ClassLoader.defineClass(ClassLoader.java:634)
at java.security.SecureClassLoader.defineClass(SecureClassLoader.java:142)
at java.net.URLClassLoader.defineClass(URLClassLoader.java:277)
at java.net.URLClassLoader.access$000(URLClassLoader.java:73)
at java.net.URLClassLoader$1.run(URLClassLoader.java:212)
at java.security.AccessController.doPrivileged(Native Method)
at java.net.URLClassLoader.findClass(URLClassLoader.java:205)
at java.lang.ClassLoader.loadClass(ClassLoader.java:321)
at sun.misc.Launcher$AppClassLoader.loadClass(Launcher.java:294)
at java.lang.ClassLoader.loadClass(ClassLoader.java:266)
What am I doing wrong?
Thanks in advance.

Didn't you mean java pdf.pdf as your pdf class is in the pdf package ?
If your pdf class is in the pdf package it should be in a pdf directory (as in if your MyClass class is in my.package package, it should be in my/package/ directory).
Either you go into the pdf directory and use the -d option javac -d . pdf or you go in the parent directory and do javac pdf/pdf.java`

When you compiled it so, the pdf.class was generated in current directory. Change it to:
javac -cp core-renderer.jar:iText-2.0.8.jar -d . pdf.java
Which will generate pdf.class in ./pdf subdirectory. Then run it as follows:
java -cp .:core-renderer.jar:iText-2.0.8.jar -d . pdf.java

First, since the class is declared as in a package, you have to store it and call it using the package path.
You need to create a directory structure that matches the package structure. In your case, you need to create a directory called pdf and move pdf.class into it.
Then you would call with `java pdf.pdf' as pointed out in Colin's answer.
This might be sufficient to run your current sample code, since it doesn't really do much of anything. Once you get to adding more functionality, you will likely need to include your libraries on the classpath when executing, as described in Richard's answer.
BTW, it is conventional in Java programming to initcap class names, e.g. Pdf would be the class name in your example, while pdf would be the package name.

Classpath for compile-time and for run-time are two different things. However, they are often identical since compilation dependencies are identical as runtime dependencies. Since your main() method throws something defined in iText-2.0.8.jar (I think), you sould define your classpath accordingly:
java -cp .:iText-2.0.8.jar pdf.pdf