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JAR Build for SmallTextPad

This guide covers building the standalone JAR file for SmallTextPad, a lightweight Java text editor with encryption and multi-language support.

Files

• build-jar.sh - Script to compile sources and build the standalone JAR file
• README-jar.md - This documentation file

Prerequisites

System Requirements

• Java 21+ JDK installed
• Standard Unix tools (bash, find)

Installing Build Dependencies

Fedora/RHEL/CentOS:

sudo dnf install java-21-openjdk-devel

Ubuntu/Debian:

sudo apt install openjdk-21-jdk

openSUSE:

sudo zypper install java-21-openjdk-devel

macOS:

brew install openjdk@21

Building the JAR File

The build script can be run from anywhere in the project:

From Project Root:

./packaging/build-jar.sh

From Packaging Directory:

cd packaging
./build-jar.sh

The script will:

1. Navigate to the project root automatically
2. Delete any existing compiled class files
3. Generate a list of all Java source files
4. Compile all Java sources to the bin/ directory
5. Copy resource bundles (.properties files) to the correct package structure
6. Copy image resources to the JAR root for classpath access
7. Copy dictionary files for spell-checking
8. Create the JAR file with proper manifest
9. Test launch the application

Build Output

After successful build:

• JAR file: classes/artifacts/SmallTextPad.jar
• Compiled classes: bin/ directory
• Source list: sources.txt (generated during build)

Running the JAR

Direct Execution:

java -jar classes/artifacts/SmallTextPad.jar

With File Argument:

java -jar classes/artifacts/SmallTextPad.jar /path/to/file.txt

Using Desktop Environment:

On systems with desktop integration, you can double-click the JAR file if .jar files are associated with Java.

JAR Contents

The JAR file includes:

• Compiled classes: All Java classes in proper package structure
• Resource bundles: Language files (English, Dutch, Polish, Portuguese)
  • wagemaker/co/uk/lang/LabelsBundle_*.properties
• Images: Application icons and toolbar images at JAR root
  • about.png, copy.png, cut.png, paste.png, etc.
• Dictionaries: Spell-check dictionaries
  • dic/Dictionary_en.txt
  • dic/Dictionary_nl.txt
• Manifest: Proper Main-Class definition for executable JAR

Distribution

The generated JAR is a fully self-contained executable that can be:

• Copied to any system with Java 21+ installed
• Distributed via download links
• Included in other packaging formats (RPM, DEB, Snap, etc.)
• Run without installation

Troubleshooting

Build Fails - javac not found:

Ensure Java JDK is installed and javac is in your PATH:

which javac
javac -version

Application Doesn’t Launch:

Verify Java runtime is installed:

java -version

Missing Resources Error:

If you see MissingResourceException or NullPointerException for resources:

1. Clean and rebuild:

   rm -rf bin/ classes/artifacts/
   ./packaging/build-jar.sh
   

2. Verify JAR contents:

   jar tf classes/artifacts/SmallTextPad.jar | grep -E "(\.properties$|\.png$)"
   

Permission Denied:

Make the script executable:

chmod +x packaging/build-jar.sh

Development Workflow

For rapid development and testing:

1. Edit source files in src/ directory
2. Run build script to compile and test:

   ./packaging/build-jar.sh
   

3. Application launches automatically for testing
4. Close application and repeat as needed

The script automatically cleans previous builds, so you always get a fresh compile.

Notes

• The build script uses set -euo pipefail to exit immediately on any error
• Deprecation warnings during compilation are enabled with -Xlint:deprecation
• The script supports being run from any directory - it automatically finds the project root
• The JAR manifest specifies wagemaker.co.uk.main.Launcher as the Main-Class

See Also

• RPM Build Guide - Building RPM packages for Fedora/RHEL/openSUSE
• Snap Build Guide - Building Snap packages for universal Linux distribution
• Windows Build Guide - Building Windows installers and portable packages
• Back to Home - Main documentation and downloads