Thread: Create an executable (.jar or .exe) using code

Hi..

Is it possible to create an executable file (either .jar or .exe) from Java code?
I did try to find it on google, but most of them were not using code..
For example, using export feature (in Eclipse) to create .jar and use another software to create .exe (e.g. Launch4j)..
Or using command prompt, etc.. These are not what i wanted..
So i wonder if there is a way to create this executable file through coding?
For example when i click a button, a .jar file will be created..
Could anyone give me a reference link to look at?

Please let me know if my question was not clear enough..

Thank you..

it's me again..
so the problem now is the source file that i want to insert to the .jar file..
is there a way to insert a particular file without inserting the whole path?
for example i want to insert a .class file in bin directory, so i put "bin/sample.class" as source..
but when i open the .jar file, it give me a folder name bin and sample.class in it..
i just want to take the sample.class..
i have tried to use .getName() but didn't work..
target.putNextEntry(new JarEntry(entry.getName()));
it still gives me a folder name bin with sample.class in it, just like before..
any idea?

and 1 more thing i want to ask..
is it necessary for the folder META-INF and the .class file to be in the same directory in order for .jar file to be executable?
because previously the .jar file that i created using export feature in Eclipse, the folder META-INF and .class file are in the same directory..
while in this case, the META-INF and .class file are not in the same directory because of the bin folder..

Originally Posted by aussiemcgr

That's...odd... Try printing out entry.getName() to the console before you put it in the jar. I want to know if it is returning "sample.class" or if it actually is returning "bin/sample.class". If the former, then it means something else is happening. If the later, well then I don't know why it is doing that.

To answer your second question, I think it is ok, but you probably need to change the Main-Class attribute to reflect the folder. But I'm, not 100% about this one either. It seems more like a try-and-see situation.

hi.. thanks for the reply..
i have solved the problem..
so previously what i did was

JarEntry entry = new JarEntry(source);
					entry.setTime(source.lastModified());
					target.putNextEntry(entry.getName());
					target.closeEntry();

this couldn't work..
but after i change it to this, it works..

JarEntry entry = new JarEntry(source.getName());
					entry.setTime(source.lastModified());
					target.putNextEntry(entry);
					target.closeEntry();

thanks for the help..

-sorry for doubleposting-