JBuilderX to JBuilder2008 jar file issues

[John Rigsby]

I have a working JBuilderX project which is an applet in the form of a jar file. I can get it to run in JBuilder2008 but exporting it as a jar file yields errors and as a jar file it doesnt work via the web in production (just in case the messages I received were just warnings). Note also that I use the XYLayout that was in JBuilderX folder (new version i should reference?). The jar file does actually build and tries to work when accessed via the web but it complains that it can't find java.lang.NoClassDefFoundError: com/borland/jbcl/layout/XYLayout
. I have all the external jar files on the Order and Export tab checked, which appears to impact the file size of the resulting jar file.

I'm not a Java expert. The applet works in JBuilderX and I did the migration function via JBuilder 2008 to get exerything in the new format and after a bit of tweaking was able to get it to run and return data via debugging in 2008. So the code works, its just a matter of getting it to export as a jar file that I am having problems with.

I'm evaluating whether or not to upgrade right now and this is the last step I need to go through to make the leap.

Here is a list of the errors I see when exporting the jar.

JAR creation failed. See details for additional information.
Resource '/DataValidationCenter' does not exist.
<project root> [in DataValidationCenter] is not on its project's build path
Unable to get package fragment root: /DataValidationCenter/DataStore.java
<project root> [in DataValidationCenter] is not on its project's build path
Exported with compile warnings: /DataValidationCenter/src/DataValidationCenter/WizardException.java
Exported with compile warnings: /DataValidationCenter/src/DataValidationCenter/pnlWiz05EditRecords.java
Exported with compile warnings: /DataValidationCenter/src/DataValidationCenter/pnlActivityImport.java
Exported with compile warnings: /DataValidationCenter/src/DataValidationCenter/WebServiceException.java
Exported with compile warnings: /DataValidationCenter/src/DataValidationCenter/pnlWiz05CheckJobStatus.java
Exported with compile warnings: /DataValidationCenter/src/DataValidationCenter/WebService.java
Exported with compile warnings: /DataValidationCenter/src/DataValidationCenter/pnlWiz06FinalProcessing.java
Exported with compile warnings: /DataValidationCenter/src/DataValidationCenter/pnlWiz03ValidateFile.java
Exported with compile warnings: /DataValidationCenter/src/DataValidationCenter/PayTotalsTableModel.java
Exported with compile warnings: /DataValidationCenter/src/DataValidationCenter/EditRecordsTableModel.java
Exported with compile warnings: /DataValidationCenter/src/DataValidationCenter/pnlFinalProcessing.java
Exported with compile warnings: /DataValidationCenter/src/DataValidationCenter/pnlInstructions.java
Exported with compile warnings: /DataValidationCenter/src/DataValidationCenter/pnlWiz01SelectProcess.java
Exported with compile warnings: /DataValidationCenter/src/DataValidationCenter/pnlHeading.java
Exported with compile warnings: /DataValidationCenter/src/DataValidationCenter/pnlNavigate.java
Exported with compile warnings: /DataValidationCenter/src/DataValidationCenter/pnlCards.java
Exported with compile warnings: /DataValidationCenter/src/DataValidationCenter/FileUploader.java
Exported with compile warnings: /DataValidationCenter/src/DataValidationCenter/pnlGlobalDVCSelectPayrollFile.java
Exported with compile warnings: /DataValidationCenter/src/DataValidationCenter/DERDefinition.java
Exported with compile warnings: /DataValidationCenter/src/DataValidationCenter/FixedPositionLayoutManager.java
Exported with compile warnings: /DataValidationCenter/src/DataValidationCenter/dialogDeleteFile.java
Exported with compile warnings: /DataValidationCenter/src/DataValidationCenter/dialogPrintViewTotals.java
Exported with compile warnings: /DataValidationCenter/src/DataValidationCenter/pnlComplete.java
Exported with compile warnings: /DataValidationCenter/src/DataValidationCenter/pnlSelectDemoFile.java
Exported with compile warnings: /DataValidationCenter/src/DataValidationCenter/pnlTitle.java
Exported with compile warnings: /DataValidationCenter/src/DataValidationCenter/dialogPayTotals.java
Exported with compile warnings: /DataValidationCenter/src/DataValidationCenter/DataValidation.java
Exported with compile warnings: /DataValidationCenter/src/DataValidationCenter/pnlWiz02GlobalDVCSelectFile.java
Exported with compile warnings: /DataValidationCenter/src/DataValidationCenter/RAXMLTableModel.java
Exported with compile warnings: /DataValidationCenter/src/DataValidationCenter/FileValidator.java
Exported with compile warnings: /DataValidationCenter/src/DataValidationCenter/dialogEeSearch.java
Exported with compile warnings: /DataValidationCenter/src/DataValidationCenter/EeSearchTableModel.java
Exported with compile warnings: /DataValidationCenter/src/DataValidationCenter/pnlPayTotals.java
Exported with compile warnings: /DataValidationCenter/src/DataValidationCenter/PreviewFileTableModel.java
Exported with compile warnings: /DataValidationCenter/src/DataValidationCenter/dialogPrint.java
Exported with compile warnings: /DataValidationCenter/src/DataValidationCenter/DeleteGlobalDVCFilesTableModel.java
Exported with compile warnings: /DataValidationCenter/src/DataValidationCenter/XMLUtils.java
Exported with compile warnings: /DataValidationCenter/src/DataValidationCenter/pnlWiz04UploadFile.java
Exported with compile warnings: /DataValidationCenter/src/DataValidationCenter/pnlWiz01GlobalDVCSelectProcess.java
Exported with compile warnings: /DataValidationCenter/src/DataValidationCenter/PrintPreviewS2.java
Exported with compile warnings: /DataValidationCenter/src/DataValidationCenter/pnlSelectPayrollPeriod.java
Exported with compile warnings: /DataValidationCenter/src/DataValidationCenter/DVCImportDet.java
Exported with compile warnings: /DataValidationCenter/src/DataValidationCenter/DataStore.java
Exported with compile warnings: /DataValidationCenter/src/DataValidationCenter/DVCImportDetTableModel.java
Exported with compile warnings: /DataValidationCenter/src/DataValidationCenter/dialogDeleteGlobalDVCFile.java
Exported with compile warnings: /DataValidationCenter/src/DataValidationCenter/DeleteFilesTableModel.java
Exported with compile warnings: /DataValidationCenter/src/DataValidationCenter/pnlGlobalDVCSelectDemoFile.java
Exported with compile warnings: /DataValidationCenter/src/DataValidationCenter/DERElemHFlds.java
Exported with compile warnings: /DataValidationCenter/src/DataValidationCenter/dialogMissingPeople.java
Exported with compile warnings: /DataValidationCenter/src/DataValidationCenter/WizardPanel.java
Exported with compile warnings: /DataValidationCenter/src/DataValidationCenter/DERDateField.java
Exported with compile warnings: /DataValidationCenter/src/DataValidationCenter/AddDetRecordsTableModel.java
Exported with compile warnings: /DataValidationCenter/src/DataValidationCenter/WebUtils.java
Exported with compile warnings: /DataValidationCenter/src/DataValidationCenter/pnlWiz02SelectFile.java
Exported with compile warnings: /DataValidationCenter/src/DataValidationCenter/FileParser.java
Exported with compile warnings: /DataValidationCenter/src/DataValidationCenter/CheckStatus.java
Exported with compile warnings: /DataValidationCenter/src/DataValidationCenter/WebServiceWrapper.java
Exported with compile warnings: /DataValidationCenter/src/DataValidationCenter/ExistingFilesTableModel.java
<project root> [in DataValidationCenter] is not on its project's build path
Unable to get package fragment root: /DataValidationCenter/DataValidation.java
<project root> [in DataValidationCenter] is not on its project's build path
<project root> [in DataValidationCenter] is not on its project's build path
Unable to get package fragment root: /DataValidationCenter/pnlCards.java
<project root> [in DataValidationCenter] is not on its project's build path
Resource '/DataValidationCenter' does not exist.

[Paul Furbacher [TeamB]]

This may not be the approach you want to take, but it's my
experience that JAR and WAR (any archiving/packaging, for that matter)
is best done in JBuilder 2007+ (Eclipse-based) using ANT build
scripts. Over the past year or so, I've used Eclipse almost
exclusively, and have become very accustomed to doing this.

It's a bit of work the first time you tackle this, but
successive episodes of writing a packaging target get easier.

I've found that ANT is your best friend in Eclipse-based products.

> ...

--

Paul Furbacher (TeamB)

Save time, search the archives:
http://info.borland.com/newsgroups/ngsearch.html

Is it in Joi Ellis's Faq-O-Matic?
http://www.visi.com/~gyles19/fom-serve/cache/1.html

Finally, please send responses to the newsgroup only.
That means, do not send email directly to me.
Thank you.

[Paul Furbacher [TeamB]]

> John Rigsby wrote:

>> [...] I use the XYLayout [...]

I forgot to cry "Ouch!" in my previous response.

You really do need to rework that so that you use the GridBagLayout.
From the very start, Borland warned "only use the XYLayout as a
crutch to initially layout visual elements. When you have things
the way you want them, switch to another layout, such as the GBL."

The thing which is biting you now about it is that it is a class
which is no longer distributed. This dependency in your code
is going to cause you grief, so the sooner you can remove it and
use a standard Java layout manager, the better off you will be.

[John Rigsby]

Yes I see XYLayout is not in the newer releases. I have only ever worked with JBuilderX and not much of a Java guru. I do vb.net work for the most part. Ill have to see how difficult thats going to be but I do recognize its going to be necessary. The whole reason I need to move up is to get my applet where its stable in JRE 6 update 6. There are places where buttons are not showing and issues with reloading the applet and having the previous instance interfere with the reload (which shouldnt be happening and I have a bug in to sun now) and the code I have now is compatible with 1.3 and above. Our cert people are constantly having to tell people to roll back their JRE because the newer JRE keeps breaking stuff.

I just want to get it to compile (as in build the jar right) with the latest JRE and am trying to find out if the latest JBuilder is the way to go because I am familiar with JBuilderX. Right now I see no advantage over Eclipse. I see it doesnt appear to have a design view like JBuilderX did. At least its not intuitive to find it, hence I havent (maybe replaced with this Ant thing). That and the ability to easily create a fat jar has gone away. In JBuilderX its just a matter of referencing things and hitting a button. I guess I'll have to look at this Ant thing. Kind of in a tight squeeze time wise and was hoping I wouldnt have to jump through hoops or reprogram anything but I knew I would in the end. Thanks for the pointers.

[John Rigsby]

I was able to get it to work finally. Cross fingers I wasn't
imagining it. I used regular Eclipse and the fat jar export
plugin. Compiled it all for JRE 6 update 6. At which point
it was erroring out saying some permissions issues and that it
could not find a class. I realized I was using the 1.3 jarsigner
and switched to use the one from 1.6. Now it all works fine.
Its about three times bigger than the jar created in JBuilderX but
I understand the fat jar plugin isnt trying to figure out exactly
which classes go and which to not include.

As of right now I don't see anything in JBuilder 2008 that would
make me want to upgrade from JBuilderX. I have a design view in X
that doesnt appear to be in 2008 and I can compile it in regular
Eclipse after working with it in JBuilderX as far as design of
forms is concerned (because I cant compile it for the latest JRE
in X) So I have a free workaround for me issue at present.

Now I just need to figure out how to accomplish the same layout as
XYLayout without using XYLayout as the point is made and clear
that it may not work at some point going forward. Why I dont
understand, as in why not just support it. Seems to be a decent
enough layout to me. But thats not up to me so I guess I have
work cutout for me. Hoping that something will come up that will
give me a reason to upgrade though. I don't really want to work
with an unsupported IDE.

[Paul Furbacher [TeamB]]

John Rigsby wrote:

> [...] Wh[at] I dont

> understand, as in why not just support it. Seems to be a decent

> enough layout to me. [...]

The reason is that laying out user interfaces using exact dimensions
works if you stay on Windows, and never have users who change their
video settings, to say, "large fonts". You can work for years in
Delphi or some other WinOS programming environment and never gain
appreciation that the same layouts, specified precisely in number of
pixels in x/y, would look amazingly crappy -- downright unusable
on other systems.

Java UIs are supposed to be write once, run anywhere.

Hence, the layout managers in Swing (and formerly AWT). They
resolve the issues of screen size, resolution, etc., for you,
so that your user interfaces don't have chopped labels,
text areas, etc., when you deploy to a Mac, Linux, or the
Web (as in an applet).

[Doychin Bondzhev]

I think that if you move your code to GridBagLayout manager then you
should be able to design the UI in new Swing designer in 2008.

After that all you have to do is write some decent ant script to produce
your jar files. I think you can start by exporting the build process in
JBuilder X as ant and then use that script as starting point for JAR
building in JBuilder 2008.

Doychin