mac batch file to run jars?

[tiewknvc9]

Is there something comparable to a batch file on the mac?

Im trying to deploy an application that keeps the jar files intact. So
Im trying to find out if I can create something similar to a batch file
for the mac that would launch the executable jar file....

Im creating this from a windows PC..

thx

 

[Andrew Thompson]

tiewknvc9 wrote:
....

Im trying to deploy an application that keeps the jar files intact.

You have been asking a lot of questions related to X-plat deployment.

I have previously suggested WebStart does most (if not all) of
what you want, but you said you did not want to have to sign
the code.

Could you set my mind at rest on two matters?
1) I am not convinced you application needs to be signed,
a lot can be done from within the JWS API. What exactly
does the application do? How does it use files, the
network, printer, user properties .. (other 'secure' things)?

2) What is your objection(s) to signing the code?
a) is it more for the extra build hassles - getting a
valid certificate and signing the code, or is it thinking
that the users will not OK those scary webstart
security warnings?
b) something else? some 'security concerns' were raised in
relation to JNLP handling of secure applications, AFAIR.

Note that you don not *have* to answer any of these questions,
but I would appreciate it if you would, and believe that it will
ultimately help your effort to deploy the application. (If nothing
else - if you can convince me that JWS is out of the question
for this task - I can at least stop wasting your bandwidth
discussing it!)

Andrew T.

 

[tiewknvc9]

tiewknvc9 wrote:
...

You have been asking a lot of questions related to X-plat deployment.

I have previously suggested WebStart does most (if not all) of
what you want, but you said you did not want to have to sign
the code.

Could you set my mind at rest on two matters?
1) I am not convinced you application needs to be signed,
a lot can be done from within the JWS API. What exactly
does the application do? How does it use files, the
network, printer, user properties .. (other 'secure' things)?

2) What is your objection(s) to signing the code?
a) is it more for the extra build hassles - getting a
valid certificate and signing the code, or is it thinking
that the users will not OK those scary webstart
security warnings?
b) something else? some 'security concerns' were raised in
relation to JNLP handling of secure applications, AFAIR.

Note that you don not *have* to answer any of these questions,
but I would appreciate it if you would, and believe that it will
ultimately help your effort to deploy the application. (If nothing
else - if you can convince me that JWS is out of the question
for this task - I can at least stop wasting your bandwidth
discussing it!)

Andrew T.

Ill see what I can do... Im new at deploying a product to a very large
audience, usually its just a couple of people in an office, or simply
servlets of one kind or another... So I am learning/hacking my way
through it and feel like a newb in this department, thus the many
questions. Plus Im desperate to finish it up this week.

Im pretty sure that both questions will be answered here:
The application saves files to the users pc, and also creates many
files (potentially 10's of thousands of files or more, then reallocates
almost all of them), it also sends data over the web.
However I have left the idea of using JWS behind because I believe a
number of things seem to be a big pain;
including obtaining a security certificate yearly (and even though
cacert.org allows you to do this for free, free items like this rarely
last long, so it means $$$ in the future). Plus its one more step to
delivering/testing my app.
Also It delivers the app as a pure .jar files. I suspect that
some-many users will see the extension and wonder why their double
clicking a .jar file... not usually associated with desktop apps. Even
as a developer, if I see a .jar file for me to double click, Ill wonder
who made the application. Why is it that they cannot produce an exe.
Perhaps I wont even run the program first, but instead open it in my
zip program... and may think what idiot installed a jar file on my
desktop - but hey, that's me.

I liked the idea that Java web start can do auto-updates. Something I
thought might prove difficult to implement on my own... If I had just
tried to do it, then I wouldn't have looked into JWS so deeply, because
i simply (and recently) figured out how I could check for a new jar
file online and replace the one in my "jar" folder, JWS also provided
an icon, (Im new to deployment remember), and I thought, hey, great,
one less thing to worry about, icon and updates built in!

On the other end, creating an exe for windows has proven easy, also
allowing the jar files to still exist on the users machine instead of
wrapping them - good for updates, bad for security. The other bad? -
creating a mac app like that does not seem like it will be easy. But
creating a mac app of the bundled kind is easy. (too bad I dont have a
mac to play with), Unix - my app wont run on (it uses quicktime for
java).

Also avoiding JWS allows me to use a typical installer, which also
allows me to assign file extensions to my application (for windows at
least, I dont know about mac yet...)

Also JNLP - my web host support my own .htaccess file, but I dont trust
them to be dependable, and it may vanish, or stop working because they
fooled with some setting. So a little nervous with that too.

I abandoned JWS because there were just too many gotchas, one or two I
could live with, but it was just too much. Plus there are a lot of
references online that badmouth it (at least the older versions).

thanks for letting me vent... I guess. and your help, I did notice
your name come up a few times.

 

[Andrew Thompson]

Andrew Thompson wrote: .....
..Im new at deploying a product to a very large
audience, usually its just a couple of people in an office, or simply
servlets of one kind or another... So I am learning/hacking my way
through it and feel like a newb in this department, thus the many
questions. Plus Im desperate to finish it up this week.

I still think this task will be completed faster using webstart,
than any other method. My reasons are ..crudely outlined below..

...
The application saves files to the users pc, and also creates many
files (potentially 10's of thousands of files or more, then reallocates
almost all of them),

While the saving of a single file is easily doable within
a *sandboxed* WebStart app., I suspect it is impractical for
'tens' let alone hundreds or more files (unles we expect the
poor end user to approve each one). Unfortunately it is not
something I've experimented with yet, so I can not confirm that
definitely, nor offer an example to play with.

So OK - I do now understand your application requires 'full-access'.

...obtaining a security certificate yearly (and even though
cacert.org allows you to do this for free, free items like this rarely
last long, so it means $$$ in the future).

A 'self-signed' certificate is neither of the above,
it is also absolutely free, now and forever.

For a deployment example using a self signed certificate, see *.

...Plus its one more step to
delivering/testing my app.

True, but wrapping the code code up for distribution for
each platform has its own 'each time a build happens'
dependencies/tasks.

Also It delivers the app as a pure .jar files. I suspect that
some-many users will see the extension and wonder why their double
clicking a .jar file...

The end user only sees any reference to jar files during
the download of the jar files (with a progress dialog -
if the size is known).

Try these..
http://www.javasaver.com/testjs/jws/04/

Try a couple of the JNLP files to see applications
that create desktop shortcuts and menu items (under the
SaverBeans Screensaver menu).

I recommend (some small, sandboxed ones)
<http://www.javasaver.com/testjs/jws/04/bannerscroller.jnlp>

On the other end, creating an exe for windows has proven easy, also
allowing the jar files to still exist on the users machine instead of
wrapping them - good for updates, bad for security.

Whose security? Yours (protect/hide the code) or the end-users?

..The other bad? -
creating a mac app like that does not seem like it will be easy. But
creating a mac app of the bundled kind is easy. (too bad I dont have a
mac to play with), Unix - my app wont run on (it uses quicktime for
java).

Whoa up!

I have a JWS launch for the JMF Performance Pack that
should play MOV's (is that what you mean?) on *nix
boxes just fine..
<http://www.javasaver.com/testjs/jmf/#test3>

* This application is 'self-signed', did not cost me a cent.

Also avoiding JWS allows me to use a typical installer, which also
allows me to assign file extensions to my application (for windows at
least, I dont know about mac yet...)

JWS does that, for both file extensions and mime-types.

Also JNLP - my web host support my own .htaccess file, but I dont trust
them to be dependable, and it may vanish, or stop working because they
fooled with some setting. So a little nervous with that too.

That can be a worry, but be assured that your users who have
already installed the application, can still run it.

I abandoned JWS because there were just too many gotchas, one or two I
could live with, but it was just too much. Plus there are a lot of
references online that badmouth it

Most advice about WebStart that I have seen is shoddy.
It is a complex subject, and usually poorly explored by the author.

...(at least the older versions).

...and JWS got some major improvements when Java hit 1.5
(the launch files are backwards compatible, but if
your user is on Java 1.3 - they might not get menus etc.)

thanks for letting me vent... I guess.

Sure, but I'm not yet done with my own 'venting'. ;-)

..and your help, I did notice
your name come up a few times.

You're welcome.

Andrew T.