Re: Creating jar file using autotools

[Stefano Lattarini]

On Wednesday 23 November 2011, Peter Fodrek wrote:
> Dear autotools experts,
> 
> I am stranger in builtools like autotols. My practice in Unix based  C and 
> Java
> programming  using manually created Makefiles lasts 15 years.
> 
> I am able to produce both ELF  binaries (from C source code and java source
> using gcj) and class files form java source codes, but I am not able to 
> produce
> jar archive form class or java source files.
> 
> Would anybody describe me  where are my mistakes,please?
> Would anybody describe me  possible solutions, please?
> 
> I was unable to find out soultion except
> one at URL http://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/automake/2011-07/msg00015.html
> that does not work for me.
>
Note that the thread you are referring to is just a proposal to a new
feature that will probably be implemented in a *future* version of
automake.  The autotools have currently no built-in support for building
and installing jar files, unfortunately.

Still, this message:
 <http://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/automake/2011-07/msg00016.html>
refers to some code that an automake user was successfully employing
to build jar files.  You might want to take a look at that.


> Thank you for any answer
> 
> I look forward hearing form you
> 
> Yours faithfully
> 
> Peter Fodrek
> 

Now, I have some remarks about your code snippets ...

> 
> P.S. 
> My top level
> configure.in 
> file contanis 
> 
> AC_INIT(hello.c)
> 
> PACKAGE=helloworld
> VERSION=0.1.0
> AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE($PACKAGE, $VERSION)
>
This is obsolete usage of AC_INIT and AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE.

You should be doing something like this instead:

 AC_INIT([helloworld], [0.1.0])
 AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE([automake-options-here-if-needed])


> AC_PROG_CC = gcc
>
This makes no sense.  I suggest you to read an introduction to the
autotools before trying to use them, since proceeding by copy & paste
will only bring you errors and pain.  I had found this one very clear
and helpful when I was still new to the autotools:

 <http://www.lrde.epita.fr/~adl/autotools.html>

> #INTI_REQUIRED_VERSION=1.0.7
> #PKG_CHECK_MODULES(INTI, inti-1.0 >= $INTI_REQUIRED_VERSION)
> #AC_SUBST(INTI_CFLAGS)
> #AC_SUBST(INTI_LIBS)
> 
> AM_PROG_GCJ = gcj
> AC_PROG_CC = gcj
>
Again, this makes no sense.

> AC_OUTPUT(Makefile java/Makefile)
>
Old-style usage.  You should prefer this today:

  AC_CONFIG_FILES([Makefile java/Makefile])
  AC_OUTPUT

> my top level
> Makefile.am
> file con contains
> 
> bin_PROGRAMS = helloworld
> SUBDIRS = . java
> 
> #AM_CFLAGS = $(INTI_CFLAGS)
> 
> AM_JAVAC = javac -d .
>
AM_JAVAC is not a variable used by automake.

> helloworld_SOURCES= hello.c
> 
> 
> and Makaefile.am 
> in the java directory contains
> 
> 
> #bin_PROGRAMS = helloJ.jar
> java_PROGRAMS = helloJAVA
> #jar_ARCHIVES = helloJ
> 
> JARTARGET= jar
> #JARS = jar
> 
> javadir = ./java
> jardir = ./java
> #_JAVA = jar
> AM_JAVAC = javac
> AM_JAR = jar
>
Again, AM_JAVAC and AM_JAR are not variables used by automake.

> 
> JAVACFLAGS = -d .
> 
> dist_java_JAVA = ./helloJ.java ./hello.java
> 
> dist_java_JAR = ./helloJ.java ./hello.java
> 
> jar_JARS = helloJ.jar
>
Unfortunately, JARS is not a primary known to automake (yet).

> #helloJ_jar_SOURCES = ./helloJ.java ./hello.java
> 
> 
> 
> dir = java
> AC_OUTPUT= java
>
It makes no sense to use AC_OUTPUT in a Makefile.am.

> helloJAVA_SOURCES= hello.java
> helloJAVA_LDFLAGS=--main=hello
> 

HTH,
  Stefano