Is there a better alternative for -cp/CLASSPATH ?

[Mark Thornton]

On 13/12/11 16:21, Timothy Madden wrote:
> Hello
>
> Is there a way to launch java applications (classes), without having 
> to know and to specify where the .class files are installed all the 
> time ?
>
> Currently I have to set CLASSPATH or use the -classpath option on the 
> java command line every time I want to start a Java application (I 
> hear it is recomanded I do not set CLASSPATH in advance, but instead 
> set it, or use -cp,  upon every invocation of java; this way every 
> Java application is invoked with its own CLASSPATH).
>
> Is there no way I could type just:
>     `java net.grinder.Grinder´
> without having to specify the installation files/directory for The 
> Grinder ?
>
> Is there no such thing as a local registry/repository/catalog of 
> installed java classes/jars, that the launcher could use ?
>
> Thank you,
> Timothy Madden
>

You can use the Class-Path entry in the manifest of the main jar file 
(along with the Main-Class attribute). This works best if the additional 
jar files are located relative to the main jar file.

Mark Thornton