In your command line prompt type java myProgram to run a compiled version of a java program called myProgram. You may need to set an environment variable for the path where your java vm is installed. Let us know if you need to know how to do this...

javaw is designed for that (launches the JVM but without a command window) again needs to be in your path. Then create a windows shortcut with the necessary command. See here for more info:

http://java.sun.com/j2se/1.4.2/docs/...dows/java.html

To compile the code you have to type:
javac myapp.java
it will create a myapp.class file in the same or diff location... then just follow it and type java myapp it will run the code... you have to compile before running... you may have to setup the classpath to include your JRE in your environment... you can follow this:
go to Start menu-> My Computer (right button click) select Properties -> Advanced ->Environment Variables-> CLASSPATH click on Edit, and set the path location of your jre... typically it is under Program Files/Java/jre1.x.0_xx here x is some number.

Once you install Java, you should be able to "double-click" on a .class file and execute it in that way, if you don't have a class file (but just a .java file), then you have to compile it/them first. Better would be, to create a jarfile containing the relevant classpath info and such in the Manifest file so that every thing is handled correctly, and then "double-click" that jarfile.

Obviously.

Best is to use ANT to build your projects to jar files. (or maven if you want to take it a step further).

Once you know how to do it manually, yes. But just like with using an IDE, you should not start with it. You should first learn how to do it manually, so you understand what is happening.

That said, what real difference does it make what tool he uses to build the jarfiles (once he understands what is happening, anyway)?

Making a jarfile was not suggested only for convenience (which the ANT suggestion was). It could be, and probably is, a very real necessity, if any third party libraries are involved.

No, it is not so on my system. The .class does not have an association with any program and isn't opened. I have to select the program I want to open the .class file with.

What I'm actually looking for is a normal windows EXE file, which when executed launches the Java application. Maybe I can use something like
in the code. But then how do I get the right path for Java.exe?

Well a .jar file open with WinRAR on my system! It seems that jarfiles are like a collection of zipped .class files.

You have done something that has changed the file associations on your machine. (For the jarfile one it was the installation of WinRAR.)

Change them back.

.class should be opened with "java" or "javaw" and .jar should be opened with "java -jar" or "javaw -jar". Alternatively, you could de and re install java and let it reset the file associations itself.

Edit: And java.exe (or javaw.exe) should already be in your path if java is properly installed. If not, add the directory containg them to your path, obviously.

All of these things, BTW, are System Maintenance questions, and not Java questions, per se.

Edit Again: All of these, BTW again, would also be non-issues, if you had learned Java the right way, rather than learning it using an IDE (which is really only learning to use the IDE and not learning Java, as illustrated by these questions).