jar to win32 exe?

[foobar247]

anyone know a good packager/installer that i can use to make windows executables out of jar or .class files? hopefully opensource, i.e. free

[Andy]

u mean compiler?? have u tried Jcreator?

[foobar247]

well not a compiler per se, as sometimes i don't have the source code to recompile. more like something that will package a preexisting java program into a windows exe file.
i am using jcreator le version, however i am not aware of such an option in it,

[Tony]

.class files are java's executables

[foobar247]

yes, i am aware of that. i think the point of the question was missed.
what i am looking for is a wrapper that wraps a jar file into an exe file so say i want to distribute the java program to someone who has no idea how to do anything besides double clicking on program icons can run and install the thing.
for example, java's netbeans ide is a java program wrapped into exe form.

[rizzix]

http://jsmooth.sf.net

enjoy

[rizzix]

dodge_tomahawk wrote:

u mean compiler?? have u tried Jcreator?

dodge, jcreator is not a compiler.. it's just an IDE.

[wtd]

Doing this would be rather unwise. Simply advise clients to install the Java runtime if they don't already have it installed. Modern Java setups do a great job of translating Java bytecode to native code when you run programs.

[rizzix]

yes it's unwise. but as u might have noticed (or maybe not).. in the world today.. java products are shipped with a jar file and a .executable warpper for the specific platform, be it: windows, osx or linux. the reason for this is simple,, the unnecessary wrapper brings about consisitancy within the os it self.

for ex:
a majority of windows users know to run a program it has to be a .exe file.. not many of them realise that a .jar file is double-clickable too.. and hence to make things quite consistant with the way things have always been in that specific platform.. an executable wrapper comes in handy.. of course the wrapper does not replace the .jar (although jsmooth give u the option to do that as well) it simply adds in an extra .exe for the additional (what should i call it) ease-of-use?

[foobar247]

thanks rizzix. sweet program.
now i can even bundle up a jvm with my jar to make it even more stand alone. ha

[rizzix]

yes but that would seriously increase your program size heh.. i dont suggest it.. what i do suggest is to force the users to download the latest jvm instead. somehow.

[wtd]

rizzix wrote:

yes but that would seriously increase your program size heh.. i dont suggest it.. what i do suggest is to force the users to download the latest jvm instead. somehow.

If your program is worth running, then people will.

Of course, many will already have a JVM for applets on game sites and such.