Jar Verifier

This essay is about a suggested student project in Java programming. This essay gives a rough overview of how it might work. It does not describe an actual complete program. I have no source, object, specifications, file layouts or anything else useful to implementing this project. Everything I have to say to help you with this project is written below. I am not prepared to help you implement it; I have too many other projects of my own.

I do contract work for a living, which could include writing a program such as this. However, I don’t do people’s homework for them. That just robs them of an education.

You have my full permission to implement this project any way you please.

The jar.exe program is quite sloppy. It will let you create all manner of malformed jar files. What does it do?

Make sure that every class file has a path that precisely matches its package name.
Makes sure that the Manifest is present.
Makes sure the manifest Main-Class Entry points to a valid class.main.
Makes sure alls path entries are properly formed, e.g. no C:s in them, and that all Class names begin with Capital letter.
This is more difficult, and could be left out on your first cut: check that all classes referenced, are included. Don’t stop on the first error. Give a full list of missing classes.
An advanced version might prune classes that are not used, keeping a list of classes known to be dynmically loaded.

It might even correct type 1 errors which are so easy to make. It should not do it quietly because such errors imply there may be matching errors in resources that cannot be so easily detected.

Since I have been using GenJar much the urgency for this project has evaporated. It makes sure at least that all dependent classes are included, but not properties or dynamically loaded classes.

GenJar
Interface Finder: find classes on classpath implementing a given inteface
jar
JarCheck
JarLook
Java Jar Catalog Project
Path and Classpath tool project
Which and What Project: path and classpath analysis

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