I bundle my macOS JVM app with a helper tool - thi...

# compose-desktop

[Stefan Oltmann]

I bundle my macOS JVM app with a helper tool - this is placed in Contents/app/resources (the default location). Now I want my app to call it using Runtime.getRuntime().exec() .

My problem is that I don't know the folder in which my app is executed.

System.getProperty("user.dir") always returns / .

On Windows I get the actual directory where my app is living.

How can I determine the correct path to my helper tool?

[ephemient]

[[NSBundle mainBundle] pathForResource:ofType:] normally but I don't know how to access that from JVM

[Stefan Oltmann]

Me neither. 😕

[Stefan Oltmann]

A hack I see could be to use DYLD_LIBRARY_PATH which seems to be set for the skiko lib.
But that of course feels wrong.

[ephemient]

https://coderanch.com/how-to/javadoc/appledoc/api/com/apple/eio/FileManager.html#getResource(java.lang.String,%20[…]lang.String,%20java.lang.String) may have worked… way back when apple was shipping its own jvms. but that's far outdated…

[Stefan Oltmann]

Yes, doesn't look like they want us to use it. 🙄
Otherwise this looks like the thing I'm looking for.

java.lang.IllegalAccessError: class MainKt (in unnamed module @0x2080a082) cannot access class com.apple.eio.FileManager (in module java.desktop) because module java.desktop does not export com.apple.eio to unnamed module @0x2080a082

[ephemient]

oh if that's the only issue then --add-opens java.desktop/com.apple.eio=ALL-UNNAMED would get around it

[pdvrieze]

On Unix (including Linux) systems there is no real ability to determine the location of the executable that started the program (it could even have multiple locations). In many cases it is recorded using a system specific way (procps), but there is no guarantee that this exists (the only thing available is the command it is invoked as (as the 0-th argument). The way this is generally solved is to either have a hardcoded location (eg. /usr/libexec/<myProg> | common with open source programs) or to use some configuration file).

[sciack]

Maybe is easier to copy the executable(s) in a temp dir and execute it. But that could impact with MacOS security model.

[mikehearn]

If using Conveyor it's in the app.dir system property

[mikehearn]

Otherwise yes you need native code to get it. Or an obj-c bridge

[Stefan Oltmann]

Maybe is easier to copy the executable(s) in a temp dir and execute it. But that could impact with MacOS security model.

Yes, it must be part of the App and be signed. Otherwise, it will not be executed.

[Stefan Oltmann]

oh if that's the only issue then --add-opens java.desktop/com.apple.eio=ALL-UNNAMED would get around it

How can I configure this?

[sciack]

I configured something similar in gradle:

[sciack]

modules("java.sql", "java.desktop", "java.naming")

[sciack]

Mine is something like this:

compose.desktop {

    application {
        mainClass = "passwordStore.MainKt"
        jvmArgs += listOf("-Dkpassword-store.mode=PROD")

        nativeDistributions {
            targetFormats(TargetFormat.Rpm, TargetFormat.Msi)
            packageName = "kpassword-store"
            modules("java.sql", "java.desktop", "java.naming")
            packageVersion = semver.version.substringBefore('-')
            licenseFile.set(File("LICENSE"))
            vendor = "Mirko Sciachero <[e-mail]>"
            this.description = """
                Program to manage and store credentials, similar to keepass but simpler \
                Implemented in Kotlin and JCompose
            """.trimIndent()



            linux {
                menuGroup = "Password Store"
                rpmLicenseType = "UNLICENSE"
                iconFile.set(File("src/main/resources/icons/lockoverlay.png"))
                this.shortcut = true
            }
            windows {
                upgradeUuid = "89c4e09f-40e5-4542-9396-934cca615a63"
                menuGroup = "Password Store"
                vendor = "Mirko Sciachero"
                console = false
                iconFile.set(File("lockoverlay.ico"))
            }
        }
    }
}

try to add in a macos configuration

[Stefan Oltmann]

I think "java.desktop" is exported by default.

I tried modules("java.sql", "java.desktop", "com.apple.eio"), but that's not correct.

There must be a way to add additional compiler config strings, which I don't see right now.

[sciack]

But your problem is at compile time or at runtime?

[Stefan Oltmann]

Compile time.

[Stefan Oltmann]

Symbol is declared in module 'java.desktop' which does not export package 'com.apple.eio'

[sciack]

could be that in some way is hidden, in this scenario not sure how to override it. Because the module decide to keep it private

[Stefan Oltmann]

I guess @ephemient will know 🙂

[sciack]

maybe try to add as jvmArgs

[Stefan Oltmann]

Oh, I think, I found it. Yes, it is.

[sciack]

or in the compileKotlin step

[sciack]

so which is the solution 🙂

[Stefan Oltmann]

I'm curious: How would it look like in the compile step?

[Stefan Oltmann]

https://kotlinlang.slack.com/archives/C01D6HTPATV/p1691705794244829?thread_ts=1691673251.590789&cid=C01D6HTPATV is the solution for that.

[Stefan Oltmann]

I also found that there is a system property compose.application.resources.dir

[Stefan Oltmann]

Thank you all for your help. 🙏