Overview

1. Check out the source code or unpack the source zip file from sourceforge
2. Install the Development Environment
3. Configure the build by creating a compilation_tools.properties file.
4. Run Eclipse and load the project into eclipse
5. Open the build.xml file in Eclipse and run the default ant target

Repository Organization

• docs: documentation
• jni: c++ code
• lib: libraries needed to compile unit tests
• release: a directory built by the ant script where jacob is constructed
• samples: sample programs
• src: Jacob Java source files
• unittest: JUnit 4.12 unit test programs. Run from the test target in build.xml
• vstudio: some out of date VC++ project files
• bulid.xml: the ant build script. It can be run from inside Eclipse

Development Environment

• Microsoft Visual Studio 2013 and it's included library. (to C:\ProgramFiles (X86) in my case)
• Eclipse from www.eclipse.org as the Java IDE.
• Eclipse C/C++ plugin can be used for C coding in place of VC++ IDE.
• Java JDK 1.8 , latest available
• Install the V7.1A libraries available from https://www.microsoft.com/net/download/windows

Build Process

• "default" executes the following steps when using the default target.
  • Build the Java code
  • Build the jni code
  • create the dll
  • create jar file
• "packageRelease" runs the above listed steps and then
  • builds the javadoc
  • builds a source zip
  • builds a binary zip with the javadoc

Eclipse Java IDE

1. Open Eclipse
2. File-->New-->Other...
3. Java --> Java Project form Existing Ant Buildfile
4. Click "next" to go to "Create a Java Project from an Ant Buildfile"
5. Browse to and select build.xml in the project directory
6. Select any of the javac tasks. This wall cause that one source directory to be added as a eclipse source directory.

1. Open up the project properties and go to the "Java Build Path" properties panel.
2. Remove the root of the project from the build path if it is there
3. Add / verify the following folders are in the build path. Add them with "link source..." if they are missing samples, src and unittest to the build path in the Source tab.
4. Add junit as a library "Add Library...Junit...Junit 4"
5. Exclude *.txt from each of the newly added folders.
6. Set the default build output directory to jacob-project/release/java
7. Open "Windows-->Show View-->Project Explorer"

Troubleshooting Build Problems

• Symptom: Build Failed can't find javac compiler. JAVA_HOME does not point to the JDK Problem:
  The java library is pointed at a jre insted of the jdk. Update Project..Properties..Java Build Path to point at the JDK
• Symptom: The jar is built but no dlls were compiled.
  Problem: compilation_tools.properties does not have the correct location for the Microsoft tools.
• Sympton: Can't find jni.h or can't find C++ compiler
  Problem: compilation_tools.properties configured incorrectly. Either paths are wrong or the separator is wrong. It requires two backslashes for a separator.
• Symptom: Ant fails with the message Could not create task or type of type: junit..
  Problem: junit.jar must be copied from this project to the $ANT_HOME/lib directory.

Running Samples and Tests

							-Djava.library.path=c:/dev/jacob/release/x86 
							-Dcom.jacob.autogc=false 
							-Dcom.jacob.debug=false 
							-Xcheck:jni
						

Git Bash environment configuration

							JAVA_HOME="/c/Program Files (x86)/Java/jdk1.8.0_161"
							#JAVA_HOME="/c/Program Files/Java/jdk1.8.0_161"
							ANT_HOME=/c/dev/springsource-3.9.4-x64/sts-3.9.4.RELEASE/plugins/org.apache.ant_1.10.1.v20170504-0840
							PATH=$ANT_HOME/bin:$JAVA_HOME/bin:$PATH
							export PATH
							export ANT_HOME
							export JAVA_HOME