Question #12 - Chapter 10 - Book Kathy Sierra SCJP

[Milton Ochoa]

Hello every one,

i dont undestand the answer given on the book about that question, exactly: when say :

...
java needs a classpath that specifies two directories,
one for the class file (. directory), and
one for the JAR file (the com directory).
...

I dont undestastand why we de fits directory (.) for what?

PD. The example i can not test on my computer, i am over windows, and i dont know how separe paths in the classpath, because the simbol ; (semicolon) throws diferent errors when I try to use it!

Thank you.
[ March 11, 2008: Message edited by: Milton Ochoa ]

[Ian Edwards]

I don't have the K&B book with me so I can't refer to chapter 10.

If you have '.' in your classpath it means the current directory that you're in. If for example you have a java class named Test.class in c:\prog and it references a jar file (lib.jar) in c:\jarfiles you'd want to use a classpath like:

set classpath=c:/jarfiles/lib.jar;.

assuming you are in c:\prog you should be able to run your class with

java Test

alternatively you could specify the classpath in the command line:

java -cp c:\jarfiles\lib.jar;. Test