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How to write an ant task that removes files from a previously compiled JAR?

Let's say the files in my JAR are:

aaa/bbb/ccc/Class1
aaa/bbb/ccc/Class2
aaa/bbb/def/Class3
aaa/bbb/def/Class4

... and I want a version of this JAR file without the aaa.bbb.def package, and I need to strip it out using ant, such that I end up with a JAR that contains:

aaa/bbb/ccc/Class1
aaa/bbb/ccc/Class2

Thanks!

bguiz
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6 Answers6

61

Have you tried using the zipfileset task?

<jar destfile="stripped.jar">
    <zipfileset src="full.jar" excludes="files/to/exclude/**/*.file"/>
</jar>

For example:

<property name="library.dir" value="dist"/>
<property name="library.file" value="YourJavaArchive.jar"/>
<property name="library.path" value="${library.dir}/${library.file}" />
<property name="library.path.new" value="${library.dir}/new-${library.file}"/>

<target name="purge-superfluous">
    <echo>Removing superfluous files from Java archive.</echo>

    <jar destfile="${library.path.new}">
        <zipfileset src="${library.path}" excludes="**/ComicSans.ttf"/>
    </jar>

    <delete file="${library.path}" />
    <move file="${library.path.new}" tofile="${library.path}" />
</target>
Dave Jarvis
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mipadi
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  • @mipadi Thanks for your answer! I was hoping that there was a method without an intermediate stage - that is directly removing files/ folders from the Jar. Failing which I guess this is the closest I'll get to it! – bguiz Mar 26 '10 at 10:39
  • Just a FYI, probably most know this, but I didn't think of it :-). The "jar" task will modify the MANIFEST.MF of the JAR, which in my case caused problems. I just added the "manifest" attribute to the jar task and pointed it at the manifest I wanted it to use. Great answer though, definitely helped me out, thanks! – Craig Aug 13 '13 at 15:38
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    Could also use `zip` instead of `jar` to avoid changing MANIFEST.MF – npostavs Aug 27 '15 at 17:26
5

You have to unjar and rejar.

<unzip src="myjar.jar" dest="/classes/">
<jar destfile="newjar.jar"
    basedir="/classes/"
    includes="**/*"
    excludes="**/def/*"
/>
David
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1

I came here looking to use ant as a workaround some short comings in gradle unzip.

On the off chance someone else is in the same boat.

Here is an example:

    task antUnzip() << {

            ant.jar(destfile : "stripped.jar") {
                zipfileset (src : "full.jar", excludes : "files/to/exclude/**/*.file") {
                }
            }
}
Jeremy Bunn
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1

If a jar-file capable archiver program, like e.g. "zip" on Linux, is available, the task can be done by

<exec executable="zip">            
<arg value="-d"/>            
<arg value="myJarCopyToStrip.jar"/>            
<arg value="aaa/bbb/def/*>            
<arg value="aaa/bbb/def>
</exec>

Subtree deletion depends on the capabilities of the used archiver.
The "os" attribute of the Ant "exec" task allows to use different archivers on different OS's.

Michael Besteck
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1

The answers didn't quite add up for me - 

<zip destfile="tmp.jar">
        <zipfileset src="src.jar">
                <exclude name="**/*.class" />
        </zipfileset>
</zip>
<move file="tmp.jar" tofile="src.jar" />

This uses a single pass and doesn't add too much time to the build

source : http://ant.1045680.n5.nabble.com/Remove-entru-from-ZIP-file-using-ANT-td1353728.html

Marc Magon
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0

I am not sure if there a direct solution for your requirement. I would recommend to explode the jar to some temp directory and then remove unwanted class files. Finally create a new jar with required class files.

Reference links:

http://ant.apache.org/manual/Tasks/unzip.html

http://ant.apache.org/manual/Tasks/delete.html

http://ant.apache.org/manual/Tasks/jar.html

martin clayton
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navr
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