Attempting to compile/run Java code on Ubuntu, Error: java.lang.NoClassDefFoundError: org/apache/pdfbox/pdmodel/PDDocument

Question

I am attempting to run the following Java code on an Ubuntu system. The code should create a blank PDF file using the pdfbox class:

import org.apache.pdfbox.pdmodel.*;
import java.io.*;

public class BlankPDF {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        PDDocument doc = null;
        try{
            doc = new PDDocument();
        } catch (IOException ie){
            System.out.println(ie);
        }
        doc.addPage(new PDPage());
        try{
            doc.save("Empty PDF.pdf");
            doc.close();
        } catch (Exception io){
            System.out.println(io);
        }
    }
}

I have the following class dependencies in the same directory as the script:

pdfbox-1.7.0.jar
jempbox-1.7.0.jar
fontbox-1.7.0.jar
commons-logging-1.1.1.jar

I used the following command to compile the script:

sudo javac BlankPDF.java -classpath pdfbox-1.7.0.jar:fontbox-1.7.0.jar:jempbox-1.7.0.jar:commons-logging-1.1.1.jar

Which returned no output and created a .class file (indicating that the compilation worked correctly?)

But when I attempt to run the code using the following command:

sudo java BlankPDF -classpath pdfbox-1.7.0.jar:fontbox-1.7.0.jar:jempbox-1.7.0.jar:commons-logging-1.1.1.jar

I get this error:

Exception in thread "main" java.lang.NoClassDefFoundError: org/apache/pdfbox/pdmodel/PDDocument
    at BlankPDF.main(BlankPDF.java:15)
Caused by: java.lang.ClassNotFoundException: org.apache.pdfbox.pdmodel.PDDocument
    at java.net.URLClassLoader$1.run(URLClassLoader.java:217)
    at java.security.AccessController.doPrivileged(Native Method)
    at java.net.URLClassLoader.findClass(URLClassLoader.java:205)
    at java.lang.ClassLoader.loadClass(ClassLoader.java:321)
    at sun.misc.Launcher$AppClassLoader.loadClass(Launcher.java:294)
    at java.lang.ClassLoader.loadClass(ClassLoader.java:266)
    ... 1 more

What am I missing?

Ernest Friedman-Hill · Accepted Answer · 2012-06-06 22:53:12Z

4

The name of the class must be the last argument to java. The flags must precede it. If you put flags at the end of the command lines, as here, they are ignored. So:

java -classpath .:pdfbox-1.7.0.jar:fontbox-1.7.0.jar:jempbox-1.7.0.jar:commons-logging-1.1.1.jar BlankPDF

edited Jun 6, 2012 at 22:53

answered Jun 6, 2012 at 21:32

Ernest Friedman-Hill

81.9k11 gold badges158 silver badges191 bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

1 Comment

samJL Over a year ago

Thank you that worked! When looking online for examples the -classpath was always at the start, but I subconsciously moved it to the end like I am use to with traditional flags

Akhilesh · Accepted Answer · 2012-06-06 22:29:28Z

2

With ref to above answer,don't forget to add current directory (with dot sign) as well in command with jars in classpath

java -classpath hello.jar:. SampleProgram

answered Jun 6, 2012 at 22:29

Akhilesh

1,4103 gold badges17 silver badges21 bronze badges

1 Comment

Ernest Friedman-Hill Over a year ago

+1 Good catch, I didn't notice that -- that would be the second problem he'd have!

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

Attempting to compile/run Java code on Ubuntu, Error: java.lang.NoClassDefFoundError: org/apache/pdfbox/pdmodel/PDDocument

2 Answers 2

1 Comment

1 Comment

Your Answer

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

2 Answers 2

1 Comment

1 Comment

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Related