Cannot run this program from cmd with classpath option

Question

this is a beginner question. I am having a problem running my java program from command line. I am using Windows10. The problem is the following. I have a folder named "folder1", which is located o the dekstop of my computer. So the full path would be C:\Users\Ioanna\Desktop\folder1 Inside that folder I have created a second folder which I named folder2. so the path to this would be C:\Users\Ioanna\Desktop\folder1\folder2

Inside folder2 I have a java file named example.java I want to compile it and run this file with setting the -classpath option through cmd. I dont want to set the path or to add the folder to tha path from environment variables.

I am trying

C:\Users\Ioanna\javac -cp C:\Users\Ioanna\Desktop\folder1\folder2 example.java

but it says file not found. I tried several other alternatives, but I can't seem to find how to compile successfully the program.

Are you in C:\Users\Ioanna\Desktop\folder1\folder2 ? What does javac print exactly? — Artem
– Artem, Commented Nov 12, 2016 at 18:11

watery · Accepted Answer · 2016-11-12 18:21:19Z

1

Code compilation (to bytecode) and code execution are two separate steps, in Java.

First, compile your .java to obtain the corresponding .class file (I'm assuming your folder paths are right):

C:\Users\Ioanna\javac C:\Users\Ioanna\Desktop\folder1\folder2\example.java

This will give you example.class in that same folder.
Next, run that class (provided it has a main() method):

C:\Users\Ioanna\java -cp C:\Users\Ioanna\Desktop\folder1\folder2 example

edited Nov 12, 2016 at 18:21

answered Nov 12, 2016 at 18:10

watery

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4 Comments

JB Nizet Over a year ago

No. java doesn't expects a path to a .class file. It expects a fully qualified class name, and looks for the corresponding .class file in the classpath.

watery Over a year ago

@JBNizet So the instructions in my example won't work?

JB Nizet Over a year ago

The first one will. The second won't. Assuming the example class is in the default package (which is a bad practice), it would have to be java -cp C:\Users\Ioanna\Desktop\folder1\folder2 example.

watery Over a year ago

@JBNizet Yep, fixed. Too much used to IDE's I guess.

JB Nizet · Accepted Answer · 2016-11-12 18:10:20Z

1

java expects the path of the file(s) to compile. And example.java is not in the current folder (C:\Users\Ioanna).

Use

javac Desktop\folder1\folder2\example.java

answered Nov 12, 2016 at 18:10

JB Nizet

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1 Comment

Ioanna Katsanou Over a year ago

thanks that worked !! It compiled ! and what do I user to run the example.class?

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