I am copying this from a java tutorial to help me remember the steps. If you want to see what the whole thing was about, go there.

In their example, they did following steps:

• Step 1. Create the source file
• Step 2. Create the NervousText06BeanInfo class (subclass SimpleBeanInfo)
• Step 3. Define a getBeanDescriptor method
• Step 4. Define a getPropertyDescriptors method
• Step 5. Compile the programs
• Step 6. Build and install the jar
• Step 7. Test the Bean in the BeanBox

I am just doing steps 2,5, and 6 to illustrate the use and specification of packages and making the jar file

Step 2. Create the skeletal form for the NervousText06BeanInfo class

    package sun.beanbox.beans;
    import java.beans.*;

    public class NervousText06BeanInfo
            extends SimpleBeanInfo {
        ...
    }

Step 5. Compile the programs

        javac -d . NervousText06.java



        javac -d . NervousText06BeanInfo.java

javac -d . *.java

For your information:

-classpath path

Specifies the path javac uses to look up classes needed to run javac or being referenced by other classes you are compiling. Overrides the default or the CLASSPATH environment variable if it is set. Directories are separated by colons. It is often useful for the directory containing the source files to be on the class path. You should always include the system classes at the end of the path. For example:

   javac -classpath .:/home/avh/classes:/usr/local/java/classes ...

-d directory

Specifies the root directory of the class file hierarchy. In other words, this is essentially a destination directory for your compiled classes. For example, doing:

   javac -d /home/avh/classes MyProgram.java

causes the compiled class files for the classes in the MyProgram.java source file to be saved in the directory /home/avh/classes. If your classes are defined in the package demos/awt, the class files would be placed in the directory /home/avh/classes/demos/awt.

Note that the -d and -classpath options have independent effects. The compiler reads only from the class path, and writes only to the destination directory. It is often useful for the destination directory to be on the class path. If the -d option is not specified, the source files should be stored in a directory hierarchy which reflects the package structure, so that the resulting class files can be easily located.

Step 6. Build and install the JAR

Now you have two classes to add to your JAR file; one is a Bean, the other isn't. However, you only need one manifest and one JAR. The manifest should look like this:

    Manifest-Version: 1.0

    Name: sun/beanbox/beans/NervousText06.class
    Java-Bean: True

    Name: sun/beanbox/beans/NervousText06BeanInfo.class

    echo "Manifest-Version: 1.0" > manifest.tmp
    echo "" >> manifest.tmp
    echo "Name: sun/beanbox/beans/NervousText06.class" 
         >> manifest.tmp
    echo "Java-Bean: True" >> manifest.tmp
    echo "" >> manifest.tmp
    echo "Name: sun/beanbox/beans/NervousText06BeanInfo.class" 
         >> manifest.tmp
    jar cfm NervousText06.jar manifest.tmp \
            sun/beanbox/beans/NervousText06.class \
            sun/beanbox/beans/NervousText06BeanInfo.class
    cp -p NervousText06.jar BDK_HOME/beans/jars

Be sure to substitute your BDK installation directory for BDK_HOME when you copy the JAR.

Of course you do not have to do all the echo business; just make a file called manifest.tmp and put in the stuff mentioned, then do

   
 jar cfm NervousText06.jar manifest.tmp sun/beanbox/beans/NervousText06.class sun/beanbox/beans/NervousText06BeanInfo.class

Some things that seemed to make a difference:
When I did it for the YesNoDialog class in Java in a Nutshell the manifest file did not like the

Manifest-Version: 1.0

in it. Here is what I ended up with for the manifest.tmp and the makefile . One final note. When you compile the code of a class that you have defined in a package, it will create the directory substructure for that package for the classes. Sepcifically, in this example, it creates the structure: oreilly/beans/yesno/

Do not give your package the same name (case sensitive) as your package name.