Deploying example Java Web Start application fails .

Question

I am just starting to make a Java Web Start application . I am unable to deploy it correctly locally as i keep getting the following exception

I am following the following tutorials for JWS

a ) Official Java Documentation

b ) Java Web Start (Jnlp) Hello World Example

I did the following steps :

1 . Packaged my .class files into a executable jar .

2 . Signed the jar

3 . Created an jnlp file

4 . Created an html file

Placed the jar , the jnlp and html file in the same JWS directory and called the html file .

JWS\

Demo.jar
NewFile.html
Test.jnlp

My Test.jnlp file is as :

 <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
    <jnlp spec="1.0+" codebase="http://localhost:8080/" href="Test.jnlp">
        <information>
            <title>Jnlp Testing</title>
            <vendor>SUM</vendor>
            <homepage href="http://localhost:8080/" />
            <description>Testing Testing</description>
        </information>
        <security>
            <all-permissions/>
        </security>
        <resources>
            <j2se version="1.6+" />
            <jar href="Demo.jar" />
        </resources>
        <application-desc main-class="com.mytest.TestJnlp" />
    </jnlp>

Main Exception:

com.sun.deploy.net.FailedDownloadException: Unable to load resource: http://localhost:8080/Test.jnlp
    at com.sun.deploy.net.DownloadEngine.actionDownload(Unknown Source)
    at com.sun.deploy.net.DownloadEngine.downloadResource(Unknown Source)
    at com.sun.deploy.cache.ResourceProviderImpl.getResource(Unknown Source)
    at com.sun.deploy.cache.ResourceProviderImpl.getResource(Unknown Source)
    at com.sun.javaws.Launcher.updateFinalLaunchDesc(Unknown Source)
    at com.sun.javaws.Launcher.prepareToLaunch(Unknown Source)
    at com.sun.javaws.Launcher.prepareToLaunch(Unknown Source)
    at com.sun.javaws.Launcher.launch(Unknown Source)
    at com.sun.javaws.Main.launchApp(Unknown Source)
    at com.sun.javaws.Main.continueInSecureThread(Unknown Source)
    at com.sun.javaws.Main.access$000(Unknown Source)
    at com.sun.javaws.Main$1.run(Unknown Source)
    at java.lang.Thread.run(Unknown Source)

Wrapped Exception:

java.net.ConnectException: Connection refused: connect
    at java.net.DualStackPlainSocketImpl.connect0(Native Method)
    at java.net.DualStackPlainSocketImpl.socketConnect(Unknown Source)
    at java.net.AbstractPlainSocketImpl.doConnect(Unknown Source)
    at java.net.AbstractPlainSocketImpl.connectToAddress(Unknown Source)
    at java.net.AbstractPlainSocketImpl.connect(Unknown Source)
    at java.net.PlainSocketImpl.connect(Unknown Source)
    at java.net.SocksSocketImpl.connect(Unknown Source)
    at java.net.Socket.connect(Unknown Source)
    at java.net.Socket.connect(Unknown Source)
    at sun.net.NetworkClient.doConnect(Unknown Source)
    at sun.net.www.http.HttpClient.openServer(Unknown Source)
    at sun.net.www.http.HttpClient.openServer(Unknown Source)
    at sun.net.www.http.HttpClient.<init>(Unknown Source)
    at sun.net.www.http.HttpClient.New(Unknown Source)
    at sun.net.www.http.HttpClient.New(Unknown Source)
    at sun.net.www.protocol.http.HttpURLConnection.getNewHttpClient(Unknown Source)
    at sun.net.www.protocol.http.HttpURLConnection.plainConnect(Unknown Source)
    at sun.net.www.protocol.http.HttpURLConnection.connect(Unknown Source)
    at com.sun.deploy.net.BasicHttpRequest.doRequest(Unknown Source)
    at com.sun.deploy.net.BasicHttpRequest.doRequest(Unknown Source)
    at com.sun.deploy.net.BasicHttpRequest.doGetRequest(Unknown Source)
    at com.sun.deploy.net.DownloadEngine.actionDownload(Unknown Source)
    at com.sun.deploy.net.DownloadEngine.downloadResource(Unknown Source)
    at com.sun.deploy.cache.ResourceProviderImpl.getResource(Unknown Source)
    at com.sun.deploy.cache.ResourceProviderImpl.getResource(Unknown Source)
    at com.sun.javaws.Launcher.updateFinalLaunchDesc(Unknown Source)
    at com.sun.javaws.Launcher.prepareToLaunch(Unknown Source)
    at com.sun.javaws.Launcher.prepareToLaunch(Unknown Source)
    at com.sun.javaws.Launcher.launch(Unknown Source)
    at com.sun.javaws.Main.launchApp(Unknown Source)
    at com.sun.javaws.Main.continueInSecureThread(Unknown Source)
    at com.sun.javaws.Main.access$000(Unknown Source)
    at com.sun.javaws.Main$1.run(Unknown Source)
    at java.lang.Thread.run(Unknown Source)

Answer 1

Ok so I was able to fix this problem .

I realised that the easiest way to get started is to use Netbeans IDE . The advantage of using Netbeans is that it offers great support for making Java Web applications . For example signing of jars and getting the .jnlp file configuration correct can be a real pain . Netbeans on the other hand auto-generates both these files and hence saves the pain of making mistakes .

Initially i also tried using eclipse for the same but i found eclipse to be very tedious and error prone . I would recommend using Netbeans if making Java Web Start applications . This tutorial should get you started in no time .

Enabling Java Web Start in the NetBeans IDE