How to create a .app warpper for a jar file using jar bundler that runs as root

Question

I wrote an app in Java for Mac OS X. I want to convert it to a .app using Jar Bundler. I need this app to run as root though. Is there any way to make the app invoke a password prompt dialog such as this?

Answer 1

Yeah, You can use applescript. Forgive me, there might be a better way to do this, but this is how I would do it (its more fun this way too).

This runs a shell script

Process proc=Runtime.getRuntime().exec("shell-script-here");

Then you take the next step, run an applescript through the shell script like this...

Process proc=Runtime.getRuntime().exec("osascript -e 'applescript-here'");

You have to be really careful to backslash quotations and whatnot... but this line should prompt a password dialog

Process proc=Runtime.getRuntime().exec("osascript -e 'do shell script \"\" with administrator privileges');

Although that might seem confusing, when I say 'do shell script \\"\\"' to mean, do nothing, but it will still prompt for a password. Given that I don't know what your program does, you can replace that with whatever shell script or something. Be clever with it, I'm sure you can figure out a way to make your program work given this.

Now, I can't spoon-feed you the answer, just remember, in my experience, if you use this method, any errors will be due to not backslashing quotes or such.