Replacing classes inside a jar, which is inside an Axis2 aar file

Question

I have an Axis2 aar file, buried within that aar file I have a jar file containing my compiled classes, one of which I'd like to replace.

This is a simplified version of what I have

MyService.aar contains :

lib\\JarJarBinks.jar

JarJarBinks.jar contains :

com\\example\\skywalker\\TheForce.class

I want to replace TheForce.class , the only mechanism that springs to mind, without rebuilding everything is :

1. List item
2. Unjar the aar file
3. Pull out JarJarBinks.jar
4. Unjar JarJarBinks.jar
5. Replace TheForce.class with my updated copy
6. Jar up JarJarBinks , and place it back in the extracted aar layout
7. Jar up the aar file

I could create a bash script to automate this, but I'm wondering if there is a more cleaner / quicker way.

I've found the update option of jar u but I don't believe it works for nested artefacts.

Thanks

Answer 1

For your Axis2 to work, you don't need an aar file.

services.xml file can be either of the below locations for the Axis2 to work.

1. repository/services/SimpleService/meta-inf/services.xml
2. WEB-INF/services/SimpleService/meta-inf/services.xml

This will help us have an extra step of generating the aar file.

ServiceDeployer.java

 * <p>
 * Standard Axis2 service Deployer which use services.xml file to build
 * services. ServiceDeployer can be used with Axis2 archive (.aar) or exploded
 * directory structure. Some of the example formats given below.
 * </p>
 * <p>Examples : <p>
 *        <ul>
 *          <li>repository/services/SimpleService.aar/meta-inf/services.xml</li>
 *          <li>repository/services/SimpleService/meta-inf/services.xml</li>
 *          <li>WEB-INF/services/SimpleService.aar/meta-inf/services.xml</li>
 *          <li>WEB-INF/services/SimpleService/meta-inf/services.xml</li>
 *       </ul>
 
     InputStream servicexmlStream = serviceClassLoader
            .getResourceAsStream("META-INF/services.xml");
    if (servicexmlStream == null) {
        servicexmlStream = serviceClassLoader.getResourceAsStream("meta-inf/services.xml");
    } else {
        metainf = "META-INF";
    }

https://axis.apache.org/axis2/java/core/apidocs/org/apache/axis2/deployment/ServiceDeployer.html