import - Java Package Does Not Exist Error

Question

So there's a folder /usr/share/stuff in the root directory

in stuff there are a bunch of java files with package org.name definitions at the top

I am running javac test.java where test.java is in a subdomain

I added /usr/share/stuff to my class path.

and at the top of test.java I add import org.name

But I get a package does not exist error...why?

Answer 1

Are they in the right subdirectories?

If you put /usr/share/stuff on the class path, files defined with package org.name should be in /usr/share/stuff/org/name.

EDIT: If you don't already know this, you should probably read this doc about understanding classpath.

EDIT 2: Sorry, I hadn't realised you were talking of Java source files in /usr/share/stuff. Not only they need to be in the appropriate sub-directory, but you need to compile them. The .java files don't need to be on the classpath, but on the source path. (The generated .class files need to be on the classpath.)

You might get away with compiling them if they're not under the right directory structure, but they should be, or it will generate warnings at least. The generated class files will be in the right subdirectories (wherever you've specified -d if you have).

You should use something like javac -sourcepath .:/usr/share/stuff test.java, assuming you've put the .java files that were under /usr/share/stuff under /usr/share/stuff/org/name (or whatever is appropriate according to their package names).