The Java OpenMaple classes are provided in the com.maplesoft.openmaple package.  This package is contained within the jopenmaple.jar file. A second package, com.maplesoft.externalcall.MapleException is also required for Java OpenMaple.  This class is in the externalcall.jar file. For documentation on the contents of the com.maplesoft.openmaple package, see OpenMaple/Java/API.  For information about com.maplesoft.externalcall.MapleException, see ExternalCalling/Java/MapleException.

These jar files are in the java directory of your Maple installation.  The directory that Maple is installed in can be found by calling kernelopts( mapledir ).

kernelopts( mapledir );

To build a Java OpenMaple application the two required jar files, jopenmaple.jar and externalcall.jar, must be in the classpath. Simply specify these files in a command-line argument to the Java compiler. In general, the -classpath argument should work.  You will need to have write permissions for the current directory as this command will create a new file.

Running a Java OpenMaple application requires loading a native library. This native library provides the link between Maple and Java.  The Java Virtual Machine automatically loads the required library; however, it needs to be told where to find this library.  By default, the native library is installed in the Maple binary directory.  To determine this location, call kernelopts( bindir ).

kernelopts( bindir );

To tell the Java Virtual Machine to look in this directory, you need to add <BINDIR> to a platform specific environment variable.  In addition on Apple OS X, Linux and Solaris, the MAPLE environment variable needs to be set to the value <MAPLEDIR> we defined above.

As with the compiler, the Java Virtual Machine must have the jopenmaple.jar and externalcall.jar files added to the classpath, along with the directory containing the test.class file created above. Once again, using the -classpath command-line argument is recommended. This example assumes that the test.class file is stored in the current directory.

Before beginning development of a Java OpenMaple application, ensure that the simple example from the examples page can be built and executed.  Once this works, a more complex Java OpenMaple application can be built the same way.