Move a text file into target folder when compiling a Maven project

Question

I have a slight different version of the question that I made recently. I have a Maven project under Netbeans 7.3, which doesn't have any build.xml file to configure building options, while there is the pom.xml that I use to import other libraries. Now, I have a text file (let's say textfile.txt) stored in the project folder in Netbeans 7.3, e.g.

project folder
  textfile.txt
  src
    package
    package.subpackage
      MyClass.java

When I compile I get a target folder where the jar file is put in, e.g.

project folder
  textfile.txt
  target
    classes
    generated-sources
    ....etc
    test-classes
    MyProject.jar
  src
    package
    package.subpackage
      MyClass.java

How can I make the file textfile.txt being copied under target folder when I compile the Maven project?

score 54 · Accepted Answer · edited Oct 19 '16 at 01:17

A first way is to put the files into src/main/resources that is the folder devoted to store the complied resources, i.e. the resources included into the jar file (e.g. images for the icons).

If you need to make the config file to be distributed with the jar, but separated by it, you must edit the pom.xml file. A possible answer is the to add the following plugin between the <plugins> and </plugins> tags.

<plugin>
    <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
    <artifactId>maven-antrun-plugin</artifactId>
    <version>1.8</version>
    <executions>
        <execution>
            <phase>test</phase>
            <goals>
                <goal>run</goal>
            </goals>
            <configuration>
                <tasks>
                    <echo>Using env.test.properties</echo>
                    <copy file="textfile.txt" tofile="${basedir}/target/textfile.txt"/>
                    </tasks>
                </configuration>
            </execution>
        </executions>
    </plugin>

Moreover, as you can read here you can also import all the resources from an "input" directory to an "output" directory inside target by using the dedicated plugin, e.g.:

<plugin>
    <artifactId>maven-resources-plugin</artifactId>
    <version>3.0.1</version>
    <executions>
         <execution>
            <id>copy-resources</id>
            <!-- here the phase you need -->
            <phase>validate</phase>
            <goals>
               <goal>copy-resources</goal>
            </goals>
            <configuration>
               <outputDirectory>${basedir}/target/output</outputDirectory>
               <resources>          
                    <resource>
                        <directory>input</directory>
                        <filtering>true</filtering>
                    </resource>
               </resources>              
            </configuration>            
        </execution>
     </executions>
</plugin>

Thank you! I'm not sure that the first plugin is used right, but works fine. — mat_boy, May 05 '13 at 07:55

score 37 · Answer 2 · edited Apr 21 '17 at 20:06

37

The simplest way, to use some resource as I know (additional information about resources configuration you can find here: https://maven.apache.org/plugins/maven-resources-plugin/):

<build>
  <plugins>
    <!-- your plugins, including or not maven-resource-plugin -->
  </plugins>
  <resources>
    <resource>
      <filtering>true</filtering><!-- if it is neccessary -->
      <directory>${project.basedir}</directory><!-- from -->
      <targetPath>${project.build.directory}</targetPath><!-- to -->
      <includes><!-- what -->
        <include>textfile.txt</include>
      </includes>
    </resource>
  </resources>
</build>

edited Apr 21 '17 at 20:06

Makoto

104,088
27
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answered Jun 02 '15 at 13:12

Pavel Uvarov

1,090
1
10
16

2

How to make sure that textfile.txt is getting copied to jar file as well? – Sam Sep 16 '16 at 18:00
i got it. Thank you. – Sam Sep 16 '16 at 18:09
This was just too easy. Thanks! – dan Aug 13 '18 at 18:49
This should be the accept answer, really the simplest way. – Chao Jiang Aug 28 '18 at 06:23
Can I set a list of targets? In my case I need to copy to multiple targets. – Stefan Falk Feb 18 '20 at 18:36
This monkeys with Maven defaults, which may be okay given the use case. However, it operates in the `process-resources` phase of the build lifecycle. This orchestrates at the file system, before the packaging (JAR/WAR/etc.) level. – ingyhere Dec 01 '20 at 17:05

score 8 · Answer 3 · edited Jul 15 '18 at 00:15

8

For building my setting files and updating production this worked for me:

<build>
<resources>  
   <resource>
       <directory>${project.basedir}</directory><!-- from -->
       <targetPath>${project.build.directory}</targetPath><!-- to -->
       <includes><!-- what -->
          <include>**/*.properties</include>
       </includes>
    </resource> 
</resources>
</build>

edited Jul 15 '18 at 00:15

derloopkat

6,232
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answered Jul 14 '18 at 23:48

leo paz

81
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1

Only works if you explicitly call `mvn resources:resources` right? – djangofan Jul 22 '20 at 00:43
@djangofan No, it works all the time. It's part of the POM build descriptor, not a plugin. However, it changes default Maven behaviors for any build from this POM. – ingyhere Dec 01 '20 at 15:33

score 5 · Answer 4 · answered Sep 01 '15 at 09:52

To have an absolute control of the output of your build you can use the "Apache Maven Assembly Plugin". You can define pretty much everything (format, subfolders...).

The Assembly Plugin for Maven is primarily intended to allow users to aggregate the project output along with its dependencies, modules, site documentation, and other files into a single distributable archive.

More info

You have to install the plugin in your pom file:

    <plugins>
    <plugin>
        <artifactId>maven-assembly-plugin</artifactId>
        <configuration>
            <descriptors>
                <descriptor>src/main/assembly/yourassembly.xml</descriptor>
            </descriptors>
        </configuration>
    </plugin>
</plugins>

<pluginManagement>
    <plugins>
        <plugin>
            <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
            <artifactId>maven-assembly-plugin</artifactId>
            <version>x.x</version>
            <configuration>
                <descriptors>
                    <descriptor>src/main/assembly/yourassembly.xml</descriptor>
                </descriptors>
            </configuration>
            <executions>
                <execution>
                    <id>make-assembly</id> <!-- this is used for inheritance merges -->
                    <phase>package</phase> <!-- append to the packaging phase. -->
                    <goals>
                        <goal>single</goal> <!-- goals == mojos -->
                    </goals>
                </execution>
            </executions>
        </plugin>
    </plugins>
</pluginManagement>

In your case the descriptor "yourassembly.xml" would be as follows:

<assembly xmlns="http://maven.apache.org/plugins/maven-assembly-plugin/assembly/1.1.3" 
  xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
  xsi:schemaLocation="http://maven.apache.org/plugins/maven-assembly-plugin/assembly/1.1.3 http://maven.apache.org/xsd/assembly-1.1.3.xsd">
  <id>yourassembly</id>
  <formats>
    <format>tar.gz</format>
    <format>dir</format>
  </formats>
  <fileSets>

    <fileSet>
      <directory>${project.basedir}</directory>
      <includes>
        <include>README*</include>
        <include>LICENSE*</include>
        <include>NOTICE*</include>
      </includes>
      <useDefaultExcludes>true</useDefaultExcludes>
    </fileSet>

    <fileSet>
      <directory>${project.build.directory}</directory>
      <outputDirectory>/</outputDirectory>
      <includes>
        <include>*.jar</include>
      </includes>
    </fileSet>

    <fileSet>
      <directory>${basedir}</directory>
      <outputDirectory>/</outputDirectory>
      <includes>
        <include>textfile.txt</include>
      </includes>
    </fileSet>

    <dependencySets>
        <dependencySet>
            <outputDirectory>lib</outputDirectory>
            <unpack>false</unpack>
        </dependencySet>
    </dependencySets>

  </fileSets>

</assembly>

Move a text file into target folder when compiling a Maven project

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