if your distribute my program as single zip with my jar and libraries, then you have to build a class path.
if you want the dependencies to go the a libraries out side the jar (highly recommended) you'll have to use assembly plugin in (or another plugin that do that).
here is a full explanation how to do that:
pom build element:
<build>
<!-- final name set the jar name, if left it
will give defualt "${artifactId}-${version}" -->
<finalName>jar final name</finalName>
<sourceDirectory>src</sourceDirectory>
<!-- compiler plug in -->
<plugin>
<artifactId>maven-compiler-plugin</artifactId>
<configuration>
<source>1.6</source>
<target>1.6</target>
</configuration>
</plugin>
<!-- assembly plugin -->
<!-- the assembly plugin is used to define your
final deploy output (jar, zip, dir, war, etc..)-->
<plugin>
<groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
<artifactId>maven-assembly-plugin</artifactId>
<executions>
<execution>
<id>assembly:package</id>
<phase>package</phase>
<goals>
<goal>single</goal>
</goals>
<configuration>
<!-- The filename of the assembled distribution
file defualt ${project.build.finalName}-->
<finalName>${project.build.finalName}</finalName>
<appendAssemblyId>false</appendAssemblyId>
<!-- A list of descriptor files path to generate from-->
<descriptors>
<descriptor>assembly/assembly.xml</descriptor>
</descriptors>
</configuration>
</execution>
</executions>
</plugin>
<!-- jar plug in -->
<plugin>
<groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
<artifactId>maven-jar-plugin</artifactId>
<version>2.3</version>
<configuration>
<archive>
<manifest>
<mainClass>fully.qualified.MainClass</mainClass>
<!-- to create a class path to your
dependecies you have to fill true in this field-->
<addClasspath>true</addClasspath>
<!-- if you put your dependencySet/outputDirectory
in the assembly file is in a specific folder (lib for example),
you need to add classpathPrefix-->
<classpathPrefix>lib/</classpathPrefix>
<!-- if you defined your dependencySet/outputFileNameMapping
in the assembly, instead of using the classpathPrefix,
you should use customClasspathLayout,
add the classpathPrefix at the begining of the
customClasspathLayout, and then add the pattern of the outputFileNameMapping,
NOTICE YOU NEED TO ADD '$' BEFOR OF EACH '$'.
supported only from version 2.3>-->
<!--<classpathLayoutType>custom</classpathLayoutType>
<customClasspathLayout>
lib/$${artifact.groupId}.$${artifact.artifactId}.$${artifact.extension}
</customClasspathLayout>-->
</manifest>
<manifestEntries>
<Class-Path>conf/</Class-Path>
</manifestEntries>
</archive>
</configuration>
</plugin>
</plugins>
</build>
the assembly file:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<assembly>
<!--the id will be add to the end of the distribution file -->
<id>package</id>
<formats>
<format>zip</format>
</formats>
<includeBaseDirectory>true</includeBaseDirectory>
<fileSets>
<fileSet>
<directory>target</directory>
<outputDirectory></outputDirectory>
<includes>
<include>*.jar</include>
</includes>
</fileSet>
<fileSet>
<directory>icons</directory>
<outputDirectory>icons</outputDirectory>
<includes>
<include>**/*</include>
</includes>
</fileSet>
<fileSet>
<directory>conf</directory>
<outputDirectory>conf</outputDirectory>
<includes>
<include>**/*</include>
</includes>
</fileSet>
</fileSets>
<files>
<!-- you need to create the bat file yourself -->
<file>
<source>batFileName.bat</source>
<filtered>true</filtered>
</file>
</files>
<dependencySets>
<dependencySet>
<!--define the outputDirectory of the dependencies,
NOTICE: if it's diffrent from '/' make sure to
change the classPath configuration for
the maven-jar-plugin in the pom-->
<outputDirectory>lib</outputDirectory>
<!-- maping the dependencies jar names.
NOTICE : if you used this definition, you need to use
customClasspathLayout classPath configuration
for the maven-jar-plugin in the pomg-->
<outputFileNameMapping>
${artifact.groupId}.${artifact.artifactId}.${artifact.extension}
</outputFileNameMapping>
<unpack>false</unpack>
</dependencySet>
</dependencySets>
</assembly>
