Example of using shared libraries on Windows

This example takes you through the process of using native shared libraries with a Java™ application on Windows systems.

Procedure

  1. Create a sample application, Sample.java.
    public class Sample
    {
       public native void printFromNative( );
    
       public static void main( String[] args )
       {
          Sample sample = new Sample( );
          sample.printFromNative( );
       }
    
       static
       {
          try
          {
             System.loadLibrary( "Sample" );
          }
          catch ( Exception e )
          {
             System.out.println( "ERROR: Unable to load libSample.so");
             e.printStackTrace( );
          }
       }
    }
  2. Compile Sample.java.
    javac Sample.java
  3. Use javah to create a header file for the native code.
    javah Sample
  4. Create a file called Sample.c.
    #include <stdio.h>
    #include "Sample.h"
    
    JNIEXPORT void JNICALL Java_Sample_printFromNative( JNIEnv * env, jobject obj )
    {
       printf( "Printing from native\n" );
    }
  5. Compile Sample.c and then link and bind into a shared library that can be loaded and called dynamically from Java.
    cl -Ic:\java\include -Ic:\java\include\win64  -MD -LD Sample.c -Fe Sample.dll
    -MD
    Ensures that Sample.dll is linked with the Win64 multithreaded C library.
    -LD
    Instructs the C compiler to generate a DLL instead of a regular Win64 executable program.
  6. Run the Sample class.
    set PATH=<path-generated-dll>;%PATH%
    or
    java -Djava.library.path=. Sample
    The program will output:

    Printing from native

Results

You should now be able to use the same framework to access native shared libraries from Java applications.