Get paid for developing older yahoo games jar file

Hello, the names kyle, extremely new to the javaprogrammingforums. The reason I'm here is I'm looking for a java programmer who can fix a jar file for me. I'm not sure if that's possible, but if it is I'd gladly pay. Me along with another 200 or so players play a yahoo game called Yahoo! Towers, it's really a dying breed, but the few that do play really enjoy it. Back when the game was created some guy that knew java copied the original jar file for the game and edited it with his own functions creating a new jar. One of the main functions in this jar being that it plays the game for you. Now all the hard work has already been done, the problems that we currently have with it is that it no longer runs in vista (which i'm thinking has to do with it requiring that oldschool java 1.4.3 to run), in order to run the applet you need to install java 1.4.3 (i think it's from early 2000 or 1999) and it doesn't display a table list. Runs fine in XP.

But anyways, my question is:
Can you update a jar file to run on the current version of java when you don't have the java source? I've unpacked the altered older jar file and the current jar file that is used for the game today and there's like 200 classes in each one, the altered jar file has a few more classes for the special functions this guy put into it (there're almost identical). I was going to pay someone on rentacoder to fix it but I just wanted to make sure it can even be done if I don't have the java source. All I want done for it is to run on the current java, that's it. If anyone can answer my question I'd greatly appreciate it, thanks.

Hello proudofmylife,

Welcome to the Java Programming Forums :)

How big is the jar file? Would it be possible to please upload it here for us to take a look at?

Absolutely! Sorry about that, new to this whole thing. Anyways here they are

Edited Program Applet Jar (the one that requires 1.4.3 java)
http://www.ytowers.com/play/ygames/home/yt.jar
Y! Towers Program Applet

Current jar being used for the game today
http://www.ytowers.com/play/ygames/home/ywt0.jar
http://www.ytowers.com/play/ygames/home/applet.txt

The second link is the applet that is used to run these jar files. You'll notice lines in the txt files like RoomPort, YOGServer, <YCOOKIE>, because you need your yahoo id cookie information to login to their games, I wrote a program called Y! Towers Login that takes that txt file and injects the information needed into it and writes a php or html version so you can log in. When I login to the edited prog applet now adays, the applet opens up fine but it just won't connect to games because I don't have java 1.4.3 installed (and i'm on vista). Anyways there they are, if any of you can do anything be sure to let me know!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by proudofmylife

But anyways, my question is:
Can you update a jar file to run on the current version of java when you don't have the java source? I've unpacked the altered older jar file and the current jar file that is used for the game today and there's like 200 classes in each one, the altered jar file has a few more classes for the special functions this guy put into it (there're almost identical). I was going to pay someone on rentacoder to fix it but I just wanted to make sure it can even be done if I don't have the java source. All I want done for it is to run on the current java, that's it. If anyone can answer my question I'd greatly appreciate it, thanks.

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The jar file contains the compiled java classes. There is no way to update these without first decompiling them, editing the code and then creating a new jar file. The problem with this old jar file is that its using depreciated code which no longer works with newer systems. The challenge will be decompiling all of the classes and bringing the depreciated code back up to date. With over 200 classes in each jar, thats a big job!

Alright I've got one more question, now that I've decompiled the jar and all the class files into java source, can anyone repackage this jar for me? Or at least tell me how to re-package a jar? Thanks!

I would be happy to jar this up for you proudofmylife. PM me and ill send you my email address.

I'm just thinking... Whats the point of repackaging this jar? If there have been no code changes then won't you be in exactly the same position as when you first started?

I just imported the structure of that jar file into Eclipse to attempt to work with the files and solve your issues. I can see some of the errors but unfortunately I cannot do anything with this code because there are missing imports which I can't find online! I'm also a bit sceptical about how well these files have been decompiled.

Ahh alrighty. Well I created a tutorial for this jar file on my site, which includes all the files for the yt.jar and ywt0.jar (the current jar that is used for the game today). It doesn't even seem like a Vista issue since the applet loads the jar fine in vista, it just doesn't connect. It seems like a Java issue or Manifest file issue. Anyways here

Y! Towers Program Applet Project

Nice one for the tutorial. I will take a look at it again today and see if I can find anything in the Manifest.