How to deploy and execute javaFX application as runnable jar from eclipse when I don't have VM arguments in my project

Question

I have written a javaFX windows application that runs great from within eclipse. I'd like to deploy it so that it can be executed on other windows computers. I have exported it as a runnable jar file. However, when I try to execute it, I get an Exception in application start method.

All the information I see online says I need to copy the VM Arguments from the project's run configurations. However, my VM Arguments text box in my project is completely blank.

I'm using eclipse with e(fx)clipse plugin installed. My project execution environment is 'JavaSE-1.8 (jre1.8.0_161)'

Here is the output when I try to run my application:

java -jar my_exported_jar.jar
Exception in Application start method
java.lang.reflect.InvocationTargetException
        at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method)
        at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(NativeMethodAccessorImpl.java:62)
        at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:43)
        at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:498)
        at com.sun.javafx.application.LauncherImpl.launchApplicationWithArgs(LauncherImpl.java:389)
        at com.sun.javafx.application.LauncherImpl.launchApplication(LauncherImpl.java:328)
        at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method)
        at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(NativeMethodAccessorImpl.java:62)
        at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:43)
        at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:498)
        at sun.launcher.LauncherHelper$FXHelper.main(LauncherHelper.java:767)
Caused by: java.lang.RuntimeException: Exception in Application start method
        at com.sun.javafx.application.LauncherImpl.launchApplication1(LauncherImpl.java:917)
        at com.sun.javafx.application.LauncherImpl.lambda$launchApplication$155(LauncherImpl.java:182)
        at java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:748)
Caused by: java.lang.IllegalStateException: Location is not set.
        at javafx.fxml.FXMLLoader.loadImpl(FXMLLoader.java:2434)
        at javafx.fxml.FXMLLoader.load(FXMLLoader.java:2409)
        at com.st.myst25app.MainApp.initStage(MainApp.java:52)
        at com.st.myst25app.MainApp.start(MainApp.java:36)
        at com.sun.javafx.application.LauncherImpl.lambda$launchApplication1$162(LauncherImpl.java:863)
        at com.sun.javafx.application.PlatformImpl.lambda$runAndWait$175(PlatformImpl.java:326)
        at com.sun.javafx.application.PlatformImpl.lambda$null$173(PlatformImpl.java:295)
        at java.security.AccessController.doPrivileged(Native Method)
        at com.sun.javafx.application.PlatformImpl.lambda$runLater$174(PlatformImpl.java:294)
        at com.sun.glass.ui.InvokeLaterDispatcher$Future.run(InvokeLaterDispatcher.java:95)
        at com.sun.glass.ui.win.WinApplication._runLoop(Native Method)
        at com.sun.glass.ui.win.WinApplication.lambda$null$148(WinApplication.java:191)
        ... 1 more
Exception running application com.st.myst25app.MainApp

Answer 1

I figured it out! Here are the lines of code where I was instantiating my FXMLLoader

FXMLLoader loader = new FXMLLoader();
loader.setLocation(MainApp.class.getResource("view/myfxml.fxml"));

I changed it to a full path from the root of my application and it worked:

FXMLLoader loader = new FXMLLoader();
loader.setLocation(MainApp.class.getResource("/src/path/to/view/myfxml.fxml"));