Support direct exec with proper env set

diff --git a/archlinux-java-run.sh b/archlinux-java-run.sh
index 10c0f6f..22aab76 100755
--- a/archlinux-java-run.sh
+++ b/archlinux-java-run.sh
@@ -36,8 +36,8 @@ function print_usage {
 USAGE:
   archlinux-java-run [-a|--min MIN] [-b|--max MAX] [-p|--package PKG]
                      [-f|--feature FEATURE] [-h|--help] [-v|--verbose]
-                     [-d|--dry-run] [-j|--java-home]
-                     -- JAVA_ARGS
+                     [-d|--dry-run] [-j|--java-home] [-e|--exec]
+                     -- <JAVA_ARGS | EXEC_ARGS>
 
 EOF
 }
@@ -191,6 +191,23 @@ function generate_candiates {
   echo "$list" | xargs
 }
 
+function env_switch_java_home() {
+  quote_args
+
+  if [ $dryrun -eq 1 ]; then
+    echo "DRY-RUN - Generated command: env JAVA_HOME=/usr/lib/jvm/${ver} PATH=/usr/lib/jvm/${ver}/bin:\$PATH exec ${quoted_java_args[*]}"
+    exit 0
+  fi
+
+  if [ $verbose -eq 1 ]; then
+    echo_stderr "Executing command: JAVA_HOME=/usr/lib/jvm/${ver} PATH=/usr/lib/jvm/${ver}/bin:\$PATH exec ${quoted_java_args[*]}"
+  fi
+
+  export JAVA_HOME="/usr/lib/jvm/${ver}"
+  export PATH="/usr/lib/jvm/${ver}/bin:$PATH"
+  exec "${java_args[@]}"
+}
+
 function test_javafx_support() {
   if [ "$major" -lt 9 ]; then
     testcmd="/usr/lib/jvm/${ver}/bin/java -jar ${JAVADIR}/archlinux-java-run/TestJavaFX.jar"
@@ -243,6 +260,7 @@ for arg; do
     --min)       args+=( -a ) ;;
     --max)       args+=( -b ) ;;
     --help)      args+=( -h ) ;;
+    --exec)      args+=( -e ) ;;
     --package)   args+=( -p ) ;;
     --feature)   args+=( -f ) ;;
     --verbose)   args+=( -v ) ;;
@@ -256,6 +274,7 @@ features=( )
 java_args=( )
 quoted_java_args=( )
 verbose=0
+exec=0
 dryrun=0
 javahome=0
 args_parsed=0
@@ -307,6 +326,8 @@ while :; do
         ;;
     -j) javahome=1
         ;;
+    -e) exec=1
+        ;;
     --) args_parsed=1
         ;;
     '') break
@@ -353,6 +374,11 @@ for ver in $candidates; do
     exit 0
   fi
 
+  if [ $exec -eq 1 ]; then
+    env_switch_java_home
+    exit 0
+  fi
+
   for ft in "${features[@]}"; do
     case "$ft" in
     javafx)

Hi! Is there a specific reason you posted this change as an issue instead of a pull request?

Didn't want to create yet another fork that I might delete after the PR gets merged...

It'd be great if github could create PR's from email (like source hut)

or, I can paste git-am'able patch if you want...

(actually I'm trying to convince myself that gerrit is a good idea, sent a few patches via gerrit so... /s)

A patch file would be great. That way, there is a commit description and it states you as the author.

Some questions on the change itself:

The default behavior of archlinux-java-run is to use exec to call Java. So it seems to me that the main addition of the newly added env_switch_java_home function is to set $JAVA_HOME and $PATH before doing the exec. Is that right? If so, exec seems not the most descriptive command line flag to trigger this behavior.
Is it deliberate to call env_switch_java_home before the loop that adds feature-specific Java args?

As this executes arbitrary executable, instead of $JAVA_HOME/bin/java, I think it should be called before feature-specific java args...

I'll primarily use it to spawn a shell with non-default jdk to make gradle run without freaking out...

like this archlinux-java-run -b 11 -f jdk -e -- bash -i

or this flow will be better?

diff --git a/archlinux-java-run.sh b/archlinux-java-run.sh
index 10c0f6f..d3343b6 100755
--- a/archlinux-java-run.sh
+++ b/archlinux-java-run.sh
@@ -36,8 +36,8 @@ function print_usage {
 USAGE:
   archlinux-java-run [-a|--min MIN] [-b|--max MAX] [-p|--package PKG]
                      [-f|--feature FEATURE] [-h|--help] [-v|--verbose]
-                     [-d|--dry-run] [-j|--java-home]
-                     -- JAVA_ARGS
+                     [-d|--dry-run] [-j|--java-home] [-e|--exec]
+                     -- <JAVA_ARGS | EXEC_ARGS>
 
 EOF
 }
@@ -243,6 +243,7 @@ for arg; do
     --min)       args+=( -a ) ;;
     --max)       args+=( -b ) ;;
     --help)      args+=( -h ) ;;
+    --exec)      args+=( -e ) ;;
     --package)   args+=( -p ) ;;
     --feature)   args+=( -f ) ;;
     --verbose)   args+=( -v ) ;;
@@ -256,6 +257,7 @@ features=( )
 java_args=( )
 quoted_java_args=( )
 verbose=0
+exec=0
 dryrun=0
 javahome=0
 args_parsed=0
@@ -307,6 +309,8 @@ while :; do
         ;;
     -j) javahome=1
         ;;
+    -e) exec=1
+        ;;
     --) args_parsed=1
         ;;
     '') break
@@ -353,31 +357,36 @@ for ver in $candidates; do
     exit 0
   fi
 
-  for ft in "${features[@]}"; do
-    case "$ft" in
-    javafx)
-      if [ "$major" -gt 8 ]; then
-        echo_stderr "Modifying java arguments to support system installation of JavaFX"
-        additional_mpath=$(eval echo "/usr/lib/jvm/{${ver},java-${major}-openjfx}/lib/{javafx.base,javafx.controls,javafx.fxml,javafx.graphics,javafx.media,javafx.swing,javafx.web,javafx-swt}.jar" | tr ' ' :)
-        extend_java_args module-path "$additional_mpath" ':'
-        extend_java_args add-modules "$JAVAFX_MODULES" ','
-      fi
-      ;;
-    esac
-  done
+  if [ $exec -eq 0 ]; then
+    for ft in "${features[@]}"; do
+      case "$ft" in
+      javafx)
+        if [ "$major" -gt 8 ]; then
+          echo_stderr "Modifying java arguments to support system installation of JavaFX"
+          additional_mpath=$(eval echo "/usr/lib/jvm/{${ver},java-${major}-openjfx}/lib/{javafx.base,javafx.controls,javafx.fxml,javafx.graphics,javafx.media,javafx.swing,javafx.web,javafx-swt}.jar" | tr ' ' :)
+          extend_java_args module-path "$additional_mpath" ':'
+          extend_java_args add-modules "$JAVAFX_MODULES" ','
+        fi
+        ;;
+      esac
+    done
+    java_args=("/usr/lib/jvm/${ver}/bin/java" "${java_args[@]}")
+  else
+    java_args=("env" "JAVA_HOME=/usr/lib/jvm/${ver}" "PATH=/usr/lib/jvm/${ver}/bin:$PATH" "${java_args[@]}")
+  fi
 
   quote_args
 
   if [ $dryrun -eq 1 ]; then
-    echo "DRY-RUN - Generated command: /usr/lib/jvm/${ver}/bin/java ${quoted_java_args[*]}"
+    echo "DRY-RUN - Generated command: ${quoted_java_args[*]}"
     exit 0
   fi
 
   if [ $verbose -eq 1 ]; then
-    echo_stderr "Executing command: /usr/lib/jvm/${ver}/bin/java ${quoted_java_args[*]}"
+    echo_stderr "Executing command: ${quoted_java_args[*]}"
   fi
 
-  exec /usr/lib/jvm/"$ver"/bin/java "${java_args[@]}"
+  exec "${java_args[@]}"
 
 done

I tried minimizing line changes in the first patch...

Ah, I missed that. OK, that is indeed a use case that I already needed in a package and implemented directly in the package. But having it in here does make sense.

Both versions are fine. I think I prefer the first one as it has less deep nesting. Could you post a git am patch?

0001-Add-exec-flag-to-run-commands-with-selected-JVM.patch

Thanks for your contribution! I will likely release this as v12 soon (see #12)

The change has been merged by now. v12 including this addition will be released within the next couple of minutes. Thanks again for your contribution!

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Support direct exec with proper env set #11

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michaellass commented on Feb 14, 2026

ahmubashshir commented on Feb 14, 2026

michaellass commented on Feb 14, 2026

ahmubashshir commented on Feb 14, 2026

ahmubashshir commented on Feb 14, 2026

michaellass commented on Feb 14, 2026

ahmubashshir commented on Feb 14, 2026

michaellass commented on Feb 14, 2026

michaellass commented on Feb 20, 2026

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