Exclude Specific file from Dependency Jar

Question

I have an issue where I need to exclude a specific file from a JAR, but cannot exclude the JAR altogether.

I have this JAR:

    <dependency>
        <groupId>org.acme.idm</groupId>
        <artifactId>idm-browser</artifactId>
    </dependency>

Adn this JAR contains (among other things) a file that must be excluded called:

real/form.ftl

I did some digging, and it looks like the Apache Shade plugin might work.

I tried using the Shade plugin with this configuration:

        <plugin>
            <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
            <artifactId>maven-shade-plugin</artifactId>
            <version>3.3.0</version>
            <executions>
                <execution>
                    <phase>package</phase>
                    <goals>
                        <goal>shade</goal>
                    </goals>
                    <configuration>
                        <filters>
                            <filter>
                                <artifact>org.acme.idm:idm-browser</artifact>
                                <excludes>
                                    <exclude>real/form.ftl</exclude>
                                </excludes>
                            </filter>
                        </filters>
                    </configuration>
                </execution>
            </executions>
        </plugin>

However, it does not exclude the file, and during the "mvn clean install", I get this message:

[INFO] --- shade:3.3.0:shade (default) @ artexch-ui ---
[INFO] No artifact matching filter org.acme.idm:idm-browser
[INFO] Replacing original artifact with shaded artifact.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how I can proceed?

Answer 1

To exclude files you have to define the filters configuration like that:

  <plugin>
    <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
    <artifactId>maven-shade-plugin</artifactId>
    <executions>
      <execution>
        <goals>
          <goal>shade</goal>
        </goals>
        <configuration>
          <filters>
            <filter>
              <artifact>*:*</artifact>
              <excludes>
                <exclude>META-INF/MANIFEST.MF</exclude>
                <exclude>META-INF/*.SF</exclude>
                <exclude>META-INF/*.DSA</exclude>
                <exclude>META-INF/*.RSA</exclude>
              </excludes>
            </filter>
          </filters>
          ...
        </configuration>
      </execution>
    </executions>
  </plugin>

In the filters there are given excludes for files in META-INF directory but of course you can define other things...