BeastLauncher

A flexible, generic launcher for BEAST2-based applications that ensures proper package initialization.

Overview

BeastLauncher extends the standard BEAST2 launcher to provide a configurable entry point for running any BEAST2-based application. It ensures proper initialization of the BEAST2 environment, including package management, before launching the specified main class.

The main benefits are:

• Proper initialization of BEAST2 packages
• Setting of important environment variables and system properties
• Configurable main class through command-line arguments
• Seamless integration with the BEAST2 ecosystem

Usage

Basic Usage

./beast-generic --main your.package.MainClass [other args]

If no main class is specified, it defaults to the standard BEAST2 main class (beastfx.app.beast.BeastMain).

Example: Running Beast2Lang

./beast-generic --main org.beast2.modelLanguage.Beast2Lang -i model.b2l -o model.xml

Example: Running Standard BEAST2

./beast-generic input.xml

Building from Source

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone https://github.com/your-username/beastlauncher.git
   cd beastlauncher
   

2. Build using Maven:

   mvn clean package
   

3. The compiled JAR and executable script will be in the target directory:

   cd target
   ./beast-generic --help
   

Requirements

• Java 11 or later
• BEAST 2.7.x installation (or will use bundled dependencies)
• Maven (for building from source)

Project Structure

• src/main/java/beast/app/launcher/BeastGenericLauncher.java: The main launcher class
• beast-generic: Shell script to run the launcher
• pom.xml: Maven configuration file

License

This project is licensed under the same license as BEAST2 (LGPL v3).

Acknowledgments

BeastLauncher extends the original BeastLauncher class from the BEAST2 project.