How to copy all maven dependencies when packaging using assembly file? - maven

Question

I have a project A that has some dependencies in its POM.
A has a parent project B and a grand-parent project C.
When packaging A, using an assembly file, I'd like to put all necessary dependencies for A inside a directory in the packaged project.
Currently the I can only package the dependencies that are in A's POM.
I didn't find a way to package B's and C's dependencies that are necessary to A.
Do you know how I could do that?
Here's the assembly XML:
<assembly xmlns="http://maven.apache.org/plugins/maven-assembly-plugin /assembly/1.1.2"
xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
xsi:schemaLocation="http://maven.apache.org/plugins/maven-assembly-plugin/assembly/1.1.2 http://maven.apache.org/xsd/assembly-1.1.2.xsd">
<id>bundle</id>
<formats>
<format>zip</format>
</formats>
<includeBaseDirectory>false</includeBaseDirectory>
<dependencySets>
<dependencySet>
<!--Include runtime dependencies-->
<outputDirectory>${ser.depdir}</outputDirectory>
<scope>runtime</scope>
</dependencySet>
</dependencySets>
<fileSets>
<fileSet>
<!--Get the generated application jar-->
<directory>${project.build.directory}</directory>
<outputDirectory></outputDirectory>
<includes>
<include>*.jar</include>
</includes>
</fileSet>
<fileSet>
<!--Get application resources-->
<directory>src/main/resources</directory>
<outputDirectory>conf</outputDirectory>
<includes>
<include>*.properties</include>
<include>*.sh</include>
<include>log4j2.xml</include>
</includes>
</fileSet>
<fileSet>
<!--Get misc user files-->
<directory>${project.basedir}</directory>
<outputDirectory>/</outputDirectory>
<includes>
<include>README*</include>
<include>LICENSE*</include>
<include>NOTICE*</include>
</includes>
</fileSet>
</fileSets>
</assembly>
And A's POM:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<project xmlns="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
xsi:schemaLocation="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0 http://maven.apache.org/xsd/maven-4.0.0.xsd">
<modelVersion>4.0.0</modelVersion>
<parent>
<groupId>group</groupId>
<artifactId>ser</artifactId>
<version>1.0.6-SNAPSHOT</version>
</parent>
<artifactId>ser-art</artifactId>
<name>SER ART</name>
<description>desc</description>
<properties>
<ser.depdir>${project.artifactId}-dependencies</ser.depdir>
</properties>
<build>
<testResources>
<testResource>
<directory>src/test/resources</directory>
</testResource>
<testResource>
<directory>../config/test</directory>
</testResource>
</testResources>
<plugins>
<plugin>
<groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
<artifactId>maven-jar-plugin</artifactId>
<version>2.4</version>
<configuration>
<archive>
<manifest>
<mainClass>mainClass</mainClass>
<addClasspath>true</addClasspath>
<classpathPrefix>${ser.depdir}/</classpathPrefix>
</manifest>
<manifestEntries>
<Class-Path>./conf/</Class-Path>
</manifestEntries>
</archive>
<excludes>
<exclude>*.properties</exclude>
<exclude>*.sh</exclude>
<exclude>log4j2.xml</exclude>
</excludes>
</configuration>
</plugin>
<plugin>
<artifactId>maven-assembly-plugin</artifactId>
<version>2.4</version>
<configuration>
<appendAssemblyId>false</appendAssemblyId>
<descriptors>
<descriptor>${basedir}/src/main/assembly.xml</descriptor>
</descriptors>
</configuration>
<executions>
<execution>
<phase>package</phase>
<goals>
<goal>single</goal>
</goals>
</execution>
</executions>
</plugin>
<plugin>
<groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
<artifactId>maven-dependency-plugin</artifactId>
<version>2.8</version>
<executions>
<execution>
<id>copy-dependencies</id>
<phase>package</phase>
<goals>
<goal>copy-dependencies</goal>
</goals>
<configuration>
<outputDirectory>${project.build.directory}/${ser.depdir}</outputDirectory>
<includeScope>runtime</includeScope>
<overWriteReleases>false</overWriteReleases>
<overWriteSnapshots>false</overWriteSnapshots>
<overWriteIfNewer>true</overWriteIfNewer>
</configuration>
</execution>
</executions>
</plugin>
</plugins>
</build>
<dependencies>
<dependency>
<groupId>group</groupId>
<artifactId>ser-commons</artifactId>
<version>1.0.6-SNAPSHOT</version>
</dependency>
<dependency>
<groupId>group</groupId>
<artifactId>utilities-lib</artifactId>
<version>1.0.6-SNAPSHOT</version>
</dependency>
<dependency>
<groupId>org.springframework</groupId>
<artifactId>spring-test</artifactId>
<version>${spring.version}</version>
<scope>test</scope>
</dependency>
<dependency>
<groupId>commons-dbcp</groupId>
<artifactId>commons-dbcp</artifactId>
<version>1.2.2</version>
<scope>test</scope>
</dependency>
</dependencies>
</project>

Answer 1

A workaround from top of my head could be that you use "maven dependency plugin" copy phase to copy everything to a certain dir and then using "fileset" descriptor of assembly pluging. But this will make your pom look dirty.
I have not tried but assembly plugin supports the packaging of transitive dependency. That is the correct solution in your case.