OptaPlanner 7.21.0 can't be executed from a jar file - a directory dataDir error

Question

I am trying to create my executable jar as I have completed my application and want to export it to other machines. I am however getting the error indicated. Any suggestions?

I have tried Jar with dependencies and shade as per the POM

<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>
    <groupId>org.optaplanner.examples.nurserostering</groupId>
    <artifactId>NurseRostering</artifactId>
    <version>0.0.1-SNAPSHOT</version>
    <name>Staff Rostering</name>
    <dependencies>
        <!-- https://mvnrepository.com/artifact/mysql/mysql-connector-java -->
        <!-- https://mvnrepository.com/artifact/org.eclipse.platform/org.eclipse.swt -->
        <dependency>
            <groupId>org.optaplanner</groupId>
            <artifactId>optaplanner-core</artifactId>
            <version>7.21.0.Final</version>
        </dependency>
        <dependency>
            <groupId>com.mchange</groupId>
            <artifactId>mchange-commons-java</artifactId>
            <version>0.2.11</version>
        </dependency>
        <dependency>
            <groupId>com.thoughtworks.xstream</groupId>
            <artifactId>xstream</artifactId>
            <version>1.4.10</version>
        </dependency> <!-- Internal dependencies -->
        <dependency>
            <groupId>org.optaplanner</groupId>
            <artifactId>optaplanner-persistence-common</artifactId>
            <version>7.21.0.Final</version>
        </dependency>
        <dependency><!-- Most examples use the XStream integration -->
            <groupId>org.optaplanner</groupId>
            <artifactId>optaplanner-persistence-xstream</artifactId>
            <version>7.21.0.Final</version>
        </dependency>
        <dependency><!-- TODO add examples that use the JAXB integration -->
            <groupId>org.optaplanner</groupId>
            <artifactId>optaplanner-persistence-jaxb</artifactId>
            <version>7.21.0.Final</version>
        </dependency>
        <dependency><!-- TODO add examples that use the jackson integration -->
            <groupId>org.optaplanner</groupId>
            <artifactId>optaplanner-persistence-jackson</artifactId>
            <version>7.21.0.Final</version>
        </dependency>
        <dependency>
            <groupId>org.optaplanner</groupId>
            <artifactId>optaplanner-benchmark</artifactId>
            <version>7.21.0.Final</version>
        </dependency>
        <dependency>
            <groupId>org.optaplanner</groupId>
            <artifactId>optaplanner-test</artifactId>
            <scope>test</scope>
            <version>7.21.0.Final</version>
        </dependency>
        <dependency>
            <groupId>org.kie</groupId>
            <artifactId>kie-api</artifactId>
            <version>7.21.0.Final</version>
        </dependency>
        <dependency>
            <groupId>org.drools</groupId>
            <artifactId>drools-decisiontables</artifactId>
            <scope>runtime</scope>
            <version>7.21.0.Final</version>
        </dependency>
        <!-- External dependencies -->
        <dependency>
            <groupId>commons-io</groupId>
            <artifactId>commons-io</artifactId>
            <version>2.5</version>
        </dependency>
        <dependency>
            <groupId>org.jfree</groupId>
            <artifactId>jfreechart</artifactId>
            <version>1.0.19</version>
        </dependency>
        <dependency>
            <groupId>org.jfree</groupId>
            <artifactId>jcommon</artifactId>
            <version>1.0.23</version>
        </dependency>
        <!-- Common utils -->
        <dependency>
            <groupId>org.apache.commons</groupId>
            <artifactId>commons-lang3</artifactId>
            <version>3.4</version>
        </dependency>
        <dependency>
            <groupId>com.google.guava</groupId>
            <artifactId>guava</artifactId>
            <version>20.0</version>
        </dependency>
        <!-- Logging -->
        <dependency>
            <groupId>org.slf4j</groupId>
            <artifactId>slf4j-api</artifactId>
            <version>1.7.25</version>
        </dependency>
        <dependency>
            <groupId>ch.qos.logback</groupId>
            <artifactId>logback-classic</artifactId>
            <scope>runtime</scope>
            <version>1.1.3</version>
        </dependency>


        <!-- Examples only dependencies. -->
        <!-- WARNING: every examples only dependency must be properly dealt with 
            in optaplanner-distribution/src/main/assembly/assembly-optaplanner.xml -->
        <!-- Converters -->
        <dependency>
            <groupId>org.jdom</groupId>
            <artifactId>jdom</artifactId>
            <version>1.1.3</version>
        </dependency>
        <dependency>
            <groupId>org.apache.poi</groupId>
            <artifactId>poi</artifactId>
            <version>3.15</version>
        </dependency>
        <dependency>
            <groupId>org.apache.poi</groupId>
            <artifactId>poi-ooxml</artifactId>
            <version>3.15</version>

        </dependency>
        <dependency>
            <groupId>javax.persistence</groupId>
            <artifactId>javax.persistence-api</artifactId>
            <version>2.2</version>
        </dependency>
        <dependency>
            <groupId>org.apache.maven</groupId>
            <artifactId>maven-core</artifactId>
            <version>3.6.0</version>
        </dependency>
        <dependency>
            <groupId>com.sun.xml.bind</groupId>
            <artifactId>jaxb-impl</artifactId>
            <version>2.4.0-b180830.0438</version>
        </dependency>
        <dependency>
            <groupId>mysql</groupId>
            <artifactId>mysql-connector-java</artifactId>
            <version>5.1.24</version>
        </dependency>
        <dependency>
            <groupId>c3p0</groupId>
            <artifactId>c3p0</artifactId>
            <version>0.9.1.2</version>
        </dependency>
        <dependency>
            <groupId>org.kordamp.ikonli</groupId>
            <artifactId>ikonli-javafx</artifactId>
            <version>11.3.4</version>
        </dependency>
        <dependency>
            <groupId>org.openjfx</groupId>
            <artifactId>javafx-controls</artifactId>
            <version>13-ea+9</version>
        </dependency>
        <dependency>
            <groupId>org.openjfx</groupId>
            <artifactId>javafx-fxml</artifactId>
            <version>13-ea+9</version>
        </dependency>
        <dependency>
            <groupId>org.openjfx</groupId>
            <artifactId>javafx-graphics</artifactId>
            <version>13-ea+9</version>
        </dependency>
        <dependency>
            <groupId>org.kordamp.ikonli</groupId>
            <artifactId>ikonli-fontawesome-pack</artifactId>
            <version>11.3.4</version>
        </dependency>
        <dependency>
            <groupId>org.kordamp.ikonli</groupId>
            <artifactId>ikonli-core</artifactId>
            <version>11.3.4</version>
        </dependency>
        <dependency>
            <groupId>org.hibernate</groupId>
            <artifactId>hibernate-core</artifactId>
            <version>5.4.3.Final</version>
        </dependency>
        <dependency>
            <groupId>org.openjfx</groupId>
            <artifactId>javafx-base</artifactId>
            <version>13-ea+9</version>
        </dependency>
        <dependency>
            <groupId>org.kordamp.ikonli</groupId>
            <artifactId>ikonli-octicons-pack</artifactId>
            <version>11.3.4</version>
        </dependency>
        <dependency>
            <groupId>org.kordamp.ikonli</groupId>
            <artifactId>ikonli-fontelico-pack</artifactId>
            <version>11.3.4</version>
        </dependency>
        <dependency>
            <groupId>org.kordamp.ikonli</groupId>
            <artifactId>ikonli-ionicons-pack</artifactId>
            <version>11.3.4</version>
        </dependency>
        <dependency>
            <groupId>org.kordamp.ikonli</groupId>
            <artifactId>ikonli-ionicons4-pack</artifactId>
            <version>11.3.4</version>
        </dependency>
        <dependency>
            <groupId>org.kordamp.ikonli</groupId>
            <artifactId>ikonli-entypo-pack</artifactId>
            <version>11.3.4</version>
        </dependency>
        <dependency>
            <groupId>org.kordamp.ikonli</groupId>
            <artifactId>ikonli-themify-pack</artifactId>
            <version>11.3.4</version>
        </dependency>
        <dependency>
            <groupId>org.kordamp.ikonli</groupId>
            <artifactId>ikonli-materialdesign-pack</artifactId>
            <version>11.3.4</version>
        </dependency>
        <dependency>
            <groupId>org.kordamp.ikonli</groupId>
            <artifactId>ikonli-foundation-pack</artifactId>
            <version>11.3.4</version>
        </dependency>
    </dependencies>
    <build>
        <plugins>
            <plugin>
                <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
                <artifactId>maven-shade-plugin</artifactId>
                <version>3.2.0</version>
                <executions>
                    <!-- Run shade goal on package phase -->
                    <execution>
                        <phase>package</phase>
                        <goals>
                            <goal>shade</goal>
                        </goals>
                        <configuration>
                            <transformers>
                                <!-- add Main-Class to manifest file -->
                                <transformer
                                    implementation="org.apache.maven.plugins.shade.resource.ManifestResourceTransformer">
                                    <mainClass>org.optaplanner.examples.nurserostering.app.NurseRosteringApp</mainClass>

                                    <!-- -Dlog4j.configurationFile=../properties/idStrikeSolver-log4j.properties 
                                        -Duser.timezone="UTC" -->
                                </transformer>
                                <transformer
                                    implementation="org.apache.maven.plugins.shade.resource.AppendingTransformer">
                                    <resource>META-INF/kie.conf</resource>
                                </transformer>
                            </transformers>
                        </configuration>
                    </execution>
                </executions>
            </plugin>
            <plugin>
                <artifactId>maven-compiler-plugin</artifactId>
                <version>3.8.1</version>
                <configuration>
                    <source>1.8</source>
                    <target>1.8</target>
                </configuration>
            </plugin>
        </plugins>
    </build>
</project>

Exception:

Exception in thread "main" java.lang.IllegalStateException: The directory dataDir (/home/rodney/Desktop/data/nurserostering) does not exist.
 Either the working directory should be set to the directory that contains the data directory (which is not the data directory itself), or the system property org.optaplanner.examples.dataDir should be set properly.
 The data directory is different in a git clone (optaplanner/optaplanner-examples/data) and in a release zip (examples/sources/data).
 In an IDE (IntelliJ, Eclipse, NetBeans), open the "Run configuration" to change "Working directory" (or add the system property in "VM options").
    at org.optaplanner.examples.common.app.CommonApp.determineDataDir(CommonApp.java:52)
    at org.optaplanner.examples.common.app.CommonApp.createSolutionBusiness(CommonApp.java:127)
    at org.optaplanner.examples.common.app.CommonApp.init(CommonApp.java:117)
    at org.optaplanner.examples.common.app.CommonApp.init(CommonApp.java:113)
    at org.optaplanner.examples.nurserostering.app.NurseRosteringApp.main(NurseRosteringApp.java:41)

Answer 1

Let me answer this question by copy pasting the question :)

... The directory dataDir (/home/rodney/Desktop/data/nurserostering) does not exist. Either the working directory should be set to the directory that contains the data directory (which is not the data directory itself) or ... The data directory is different in a git clone (optaplanner/optaplanner-examples/data) and in a release zip (examples/sources/data). In an IDE (IntelliJ, Eclipse, NetBeans), open the "Run configuration" to change "Working directory" ...