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Java Web Start Related Installation Problems

  1. When using my browser to check the JWS installation, the Java Web Start Demo Application does not appear on the screen.

    Normally when using Mozilla, Mozilla Firefox or Internet Explorer on Windows your browser should have been setup for you already. However, when the demo does not appear your browser may need to be (re-)configured to use Java Web Start.

    For most browsers this is done by setting up the preferences. In the browser's preferences menu this may be called ``File Associations'' or ``Helper Applications'', or something similar. The general idea is that files with the extension .jnlp (Java Web Start application descriptors) should be handled by the Java Application Cache Viewer, which is started by the binary javaws .

    Assuming you are on Linux and have chosen the installation path
    /usr/java/jre1.6.0_05/javaws/

    The following browser configuration setting may be needed to indicate that .jnlp files should be invoked using the helper application ``javaws''.

                MIME type                application/x-java-jnlp-file            Description                JNLP File (Java Web Start)            Extension                jnlp            Application                javaws

    Note that if you have installed JRE 6.0 yourself in your own space then the binaries for it may not be in your path. In this case you will need to specify the full path in the browser configuration in place of just the name ``javaws''. You will normally find it under the jre directory, for instance something like:

                ...somedirectory.../jre1.6.0_05/jre/javaws/javaws
    or
                ...somedirectory.../jre1.6.0_05/javaws/javaws

    Java Web Start may also ask about your ``proxy''. This has to do with how you are connected to the Internet. It is likely that you will simply be able to hit ``OK'' and carry on. If you encounter problems and do not understand proxies then you may need to get your local IT support to help with this setting.

  2. Disk space problems Java Web Start caches downloaded programs locally. For the ALMA Observing Tool, this will require some 115 MB of space on your hard disk. In case you run out of disk space or exceed your disk quota, you can change the location of the cache in the Java Control Panel in $->$ General $->$ Temporary Internet Files $->$ Settings... $->$ Location field.

  3. Other Web Start Problems Please go to the Java Web Start FAQ provided by Sun. The URL is http://java.sun.com/javase/6/docs/technotes/guides/javaws/developersguide/faq.html

  4. OT is on screen but I'm permanently seeing dialog boxes saying "your current look-and-feel caused an error" First try switching to a different Look-And-Feel in $->$ Options Appearance. If that doesn't help, you're probably running a buggy version of Java. Please update your Java installation.

  5. OT is on screen but I'm seeing "text" or "nothing" in the subwindows of the OT Your configuration files have probably been corrupted by a non-graceful shutdown of the OT. Delete the folder .almaot in your home directory, then retry.

  6. The Observing Tool doesn't come up If the startup fails, or the application freezes with the Splashscreen showing, please try these - ascendingly dramatic - options:
    1. Delete the folder .almaot in your home directory, then retry.
    2. Delete the folder .almaot in your home directory. Open the Cache Viewer, select the Observing Tool and press the Remove Selected Application button. By doing so, you have completely uninstalled the OT from your machine. Now reinstall it as described above.

  7. Problems with copy/paste SB (Mac only) If you have a Mac and are running the OT there may be a problem with copy/paste of SB, when running the OT on a ssh -x (and not NoMachine).

    The solution is to go into the X11 preferences, then tab 'Pasteboard', then uncheck 'Update Pasteboard when CLIPBOARD changes', then restart X11.


next up previous contents index
Next: Tarball Related Installation Problems Up: Troubleshooting Previous: General Installation Problems   Contents   Index
The ALMA OT Team, 2011 May 20