Release Notes

Contents

• » Introduction
• » Installing the RTE
• » Using the Run Time Environment
• » Using the Plug-in
  • » Installing and Running Mozilla and the Plug-In
  • » Placing Plug-ins
  • » The Plug-in Control Panel
• » Redistributing the RTE
• » Bundling the RTE
• » Problem Reporting

Introduction

Thank you for downloading Run Time Environment (RTE) v 1.4.2-7 for the OpenVMS Alpha Operating System for the Java™ Platform (hereafter called the RTE). The RTE comprises the Java virtual machine, the Java platform core classes, and supporting files. It is the runtime part of Software Development Kit (SDK) v 1.4.2 for the OpenVMS Alpha Operating System for the Java Platform (hereafter called the SDK), but without the development tools such as compilers and debuggers. The RTE contains Plug-in software that enables Mozilla® (minimum version 1.1) to use the RTE to run Java applets. These Release Notes provide installation instructions for the RTE and information that may be useful for developers who want to redistribute the RTE with their software. Also, note that the Fast Virtual Machine (Fast VM) is included with the RTE kit. After installing the RTE, you select either the Fast VM or the classic VM as your virtual machine, as described in Using the Run Time Environment. For more information about this release, refer to the SDK v 1.4.2-7 Release Notes and the SDK v 1.4.x User Guide.

IMPORTANT: Please make sure you understand the Copyright (copyright.html, installed file) and License (license.html, installed file) information before using this release. On OpenVMS, the Java virtual machine has a minimum required value for PGFLQUOTA of 196608 blocks (96 MB). Please see section Setting Process Quotas for Better Performance on OpenVMS in the SDK User Guide for more information.

Installing the RTE

To install and use this kit on OpenVMS systems, you must first download and install the operating system patches. See the product page on the Web site for more information.

HP suggests that the RTE be installed in its own subdirectory (referred in Figure 1 as <JRE_RUNTIME_BASE>). This allows you to update the RTE independently of updates to your application, and vice versa.

Figure 1: Sample RTE Installation

  
              <APP-DIR>
                  |
 +---------+------+---------------------+
 |         |                            |
BIN       LIB                   <JRE_RUNTIME_BASE>
           |                            |
     APPLICATION.JAR         +----------+--------+-------+
                             |          |        |       |       
                            BIN        LIB    PLUGIN    DOC

                                   Supplied by HP

The files that make up the RTE are bundled into two OpenVMS BACKUP save sets:

JRE-V142-7_A.SAV
JRE-V142-7_A.SAV is a REQUIRED subset of files (approximately 107,000 blocks). Your licensing agreement requires that if you redistribute any part of the RTE, you must redistribute this set of files in its entirety. If you do not distribute all files, the RTE and your application may not work. To obtain a detailed list of the files in this save set, use the following command:

$ BACKUP/LIST JRE-V142-7_A.SAV/SAVE_SET

Note: The Fast VM files are included in this save set.

JRE-V142-7_B.SAV
The second save set, JRE-V142-7_B.SAV is an OPTIONAL subset of files (approximately 7,900 blocks). You may need some of these files to fully support your application in an international arena. This set does not need to be deployed in its entirety. Table 1 provides a detailed list of the files in this save set.

To download and unpack the REQUIRED and OPTIONAL save sets, do the following:

1. Download:
   Download DEC-AXPVMS-JRE-V0104-27-1.SAV_SFX_AXPEXE (approximately 57,000 blocks) from our web site. Execute this file to create the JRE-V142-7_A.SAV and JRE-V142-7_B.SAV save sets:

   $ RUN DEC-AXPVMS-JRE-V0104-27-1.SAV_SFX_AXPEXE

2. Unpack Save Sets:
   Unpack the JRE-V142-7_A.SAV and JRE-V142-7_B.SAV files into the appropriate subdirectories of your application. Continuing with the typical directory structure illlustrated in Figure 1, move the save sets into the [.JRE_RUNTIME_BASE] directory, then issue the following commands (edited to match your actual disk and directory names):

   $! Position yourself to the base directory for the RTE components
$ SET DEFAULT USER1$:[APP-DIR.JRE_RUNTIME_BASE]
$!
$! To unpack the JRE-V142-7_A.SAV save set,
$ BACKUP JRE-V142-7_A.SAV/SAVE [...]*.*
$!
$! To optionally unpack the JRE-V142-7_B.SAV save set,
$ BACKUP JRE-V142-7_B.SAV/SAVE [...]*.*


For information on bundling the RTE with application software for redistribution, refer to Bundling the RTE.

Table 1 lists the files in the optional save set, JRE-V142-7_B.SAV:

Table 1: Files in the Optional Save Set

Using the Run Time Environment

After installing the RTE, a number of symbols and logicals need to be set up to enable you to use the RTE. An RTE setup command file, JAVA$142_JRE_SETUP.COM, is deposited into the [.LIB] directory, resulting from restoring JRE-V142-7_A.SAV. You can select either the classic VM or Fast VM as your virtual machine using this command file. Run this command file as follows:

$ @USER1$:[APP-DIR.JRE_RUNTIME_BASE.LIB]JAVA$142_JRE_SETUP [FAST]

where USER1$:[APP-DIR.JRE_RUNTIME_BASE. denotes the actual disk and directory name where you installed the RTE. Use the parameter FAST to specify Fast VM; otherwise, the classic VM will be used.

The Java command-line tool can then be used to launch your Java application using the RTE.

Using the Plug-in

Plug-in v 1.4.2 enables users to run Java applets and JavaBeans™ components on web pages using the RTE as an alternative to using the default virtual machine for Java 2 that comes with the web browser. It is based on Java Plug-in 1.4.2 provided by Sun Microsystems and contains similar functionality.

For additional information on topics such as Java Plug-in Security, using signed applets, JNI and Java Plug-in, Using Java Plug-in in Intranet Environments, and How Proxy Configuration Works in Java Plug-in, see the Sun Microsystems Java Plug-in Technology web page.

Note: You must be running Mozilla® 1.1 or higher.

Installing and Running Mozilla and the Plug-in

To install Mozilla:

1. Download Mozilla.
2. Refer to Mozilla for OpenVMS Alpha Installation Guide and Release Notes to install Mozilla on your system.

To run Mozilla:

$ @sys$common:[mozilla]mozilla

Note: We strongly recommend that you run Mozilla as an interactive job as indicated above.

If you spawn it off as a subprocess

$ spawn/nowait @sys$common:[mozilla]mozilla

you will likely exhaust some resources if you attempt to use the plug-ins for anything non-trivial.

To enable the RTE within your browser:

1. Set preference:
   
Edit->Preferences
   Click on Advanced.
   Check button labeled Enable Java.
   
   
2. Exit Mozilla.
   
   
3. When both RTE v 1.4.2 and Mozilla have been installed, perform a one-time file copy to install the Plug-in:
   
   $ copy /prot=W:RE USER1$:[APP-DIR.JRE_RUNTIME_BASE.PLUGIN.ALPHA.NS610]LIBJAVAPLUGIN_OJI.SO - SYS$COMMON:[MOZILLA.PLUGINS]

Thereafter, you can set up for Java operation:
   
   $ @USER1$:[APP-DIR.JRE_RUNTIME_BASE.LIB]JAVA$142_JRE_SETUP.COM

where USER1$:[APP-DIR.JRE_RUNTIME_BASE. denotes the actual disk and directory name where you installed the RTE.
   
   
4. Then run Mozilla:
   
   $ @sys$common:[mozilla]mozilla
   
   Mozilla will notice that new plug-ins are available and will then initialize those plug-ins for the current invocation.

To verify that Mozilla has found the plug-ins refer to:

Help->About Plug-ins

Mozilla will display the plug-ins it has initialized.

Placing Plug-ins

As of Mozilla 1.1 and Secure Web Browser (SWB) 1.0, you can choose where to place plug-ins.

For system-wide usage, use the respective location in the Mozilla/SWB installation tree:

$ copy /PROT=W:RE -
USER1$:[APP-DIR.JRE_RUNTIME_BASE.PLUGIN.ALPHA.NS610]LIBJAVAPLUGIN_OJI.SO -
SYS$COMMON:[MOZILLA.PLUGINS]

$ copy /PROT=W:RE -
USER1$:[APP-DIR.JRE_RUNTIME_BASE.PLUGIN.ALPHA.NS610]LIBJAVAPLUGIN_OJI.SO -
SYS$COMMON:[CSWB.PLUGINS]

You can also use "private" plug-ins by creating a [.PLUGINS] directory in your _MOZILLA directory (which resides in SYS$LOGIN). For example:

USERS:[FLINTSTONE._MOZILLA.PLUGINS]

To use this "private" plug-ins area:

$ copy /PROT=W:RE -
USER1$:[APP-DIR.JRE_RUNTIME_BASE.PLUGIN.ALPHA.NS610]LIBJAVAPLUGIN_OJI.SO -
USERS:[FLINTSTONE._MOZILLA.PLUGINS]

Note that the public plug-in areas are distinct:

SYS$COMMON:[MOZILLA.PLUGINS]
SYS$COMMON:[CSWB.PLUGINS]

and affect only the indicated product.

However, the user-private area, e.g.,

USERS:[FLINTSTONE._MOZILLA.PLUGINS]

is shared by Mozilla and SWB.

Essentially, if you place a LIBJAVAPLUGIN_OJI.SO into USERS:[FLINTSTONE._MOZILLA.PLUGINS], it will be used by both Mozilla and SWB and override what is in both SYS$COMMON:[MOZILLA.PLUGINS] and SYS$COMMON:[CSWB.PLUGINS].

The Plug-in Control Panel

A Plug-in Control Panel lets you change Plug-in options such as proxies and enabling of the Java console window. It also allows you to switch the RTE version you want to run with your Plug-in. To run the Control Panel, enter the following command:

$ ControlPanel

Or you can use the Mozilla browser to visit the Control Panel applet page that was installed as 

USER1$:[APP-DIR.JRE_RUNTIME_BASE.DOC]ControlPanel.html

where USER1$:[APP-DIR.JRE_RUNTIME_BASE. denotes the actual disk and directory name where you installed the RTE. For example:

@sys$common:[mozilla]mozilla -
file:///USER1$/APP-DIR/JRE_RUNTIME_BASE/DOC/ControlPanel.html


where USER1$/APP-DIR/JRE_RUNTIME_BASE denotes your actual disk and directory name where you installed the RTE.

Please refer to Sun's Using the Java Plug-in Control Panel to Set Plug-in Behavior/Options web page for information about additional features and uses of the Java Plug-in Control Panel.

Redistributing the RTE

If you redistribute the RTE, you must follow the terms of the RTE Binary Code License agreement, which includes these terms:

• Do not arbitrarily subset the RTE. You may omit only the files in the JRE-V142-7_B.SAV optional subset.
• Include in your product's license the provisions called out in the RTE Binary Code License.

The following SDK files may be redistributed with the RTE:

• SYS$COMMON:[JAVA$142.BIN]JAVAC.
• SYS$COMMON:[JAVA$142.BIN]JAVA$JAVAC.EXE
• SYS$COMMON:[JAVA$142.LIB]TOOLS.JAR
  

These files include Java 2 SDK tools classes, including the classes for the javac compiler.

Bundling the RTE

For your end users to run your software, they'll need a Java runtime environment installed on their systems. The SDK contains a runtime environment, of course, so your customers could use that if they happen to have it installed. However, a better bet for most of your end users will be the RTE, for several reasons:

• The RTE is redistributable, unlike the SDK. The RTE Binary Code License agreement allows you to package it with your software. By distributing the RTE with your application, you can ensure that your customers will have the correct version of the runtime environment for running your software. In other words, your customers will be running the exact code you've tested.
  
  
• The RTE is smaller than the SDK. The RTE contains everything your users will need to run your software, but it leaves out the development tools, demo applets, and applications that are part of the SDK. Because the RTE is relatively small, it's easier for you to package with your software or for your users to download themselves from our web site.

Table 2 lists the notable differences between the RTE and the SDK:

Table 2: Notable Differences Between the RTE and the SDK

For more information on bundling an application in a Java Archive (JAR) file, refer to Packaging Your Application in a JAR File on Sun's site.

When bundling the RTE with application software on the OpenVMS Alpha platform, the following points should be considered:

1. Software vendors should bundle the RTE files and an installer with the Java software they supply to end-users. HP suggests that the RTE be installed in its own subdirectory (called <JRE_RUNTIME_BASE> in Figure 1). This allows you to update the RTE independently of updates to your application, and vice versa.
   
2. In addition to unpacking the files in the RTE, a number of symbols and logicals need to be set up to make your application run within the RTE. When you deploy your application, you will have to include your own .COM files that accomplish these setups. An RTE setup command file, JAVA$142_JRE_SETUP.COM, is deposited into the [.LIB] directory, resulting from restoring JRE-V142-7_A.SAV. This file contains the key commands you will need to merge into your application setup command file.
   
3. The RTE operates with a special set of class libraries — RT.JAR and (optionally) I18N.JAR. Your application must function with just these libraries.
   
4. You are not allowed to redistribute any class files from the SDK, and your application should have no dependencies on these files. You can redistribute the jar files that are part of the RTE.
   
5. HP recommends that you not rely on the CLASSPATH logical that might be on the target system, but explicitly identify the classpath by specifying the -cp option on the Java command line that invokes the RTE. (For more information on using the -cp option of the Java command, refer to Sun's Tools and Utilities documentation.)
   Hence, a typical Java command line when using the RTE will look like:
   $ JAVA -cp "/USER1$/APP-DIR/LIB/APPLICATION.JAR:." "Application"

Problem Reporting

To report problems, refer to our Software Support web page.