[Luca]

I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong. I tried to run Azureus, a Java app, but it won't run. I get the pictured error when I try to run it. I have also tried installing the latest Java update from Apple (it said I didn't need to update it) as well as the Java 2 SE 5.0 package they have available. Neither one worked.

I think this might have something to do with a work-around Brad posted a while back, when we were all suffering with a really old version of Java waiting for Apple to get off their ass and offer people an update. I think somehow that workaround may be responsible. I don't know.

Anyway, help is appreciated. Oh, and I'm using 10.4.5.

[Brad]

Do this and tell me what your output says.

ls -l /System/Library/Frameworks/JavaVM.framework/Versions

[Luca]

Here ya go:

[ghoti]

I'm not Brad, but I would suggest changing the "Current" link to point to 1.5.0 or 1.4.2. And perhaps remove the "CurrentJDK".

[julesstoop]

Luca, I'm not Brad either
but you know you have to use Applications/Utilities/Java/J2S2 5.0/Java Preferences in order to activate Java 1.5 as your current run-time environment?

[Luca]

Originally Posted by ghoti I'm not Brad, but I would suggest changing the "Current" link to point to 1.5.0 or 1.4.2. And perhaps remove the "CurrentJDK".

How do I change the "Current" link? And by removing "CurrentJDK" are you suggesting I just go in and delete it?

Originally Posted by julesstop Luca, I'm not Brad either but you know you have to use Applications/Utilities/Java/J2S2 5.0/Java Preferences in order to activate Java 1.5 as your current run-time environment?

When I try to launch the Java preferences, I get the same error message. Interestingly enough, I tried doing a Java-based internet speed test just now and it doesn't work in Camino, but it does work in Safari, and I have no idea if that's related to my Java situation or not.

[BlueRabbit]

I think I found your problem. CurrentJDK should be an alias pointing to the 1.5.0 folder. Basically, just delete the CurrentJDK file, and replace it with an alias to 1.5.0 that's been renamed as CurrentJDK. I had to do that last year in order to get Java 1.5 to work. I'm not quite sure how yours ended up not being an alias to anything at all, though...

Edit: Yeah, my ls of that folder gives CurrentJDK's permissions as lrwxr-xr-x, and it's an alias to 1.5.0.

[Luca]

I made an alias to the 1.5.0 folder and renamed it CurrentJDK, replacing the old CurrentJDK alias. Nothing actually changed, though. I still get the exact same error message. Do I have to log out or something?

[Dave]

Originally Posted by Luca I made an alias to the 1.5.0 folder and renamed it CurrentJDK, replacing the old CurrentJDK alias. Nothing actually changed, though. I still get the exact same error message. Do I have to log out or something?

Rebooting would certainly re-initialize the Java runtime. I'd try that before panicking.

[Luca]

Rebooting did not work. The same thing happens. Anything else I can do?

[cmeyer42]

It's funny that the most current update didn't automatically do this for you, but that's the nature of the beast!! So, this is what the currentjdk should look like using GetInfo under the general "tab" : Kind: Alias,
Where: /System/Library/Frameworks/JavaVM.framework/Versions

then under Original: /System/......../Versions/1.5.0 (i'm having to type this in by hand so i didn't type the full paths, just the improtant stuff) the path should look like Where but with the /1.5.0 tacked onto it. I really don't understand the /A folder, might be just aliases. But i have been using this setup and it works.
After setting this, open terminal and type java -version and see what you get. if i remember correctly, i didn't have to reboot, just quit terminal and reopen it, and try again ( a pain in the ass, that i do remember!! 'specially if your 'nix command line stuff is rusty!).

[Luca]

It's already like that.

I just tried a bunch of different things. I changed the aliases around so that "Current" points to 1.4.2 and "CurrentJDK" points to 1.5.0. I tried just about every other combination of aliases as well, including removing the "Current" folder entirely. All that did was make the application refuse to launch at all - it didn't even give me the error message.

Every other combination gave me the same error message as above. I tried deleting the "A" folder, changing "Current" so it was linked to just about everything there, and changing "CurrentJDK" in the same way. Nothing made any kind of a difference.

At the moment, and before I started messing with things just now, my "Current" alias points to the "A" folder and my "CurrentJDK" alias points to the "1.5.0" folder. Also, "A"'s contents are different. Instead of having six folders named Classes, Commands, Headers, Home, Libraries, and Resources, the "A" folder has three folders named Commands, Headers and Resources, as well as a UNIX executable named "JavaVM." The "A" folder is only 204kb in size, as opposed to the several dozen megabytes that each other Java version folder takes up.

I just tried replacing "A" with a copy of the "1.5.0" folder and making the "Current" alias point to that. The application did not launch, and it didn't even give me the error message, as before.

If I delete everything in my Versions folder and run Software Update, will I be able to totally reinstall Java? I really don't want to have to do an archive install of the entire OS just to fix this one problem.

[ghoti]

What does "java -version" say? Does the shell even find a Java executable?

[Luca]

It says:

-bash: java: command not found

Regardless of which folder I'm in at the time.

[ghoti]

Well my java executable is a link that's located in /usr/bin, and it points to /System/Library/Frameworks/JavaVM.framework/Commands/java. /System/Library/Frameworks/JavaVM.framework/Commands is a link pointing to Versions/CurrentJDK/Commands. I just noticed that I also have an "A" directory, which "Current" points to. But the only thing that is used for are the Headers (under JavaVM.framework). Current in my case points to 1.4.2.

I'd suggest you check for the presence of /usr/bin/java, and try to follow the links to see where one of the links leads to nowhere. Perhaps the links under JavaVM.framework are screwed up.

Here's my complete JavaVM.framework listing:

lrwxr-xr-x    1 root  wheel   27 Mar  6 14:02 Classes -> Versions/CurrentJDK/Classeslrwxr-xr-x    1 root  wheel   28 Mar  6 14:02 Commands -> Versions/CurrentJDK/Commandslrwxr-xr-x    1 root  wheel   24 Mar 20 12:19 Headers -> Versions/Current/Headerslrwxr-xr-x    1 root  wheel   24 Mar  6 14:02 Home -> Versions/CurrentJDK/Homelrwxr-xr-x    1 root  wheel   23 Mar  6 14:26 JavaVM -> Versions/Current/JavaVMlrwxr-xr-x    1 root  wheel   29 Mar  6 14:02 Libraries -> Versions/CurrentJDK/Librarieslrwxr-xr-x    1 root  wheel   26 Mar  6 14:26 Resources -> Versions/Current/Resourcesdrwxr-xr-x   11 root  wheel  374 Mar  6 14:26 Versions

[Luca]

What do you suggest I do? I don't entirely understand what you're saying.

I checked the links and they are all the same as yours. The part where I'm confused is where you say that "A" is only used for Headers. For me, the A folder has a Commands folder (empty), a Headers folder (stuff in it), a Resources folder (stuff in it), and the JavaVM executable.

[ghoti]

What I mean is that the only link from JavaVM.framework that points to A is the Headers directory, which links to Current, which links to A. Did you check the existence of /usr/bin/java ("ls -l /usr/bin/java")? Follow the links from there. If it ultimately points to an executable, the shell must find it. So there must be a broken link somewhere.

[Luca]

I'm sorry but you'll have to slow down or something. I'm a bit sick at the moment and I don't have much energy.

Your posts seem to cover so many things at once that I'm not sure how well I'm actually doing all the things you suggest. Also, what does "follow the links from there" mean? How do I follow them, how do I know what I'm looking for, and why can't I just use Get Info in Finder?

To answer what I'm able to answer at the moment:

- My java executable in /usr/bin points to .../JavaVM.framework/Commands/java
- The Headers link in .../JavaVM.framework points to .../JavaVM.framework/Versions/A/Headers

Is that all you're asking? Is there more I didn't cover?

Also, you may not know this, but I'll ask again in case someone does - is there a way for me to remove all traces of Java from my system, thus allowing me to reinstall it fresh?

[cmeyer42]

Other than the "hard way" (manually tracking down and deleting all files) i know of no easy way of uninstalling java. If there is, that is something i would like to know as well. sorry i can't get Grab a shot of my GetInfo screen showing you the paths, but if you follow the /usr/bin link to the javavm.framework Commands link and click on it, it should open up the commands folder to the executable files hence java and javac. then GetInfo and see where you are. look at the Where: , if you didn't catch that (not a snotty comment, but when sick, one can miss alot of things - i know this unfortunatly from experience!! ). Should have .../1.5.0/Commands at the end of the path. I am also trying the JavaPreferences app in the utilitys folder and have just changed versions from 1.4.2 to 1.5.0. Looks like i'll have to reboot.

[Luca]

Interesting... I found a TON of broken aliases deeper in. Both the 1.5.0 folder and the A folder had a lot of broken aliases in their "Headers" subdirectories. I thought I fixed everything, but now I'm worried because I don't remember where the original files actually were. I got the original files (a list of fifteen, all with the .h extension) copied into their respective Headers folders, but I'm not sure if I did something wrong... because now instead of broken aliases, they are actual files (not aliases).

I'm getting rather confused.

[cmeyer42]

well i was stupid!! the javapreferences app is just for plugins and web applets. oh well, i learned something!
ok, as far as your broken links, i guess you could delete the javavmframeworks folder and reinstall (but don't quote me!!). i would think (there's trouble!!) that would replace everything in the frameworks folder and just ignore/overwrite the rest of the files. i would delete because then you KNOW it is gone! of course, that could be the wrong thing to do so be ready to reinstall everything just in case, or wait until someone flames me for suggesting it!!!

But in the mean time, i have removed and relinked my CurrentJDK from 1.5 to 1.4 and back again. here is what it should look like:

ButtWipe:/system/library/frameworks/JavaVM.framework/versions root# ls -l
total 56
lrwxr-xr-x 1 root wheel 5 Feb 27 19:07 1.3 -> 1.3.1
drwxr-xr-x 8 root wheel 272 Dec 11 14:51 1.3.1
lrwxr-xr-x 1 root wheel 5 Dec 11 16:18 1.4 -> 1.4.2
drwxr-xr-x 8 root wheel 272 Dec 11 14:51 1.4.2
lrwxr-xr-x 1 root wheel 5 Feb 27 19:07 1.5 -> 1.5.0
drwxr-xr-x 9 root wheel 306 Mar 25 16:05 1.5.0
drwxr-xr-x 6 root wheel 204 Mar 19 00:23 A
lrwxr-xr-x 1 root wheel 1 Feb 27 19:07 Current -> A
lrwxr-xr-x 1 root wheel 5 Mar 25 16:07 CurrentJDK -> 1.5.0
lrwxr-xr-x 1 root wheel 5 Feb 27 19:07 CurrentJDK_1.5.0 -> 1.5.0
lrwxr-xr-x 1 root wheel 5 Dec 11 16:18 CurrentJDK_142 -> 1.4.2
ButtWipe:/system/library/frameworks/JavaVM.framework/versions root#

I removed the CurrentJDK first:

ButtWipe:/system/library/frameworks/JavaVM.framework/versions root# rm CurrentJDK

and then relinked:

ButtWipe:/system/library/frameworks/JavaVM.framework/versions root# ln -s 1.5.0 CurrentJDK

and then tested:

ButtWipe:/system/library/frameworks/JavaVM.framework/versions root# java -version
java version "1.5.0_06"
Java(TM) 2 Runtime Environment, Standard Edition (build 1.5.0_06-110)
Java HotSpot(TM) Client VM (build 1.5.0_06-61, mixed mode, sharing)

notice that i am logged in as root. do this in the NetInfo app, just disable root afterwards!

there is a link switch to unlink the file first, but i was unable to get it to work, so deleting the link first was easier.
if nothing else this long (sorry) post will be here for when i forget how to do this!!!!

[ghoti]

Do you have access to another Mac, Luca? If yes, you can delete your whole JavaVM.framwork directory (or move it elsewhere) and copy that other Mac's. That should work without any problems, and will fix you broken links and possible other damaged/changed files.

I was just using the shell because it's easier to follow links this way and see which ones are broken - i.e., link to files that don't exist.