Java problem

[Cameron Simpson]

On 02Jan2008 12:53, Karl Larsen <k5di at zianet.com> wrote:
> Cameron Simpson wrote:
>> The other thing you should bear in mind is that "jar" is a tool like "ar",
>> "tar" or "zip" - it constructs, inspects or unpacks ".jar" files.
>>
>> To _run_ a java program you want the "java" command.
>>
>> Usually a Java app is distributed as a jar file, an archive containing the
>> program, and the command "java -jar foo.jar" is used to run it.
>>
>> You still need "java" in your $PATH, or to invoke "java" explicitly (eg
>> "/usr/java/bin/java") if it is not in your $PATH. Usually it is desirable to
>> adjust your $PATH you include this stuff, saving painful long paths later.
>>
>> Both "java" and "jar" have manual pages, quite good ones. If java in
>> installed out of the "vendor" area (here "vendor" means redhat/fedora
>> and "/usr/bin" is part of their area - that they expect a free hand
>> in), you will need to adjust your $MANPATH to include the "..../man"
>> directory of wherever the java package is installed, much as you have to
>> adjust $PATH to include the "..../bin" directory to run "java" without
>> using the full path of the command.
>>   
>    OK I am finding this at /usr/java/:
>
> [root at k5di ~]# ls /usr/java
> default  jre1.6.0_03  latest
>
> Now default
      ^^^^^^^
I am not sure what you mean at this ^^^ point.
Unless "default" is a symbolic link that points at "jre1.6.0_03".
The "ls -l /usr/java/" command will show this.

> and /usr/java/jrel.6.0_03/ are identical and have this:
>
> [root at k5di ~]# ls /usr/java/jre1.6.0_03/
> bin        javaws  LICENSE  plugin  THIRDPARTYLICENSEREADME.txt
> COPYRIGHT  lib     man      README  Welcome.html
> [root at k5di ~]#
>
>    My experiance to date is that using $ java -jar filename.jar works but 
> other problems crop up. Also I have no man java. So it is not in the 
> searchpath for man packages. How do I fix that?

As mentioned, you want to update your $PATH and $MANPATH.
Looking at your output above I would suggest running these shell
commands:

  PATH=/usr/java/jre1.6.0_03/bin:$PATH
  MANPATH=/usr/java/jre1.6.0_03/man:$MANPATH
  export PATH MANPATH

The other thing that java tends to like is the $JAVA_HOME variable.
You might usefull do this instead:

  JAVA_HOME=/usr/java/jre1.6.0_03
  PATH=$JAVA_HOME/bin:$PATH
  MANPATH=$JAVA_HOME/man:$MANPATH
  export JAVA_HOME PATH MANPATH

The see if "man java" produces a manual page. (Be warning, it's a very
long manual page!) Also see if "java -jar filename.jar" now behaves
better.

Cheers,
-- 
Cameron Simpson <cs at zip.com.au> DoD#743
http://www.cskk.ezoshosting.com/cs/

Every technical corrigendum is met by an equally troublesome new defect report.
        - Norman Diamond <diamond at jit.dec.com>