Java CAPS Installer Caveats

If problems occur during an installation, peruse this topic, for some of the more common resolutions

• Java CAPS Installer Fails to Parse the Property File

  During installation if your environment contains a backward slash (\), a java.lang.IllegalArgumentException: Malformed \uxxxx encoding is thrown. This happens because the environment variables ps1 and PS1 contain the backslash character \; that is, \u@\h:\W\$. The Java CAPS Installer first loads the environment variable values into the env.properties.xxxx file and then reads the property file. If this file contains the \ character, it will fail to read. You must reset these environment variable values to blank or some other values without a backslash; such as, export ps1= and export PS1=. This corrects the error.

• Java CAPS Installer Does Not Support Silent Mode Installation on MacOS

  Currently the Java CAPS installer does not accept the arguments to run in silent mode on Macintosh operating systems. It can only run in GUI mode.

  Note - As this would be costly to develop there is a good chance that the Java CAPS Installer will not support silent installations on Macintosh operating systems.

• Executing the Windows Link File from the DOS Command Line

  You cannot type the *.lnk file and press Enter from the command line to execute the link file. Instead, you have two options.

  • From Windows command line, type start *.lnk and then press Enter. For example start start_appserver_domain1.

  • From Windows Explorer double-click the *.lnk file. For example start_appserver_domain1.

• Changing the Locale on Sun Solaris or Generic UNIX Systems

  You can change the locale on Solaris and generic UNIX systems by setting the environment and using the correct commands.

  • To list the available installed locale use the command > locale -a.

  • To change to the locale you want use the command > export LANG=zh_TW # and then > export LC_ALL=zh_TW # to set up the environment, where zh_TW is the locale for traditional Chinese.

• Java CAPS Installer Fails to Launch When Temp Directory Not Found

  If you encounter the problem that you cannot access the /tmp folder, there is a workaround wherein you can set the environment variable IATEMPDIR=/var/tmp. After this environment variable is set, the Java CAPS Installer uses /var/tmp as its temp directory.

• Overriding JVM

  You can override the JVM in the Java CAPS Installer. To do this, pass LAX_VM javaexecutable to the Java CAPS Installer. For example, JavaCAPS.exe LAX_VM javapath/java.exe.

  Note - The Java executable that is specified must match the “Installer Valid VM List” that is listed under Project\Config.

• Which Java on UNIX Systems

  On UNIX systems, which java is the same Java that the Java CAPS Installer uses. You do not have jdk1.6.0_05/bin in the path. To double check always run which java or java —version on UNIX systems to ensure you are using the desired version.

  There is also a way to pass the JDK to the Java CAPS Installer: JavaCAPS.exe LAX_VM javapath/java.exe.

• Debugging the Win32 Installer

  To view or capture the debug output from a Java CAPS Installer, you need to hold down the Ctrl key immediately after launching the Java CAPS Installer until a console window appears. Before you exit the Java CAPS Installer, copy the console output to a text file for later review.

  If you have trouble capturing the console output, you need to try a slightly more convoluted method to copy the output; this is often the case when using Win9x.

  1. Launch the Java CAPS Installer and allow it to extract the necessary files.

  2. When the Java CAPS Installer reaches the "Preparing to Install" screen where it gives you the opportunity to choose a language, navigate to your Windows “temp" directory.

     It contains a temp folder named with several numeric digits.

  3. Ensure you have the most recent directory by sorting the directories by "last modified," and then open the appropriate directory.

  4. Delete the file called sea_loc.

  5. Return to the Java CAPS Installer, click OK, and then at the first opportunity, select Exit.

  6. Return to the directory inside the temp directory where you deleted the sea_loc file and open the directory called Windows.

     In the Windows directory there is an *.exe file, most likely named install.exe. In the same directory there is a file with the same name but with the *.lax extension, for example install.lax.

  7. Open the *.lax file, for example install.lax, with a plain text editor and edit the lines lax.stderr.redirect= and lax.stdout.redirect= to lax.stderr.redirect=output.txt and lax.stdout.redirect=output.txt.

  8. After you have made these changes, save the file and launch the *.exe file, for example install.exe.

  9. After the installation is complete there is an output.txt file in the same directory as the *.lax file.

     The output.txt file should contain the same information as that generated in the console.

• Debugging the UNIX Installer

  To capture the debug output from the UNIX command line you need to enter one of the following (based on what shell you are using) at the command line prior to executing the Java CAPS Installer:

  • export LAX_DEBUG=true

  • setenv LAX_DEBUG true

  • LAX_DEBUG=true

    set LAX_DEBUG

  • Or whatever would be appropriate for your shell.

  Run the Java CAPS Installer. The output that is produced should help you debug the Java CAPS Installer. If you want to redirect the output to a file, set LAX_DEBUG=file as per the above instruction. Then, run the Java CAPS Installer. Once the installation completes a file named jx.log is generated in the same directory as the Java CAPS Installer. This file contains the entire debug output generated by the installation. If you are capturing this information in order to send it to Zero G, include both debug output formats above in their entirety.

  Example of UNIX Debugging Commands

  boreas% sh
  $ LAX_DEBUG=true
  $ export LAX_DEBUG
  $ PATH=/home/ylee/boreas/jdk1.6.0_05/bin:$PATH
  $ export PATH
  $ which java
  /home/ylee/boreas/jdk1.6.0_05/bin/java
  $ sh ./JavaCAPS.bin -i console
  Preparing to install...

• Debugging the MacOS X Installer

  By default both stderr and stdout is redirected to /Applications/Utilities/Console.app. This application is built into Mac OS X. Review the output, and save it to a file if necessary.

• Debugging the MacOS Installer

  To view or capture the debug output from the Java CAPS Installer, you need to hold down the Ctrl key immediately after launching the Installer until a console window appears. Before exiting the Installer, copy the console output to a text file for later review.

  To debug the Java CAPS Installer on specifically on Mac OS 9.1:

  1. Run the Java CAPS Installer as normal.

  2. When you get to the point of picking a language, open the trash can. There should be a folder named something like IA Javainstaller (delete) xxxxxx. Sort by date to make sure that you get the latest.

  3. Move this folder to the desktop, open it, and then open the MacOS directory.

  4. Delete the file named sea_loc inside this folder.

  5. Exit the Java CAPS Installer.

  6. Edit the .lax file with a text editor, and add the word “console” to the strings.

     • lax.stderr.redirect= so it reads as lax.stderr.redirect=console

     • lax.stdout.redirect= so it reads as lax.stdout.redirect=console

  7. Save the file and close.

  8. Run the Java CAPS Installer.

     The application should run normally, and bring up the debug output.

  9. Review the debug output to determine any issues.