The first step is to make sure Java 7 is truly installed from www.java.com. A common mistake we have seen is that a user will download the Java installer .dmg file, execute it and think Java is installed. Execution of the .dmg package merely unpacks the Java installer, which still needs to be run to actually install Java 7. After the install is completed, a good check is to open System Preferences from the top left Apple icon and see if Java now appears in the list.

To start ROES, it is best to use the web site index page link to begin – for anyone updating from 10.6 or 10.7 the old desktop icons should be sent to Trash. Due to recent updates Safari is no longer prompting to execute the launch.jnlp file from the index page start as it has in the past. Firefox, fromhttp://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/new/, is a much better option as it does pull down the launch.jnlp file and prompt to execute it in Java as expected.

We have seen Safari perform a quick auto-download of the launch.jnlp file, however it is quite fast and easily missed. Safari also has been storing these downloaded files in a cache folder, as opposed to the usual Downloads folder. For new Mac systems and those recently updated, the best and quickest method to start now when Safari is the browser is to right-click or hold the Control button down and click on the Direct launch: link on the index page, and choose Download Linked File As… from the list. In most cases the save dialog will default to Documents, and the launch.jnlp should be saved there. Starting ROES then should simply be a matter of opening Finder, selecting Documents and double-clicking on the launch.jnlp.

A security update pushed out by Apple in the last 24 hours has caused ROES clients to fail to launch in some versions of OS X. The failure message that will be received is “The application has requested a version of the JRE (version 1.5+) that is not installed”. The JRE version may be listed as 1.6+. Any other failure message is not related to this issue. OS X Versions Affected: OS X 10.6.8 OS X 10.7.3 and above OS X 10.8* OS X 10.6.8 users will need to upgrade to 10.8 and install the latest Java 7 Update 11 found on www.java.com. OS X 10.7.3 or higher users still on Java 6 Update 35 to 37 should also update to 10.8 and install Java 7 Update 11 found on www.java.com.

In an unexpected development, late on Friday, February 1st, 2013 Apple released an update to Java 6, listed as update 39 (which matches the latest Oracle Java 6 edition, also released yesterday), for OS X 10.6.8 Lion systems. The update is available at http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1573?viewlocale=en_US&locale=en_US. Installing the new version should obviate the need for customers with 10.6.8 to upgrade to 10.8 at this time.

Apple has now included a Java update as part of its Software Update. What this update will do can vary based on OS X version and Java already installed. On a 10.7.5 system with Java 6 already loaded from Apple, it updated Java 6 to update 37 and all ran as expected. After updating the system to OS X 10.8 and running SoftWare Updates, Java is essentially removed from the browser along with Java Web Start from the system. The All-PROES desktop icons are left in place, but do not launch. Attempts to do so bring up an alert indicating a Java 6 install is needed. After launching Safari and trying from a web URL to launch ROES, an indicator in the Safari window lets you know a plug-in is missing. Clicking on this brings up a dialog that Java is needed and offers an OK and a More Info… button, which should be clicked. It will launch a new browser tab to Java’s page at http://www.java.com/en/download/apple.jsp, to install Java 7 from Oracle. The .dmg file should be downloaded and double clicking on it will install Java 7. In terms of usage, one issue has arisen in that there was a very strong delay in searching for images using the Add images button, trying to browse both local disk and SD Card. Clicking Cancel and coming back into the dialog via the same button seemed to speed things along, however (almost an immediate find of the folders/files). Once loaded into the pane images added fine from the thumbails area to products, and also worked fine dragging in from Finder, including batch drops of images. Again, it is likely better to avoid the update for customers who have Java 6 now, but these steps should allow normal functionality if you have applied the updates. Additional information on Java for Mac can be found at http://www.java.com/en/download/faq/java_mac.xml.

On June 16, 2009 Apple deployed an update to OS X 10.5.7 for Java via Software Updates. This update has performed some restructuring of the folder path to Java Web Start, and fails to retain the file in its’ expected path of Applications – Utilities. Attempting to launch a ROES shortcut results in the icon bouncing on the dock and nothing else occurring. To resolve these startup errors, using Finder go into the local hard drive and System – Library – CoreServices. Locate Java Web Start.app and copy it to the clipboard, then paste it into the Utilities folder under Applications. Using a web browser, go to the lab’s web site and launch ROES. During the startup process, 2 warning windows will display – one to trust the application and another to allow it unrestricted access to the system. Click OK to both of these and ROES should open as normal. In rare cases, you may need to right-click on the launch.jnlp and choose Open With, then Browse to Java Web Start.app in Applications – Utilities. You can associate it with the Java Web Start.app in CoreServices, but at this time it is impossible to tell if the next Apple update for Java will keep it there.

Core 2 Duo Systems: To get a new shortcut, open Java Preferences.app from the same Utilities folder and click the Network tab, then click View cache at the lower right to bring up the Java Cache Viewer. Use the menu or icon to create a desktop application or shortcut as desired. Core Duo and Non-Intel Mac: Shortcuts seem to be able to be created but WILL NOT EXECUTE. You must run from the lab’s ROES link on their web site or from their ROES listed in the Java Cache Viewer, accessed from Finder in Applications – Utilities and open Java Preferences.app. In the Network tab, click View to open the Java applications list.