Install Java's JDK and Eclipse for performance and ease

[phossal]

INSTALLING JAVA (JDK/JRE)
Here is the updated version used to install Java's JDK 6u1 on Edgy. The method doesn't use packages, opting to use Sun's .bin file instead. Visit java.sun.com to download their .bin file. You probably want: jdk-6u1-linux-i586.bin.

STEP: Download it to your desktop. Once it's fully downloaded, open a command prompt and execute it like so:

cd ~/Desktop
sudo chmod +x *.bin
sudo sh ./jdk*.bin

STEP: Executing the .bin file creates a folder on your desktop named jdk1.6.0_01. Rename that folder to Java6u1. Now move that folder to /usr/lib

sudo mv Java6u1 /usr/lib

STEP: Now add Java to update-alternatives and make it the default like so:

sudo update-alternatives --install /usr/bin/java java /usr/lib/Java6u1/bin/java 300
sudo update-alternatives --config java

STEP: Don't forget your Java plugin

sudo ln -s /usr/lib/Java6u1/jre/plugin/i386/ns7/libjavaplugin_oji.so /usr/lib/firefox/plugins

INSTALLING ECLIPSE
Download eclipse directly from eclipse.org. You probably want: eclipse-SDK-3.2.2-linux-gtk.tar.gz

STEP: Download the file to your desktop. Right-click and extract it. Move it to the directory of your choice. (I use /usr/lib)

STEP: Add links to /usr/bin (edit your paths as necessary):

sudo update-alternatives --install /usr/bin/eclipse eclipse /usr/lib/eclipse/eclipse 300
sudo ln -s /usr/lib/eclipse/startup.jar /usr/bin

STEP: Add eclipse to the menu:

Right-click Applications -> Edit Menus -> Programming -> New Item ->
Icon: /usr/lib/eclipse/icon.xpm
Name: eclipse
Comment: Launch eclipse
Command: eclipse





INSTALLING NETBEANS

STEP: Grab the Netbeans Tarball (Netbeans-5_5.tar.gz) from netbeans.org. Save it to your desktop. Right-click and extract it.

STEP: Move it to /usr/lib/netbeans

cd ~/Desktop
sudo mv netbeans /usr/lib/

STEP: Add links to /usr/bin (Edit your paths as necessary):

sudo update-alternatives --install /usr/bin/netbeans netbeans /usr/lib/netbeans/bin/netbeans 300

STEP: Add netbeans to the menu:

Right-click Applications -> Edit Menus -> Programming -> New Item ->
Icon: /usr/lib/netbeans/nb5.5/netbeans.png
Name: netbeans
Comment: Launch Netbeans
Command: netbeans


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The java packages do, in fact, still use the .bin file from SUN. They're just additional wrappers. By installing using the method above, you're able to install multiple JDK's, which can be set as defaults using update-alternatives --config. In addition, you can install older versions of the JDK, which are all available at the SUN site for Java.

[cnphch]

I followed your guide, but when i type

java -version

Then it's still ver. 1.4

[phossal]

Removed

[phossal]

Removed

[phossal]

Removed

[bbgun]

Hello-

I too am experiencing the problem of not being able to open Eclipse from the apps menu and getting the error:

A Java Runtime Environment (JRE) or Java Development Kit (JDK)
must be available in order to run Eclipse. No Java virtual machine
was found after searching the following locations:
/usr/lib/j2sdk1.4-sun/bin/java

But I am able to open Eclipse from the command line.

Forgive me, but I still didn't get the solution for this. I have followed phossal's well-presented tutorial so far, including making the changes to ./bashrc....but still no luck.

Any ideas on where to go from here?

Thanks

bbgun

[qpwoeiruty]

Ed.

[qpwoeiruty]

I know that I got mine by Synaptic before I installed any java which is how i got the problem I think.

Plus, you can simply add a line to /etc/jvm that points to the JDK.

???
I assume this is the better way but I don't understand what to add to the file.

Sorry, it's really interesting learning but Linux is still in the voodoo stages for me

[linuxismyfriend]

Thank you phossal for the awesome HowTo, it was exactly what I was looking for. Regarding your method for making the jar files work when double clicked, does that work for only one file or does it set all the jar files to be doubl-clickable? If not, is it possible to create a ".mime.types" file in the home directory and have something like: "application/java jar"? Thanks!

[phossal]

My experience indicates all files.