How to install the Java Plugin in Mozilla 1.x.x

[anyweb]

please NOTE:- java VERSIONS change quite a bit, meaning that a line such as  

rpm -ivh j2re-1_4_2_02-linux-i586-rpm

 

may now have changed to something like....

 

rpm -ivh j2re-1_4_2_06-linux-i586-rpm

 

please MAKE SURE that you are rpm'ing the correct VERSION of software that you have downloaded otherwise your java plugin will fail to install. The instructions below ONLY refer to the version that I downloaded at the time of writing this howto, of course, versions have changed since then, and as a result, you have to adapt the instructions below, to match the new version of JAVA plugin that you are downloading.

 

If you are using Mozilla 1.2.1 (shipped as default with Red Hat 9) then go here or if you want to add the Java plugin to Mozilla 1.4 then read on...

 

Mozilla 1.4 and later, and Mozilla Firebird, are compiled with gcc 3.2.3. A gcc 3.x compatible version of the Java plugin must be used. JRE 1.4.2 contains a compatible plugin.

 

go here java.sun.com and download the file j2re-1_4_2_02-linux-i586-rpm.bin.

 

Now, make the file executable as root by typing:-

 

chmod +x j2re-1_4_2_02-linux-i586-rpm.bin

 

then (as root) run the file by typing:-

 

./j2re-1_4_2_02-linux-i586-rpm.bin

 

Please notice the 'dot slash' infront of the filename (allows you to RUN the file). Next, accept the license aggreement and it will then expand the rpm for you.

 

Lets rpm the file now, (as root) do:-

 

rpm -ivh j2re-1_4_2_02-linux-i586-rpm

 

logout as root and login as a normal user (eg: anyweb), create a plugins directory in your mozilla directory:-

 

eg: mkdir /home/anyweb/.mozilla/plugins

eg: mkdir /home/anyweb/.phoenix/plugins (for firebird)

 

and now change directory to the plugins directory:-

 

eg: cd /home/anyweb/.mozilla/plugins

eg: cd /home/anyweb/.phoenix/plugins (for firebird)

 

Assuming you downloaded the file above (current) then issue the following command as normal user while in the plugins directory:-

 

ln -sf /usr/java/j2re1.4.2_02/plugin/i386/ns610-gcc32/libjavaplugin_oji.so

 

note the f in the ln -sf statement, that forces any previous symlink out the window, and it works !. (thanks Ritter)

 

Thats it, close mozilla and then start mozilla again, if all went well, click on help/plugins and you should see several Sun Java references !

 

note: the above works fine for ONE user, if you want ALL users to access the JAVA plugins then do this instead

 

 

create a symlink (after installing the rpm) to /usr/lib/mozilla/plugins by doing the following as root

 

 

 

ln -sf /usr/java/j2re1.4.2_03/plugin/i386/ns610-gcc32/libjavaplugin_oji.so /usr/lib/mozilla/plugins/

 

now all USERS will have access to the JAVA plugin in mozilla :)

 

cheers !

[XuanCris]

... here I am stuck in X86_64 land... and I'm getting a "Java not found' error when I launch Thunderbird after installing spamato... when I go to the extension's preferences to specify my java, I notice that it requires a version > 1.5, while my java (gjc) returns a "java" version number 1.4.2.0... Is there a 1.5 version that will run in FC6 x86_64? - and on a related note, is it possible to run a 32 bit browser, so as to be able toi run flash, on fc6 x86_64, and how? :-)

[Dean Plude]

got a error like that, and could not fix it so I got rid FC6 started using PCLinuxOS 2007

 

sorry :(

[XuanCris]

yes - I would switch immediately if I had not invested so much time already into apache/php/mysql/ruby/rails/svn/firefox/multimedia/nfs/samba/cups/postfix/dovecot/spamassassin/freshclam/groups/permissions/rsync/cron to name but a few...

 

I "thought" I was very careful to install the 32-bit version of FC6 on my 64-bit machine, but I must have swapped the disks inadvertently...

next server will definitely be 32-bit unless the java/flash issues get fixed soon...