Plug-In Versions
Before I get flamed, yes I posted this to one other forum. I thought the first forum fit the question better, but it seems pretty dead and I am looking for an answer sooner than later. Since I see other posts here regarding the java plug-ins, I figured I would try here as well and hope for a bit quicker response.
I have an issue with Java's browser plug-ins, and I am hoping someone has had this problem and found a solution. We utilize web-based applications (Applets) from our various providers. The problem is that each vednor requires a different version of Java to run their Applet. If our CSRs don't have their browser configured to use the exact version of Java that the vendoir requires, the Applet will not run (that is how it is programmed). Thus far we have only had two vendors, so we set IE to work for one vendor and NS to work for the other. We have just added a third vendor though, and they require a third version. Now we either have to load a third browser, or we need a different solution.
That said, does anybody know of a way to set which java plug-in an applet uses based on say profiles (in NS or FF) or based on website?
This doesn't sound right to me. Applets are out there on the web, surely targeted for different versions, yet people get to them all the time. The latest version of the plugin should be compatible with these "older" version applets. If it doesn't, that might be one reason applets kinda suck in the first place.
> ... applets kinda suck in the first place.
That cuts to the chase. Applets suck. Java Web Start lets you specify which VM the application needs and will make sure its available on the client. One solution is to ditch applets and use JWS. I don't know any other solution because I never use applets. Because they suck.
The html that is use to initiate an applet can specify if a certain JVM/Plug-in version(s) are needed to run the applet - and can initiate download and install of the needed Jvm version if it's not installed. This information is in the Plug-in Developer's Guide. Here is the Java 5 document:
http://java.sun.com/j2se/1.5.0/docs/guide/plugin/index.html
(check chapter 3 first)
Maybe I did not make this clear in my first post. The webpages/applets are programmed by our vendors....we have no control. I agree that a newer VM should execute an older applet. The problem is that our vendors require us to have s specific version of the jre to execute their applet. Essentialy they are polling System.getProperty("java.version") and if the resulting String does not match what they expect they do not init the applet.
Unfortunately I cannot change the applet code nor the html that loads the applet.
> The problem is that our vendors require us to have s specific
> version of the jre to execute their applet.
> Essentialy they are polling
> System.getProperty("java.version") and if the
> resulting String does not match what they expect they
> do not init the applet.
That's just plain stupid. You really should raise this as a bug in their design and implementation. Get them to fix it, rather than have you run around in circles trying to work around the flaw.
I agree 100% ... it is just plain stupid. Especially considering one of our vendors requires a version of JRE1.3.
We have contacted them, and their reasoning is they have not had the opportunity to test for full compatibility between their Applet and deprecations/changes made in the newer JRE versions.
I aggree with warnerja. As the customer, why can't you tell them to correct their html so that it correctly specifies the needed version?Checking the property "java.version" is not, as far as I am aware, sanctioned by Sun as a valid requirement for applets.
