Java Web Start Help

1. What is Java Web Start ?

2. Do I need Java Web Start ?

3. How do I get Java Web Start ?

4. How do I make Java Web Start work with my web browser ?

1. What is Java Web Start ?

Java Web Start is a technology developed by Sun Microsystems that allows java programs to be started from a web page. It also automatically updates to the latest version of the java program.

When you click on a java web start link on a web page, your computer contacts the web site, downloads the latest version of the program (if necessary), and starts up the program on your computer.

2. Do I need Java Web Start ?

You will need java web start if you want to use the MouseAtlas databases such as the emage spatially mapped gene expression database .

The computer that you use may already have java web start installed. Here is a page that will help you find out if you have java web start installed already?

3. How do I get Java Web Start ?

If you do not already have java web start installed on your computer you can download it from the Sun Java site, or ask your systems administrator to install it for you. The download is free of charge.

Java web start is now bundled in with the Java run time environment (JRE). On the Sun Java site, look for the J2SE download link. You will be taken to a download page appropriate to your platform (Windows, Linux, Solaris). There will often be a choice of versions (choose the latest version that is not a beta version), and a choice between JRE and SDK (choose JRE, it is less to download, although either will do). There are installation instructions on the download page.

4. How do I make Java Web Start work with my web browser ?

If you have a MacOSX computer you shouldnt need to do anything.

If you have a computer with a fairly recent version of Windows (2000,NT,XP), the java web start installation should set up the computer to recognise java web start files correctly.

Otherwise, you may have to set up the browser to handle files with extension jnlp. The MIME type is application/x-java-jnlp-file.

Here is a page that will help with how to set the file type for browsers.

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