Spark with Java 1.7

Dear all,

may you give me a hint, when a spark version might be available that will work with Java 1.7.

I tried to install Spark on W7 and W8 machines but wasn’t successfull until I checked that the new machines use Java 1.7.

Our external IT-support said that he won’t install Java 1.6 on the new machines.

Our company uses openfire as an internal IM-Server and Spark up to now was our first choice.

Hence we would use the chat history as process documentation, we would like to work all with the same IM on all machines.

Is there a timeline for upgrading Spark 2.6.3 to 2.7 ?

Best regards

Jens

Hello Kobow!

Yes a version 2.7.0 of Spark is still in the works, although admitedly progress has been slow (lack of active developers at the moment, everyone’s been pretty busy!).

Spark 2.6.3 will indeed work with Java 7, and it does fix some of the Java 6 related issues some users experience.

I must note though, that the regular spark install uses it’s own embedded java version, which can’t be exploited in the same way as your IT company is thinking. They are probably concerned about the recent java exploits, which have all been against java applets. The embedded java version can’t be used by your browser by default, and there’s no browser plugin, so basically it’s not vulnerable to these attacks.

As I mentioned earlier, java 7 will work fine with spark version 2.6.3. To setup java 7 on spark, simply install spark, then copy the java 7 jre directory from your Program Files and replace the jre directory that’s found inside the Spark installation directory.

For example:

copy: C:\Program Files\Java\jre7 to C:\Program Files\Spark\

then rename jre7 to just jre – replacing the original jre directory that was inside the Spark installation directory. Restart Spark, now it’s using Java 7.

If your IT company is still worried, they always have the option to custom compile their own version of spark, or use one of the beta/nightly 2.7.0 builds. The beta/nightly builds may not be as “stable” as a regular release, but know that many of us are using it in production environments just fine… and they come bundled with java 7 already

http://bamboo.igniterealtime.org/artifact/SPARK-INSTALL4J/JOB1/build-610/Install 4j/spark_2_6_3_12555.exe

http://bamboo.igniterealtime.org/browse/SPARK-INSTALL4J-610/artifact/JOB1/Instal l4j/

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Dear Jason,

we are not an IT-company.

We are a small company that produces and sells very sensitive sensors to be used e.g. in geophysical equipment as well as in Josephson voltage standards. We are only users and therefore we are not familiar with compiling. I think we will try your proposal and copy jre7 into spark-folder.

Many thanks

Jens

Von: SnakeDoc communityadmin@igniterealtime.org

Gesendet: Freitag, 11. Oktober 2013 17:22

An: Jens Kobow

Betreff: - Spark with Java 1.7

http://community.igniterealtime.org/index.jspa Ignite Realtime

Spark with Java 1.7

created by http://community.igniterealtime.org/people/SnakeDoc Jason in Spark Support - http://community.igniterealtime.org/message/233171#233171 View the full discussion

You said that you have tried to install Spark. So you have administrative rights on these Win7 and Win8 machines? If so, you can just install the latest Spark version from the SVN (it is like a Beta, but is stable enough and i personally use it with my 200 users).

This is the link http://bamboo.igniterealtime.org/artifact/SPARK-INSTALL4J/JOB1/build-610/Install 4j/spark_2_6_3_12555.exe

It already has Java 7 bundled so it would work even if Java is not installed on a machine.

That is if you can install any software and your IT support wouldn’t mind that If you want to use an official final release of 2.7.0, then nobody can tell when it may be released. Could take months, could take years…

Dear wroot,

many thanks for your kind help. Exactly the same information I already got from SnakeDoc.

I used his advice of copying JRE7-folder to spark and renaming it to jre.

Everything works well.

Once again many thanks for your quick responses.

Best regards

Jens

Von: wroot communityadmin@igniterealtime.org

Gesendet: Montag, 14. Oktober 2013 12:06

An: Jens Kobow

Betreff: - Spark with Java 1.7

http://community.igniterealtime.org/index.jspa Ignite Realtime

Spark with Java 1.7

created by wroot http://community.igniterealtime.org/people/wroot in Spark Support - View the full discussion http://community.igniterealtime.org/message/233194#233194

I have been running into issues trying to install the online edition of Spark to use the already installed versions of Java. We have found that for some reason (even copying version 7 jre to the spark folder) web apps that use java get clobberd, or Spark gets clobberd as a result of two version of jre running. I have tried to get the online version running with 7.45 java RE but with windows 7 I run into the evirnemnt variable issue because the install4j objects look for versions 5-6 of java.

I have changed the register entries as some have propsed to curcumvent the envitonment varible error, but we have found if the user is NOT a admin on the local machine (Windows 7 at least) then after the program is installed the error returns and does not allow the application to start.

VERY FUSTRATING…

I would like to know if there is a way to “roll my own” version of Spark and get arround these issues, or have someone spoonfeed me on how to get the online version running in my win 7 envrionments as well provide compatibility with version 7+ of JRE

Thanks!