Installing IBM Toolbox for Java on your workstation

Before you install IBM® Toolbox for Java™, make sure to address the workstation requirements that pertain to your environment.

How you install IBM Toolbox for Java on your workstation depends on how you want to manage your installation:

  • To install IBM Toolbox for Java on individual clients, copy the JAR files to your workstation and configure your workstation CLASSPATH.
  • To use IBM Toolbox for Java that is installed on a server, you only have to configure your workstation CLASSPATH to point to the server installation. To point your workstation CLASSPATH to the server, your server must have IBM i NetServer installed.

This documentation explains how to copy the class files to your workstation. For more information about setting the CLASSPATH on your workstation, refer to the operating system documentation for your workstation.

Note: Using the IBM Toolbox for Java classes in your application also requires that your system meets the requirements for IBM i.

The IBM Toolbox for Java class files are packaged in several JAR files, consequently you need to copy one or more of these JAR files to your workstation. For more information about which JAR files are required for specific IBM Toolbox for Java functions, see JAR files.

Example: Copying jt400.jar

The following example assumes you want to copy jt400.jar, which contains the core IBM Toolbox for Java classes.

To manually copy the JAR file, complete the following steps:

  1. Find the jt400.jar file in the following directory: /QIBM/ProdData/HTTP/Public/jt400/lib
  2. Copy jt400.jar from the server to your workstation. You can do this in a variety of ways:
    • Use IBM i Access to map a network drive on your workstation to the server, then copy the file.
    • Use file transfer protocol (FTP) to send the file (in binary mode) to your workstation.
  3. Update the CLASSPATH environment variable of your workstation.
    • For example, if you are using Windows NT and you copied jt400.jar to C:\jt400\lib, add the following string to the end of your CLASSPATH: 
           ;C:\jt400\lib\jt400.jar

You also have the option of using the open source version of IBM Toolbox for Java, called JTOpen. For more information about JTOpen, see the JTOpen Web site Link outside Information Center.