Providing a Java Runtime (JRE) for installing and using IBM Content Navigator 3.0.15 and later releases

Answer

The IBM Content Navigator installer, and the Configuration and Deployment tool require IBM Java 8.

Note: This technote applies to traditional installations of IBM Content Navigator only.

Find the JRE location

The installers locate a JRE by searching the PATH environment variable in the following order:

1. Session
2. User
3. System-wide

Use the following information to determine whether a suitable JRE is available in a PATH environment variable:

• If IBM Content Navigator is deployed into a WebSphere® Application Server instance, you must use the IBM Java version 8 that was installed as part of the application server.

  The default file name and location for the Java executable are provided in the following table:

  File name (Environment)	File Location
  java.exe (Windows)	C:\Program Files\IBM\WebSphere\AppServer\java\8.0\jre\bin
  Java™ (Unix)	/opt/IBM/WebSphere/AppServer/java/8.0/jre/bin

• If IBM Content Navigator is deployed into an Oracle WebLogic Server instance, WebLogic typically runs with Oracle Java. The IBM Content Navigator installer and the Configuration and Deployment tool, both require IBM Java 8.

  The default file name and location for the Java executable are provided in the following table:

  File name (Environment)	File Location
  java.exe (Windows)	C:\Program Files\IBM\java80\jre\bin
  Java™ (Unix)	/opt/IBM/java80/jre/bin

  If needed, download a suitable version of IBM Java from the following location: https://developer.ibm.com/languages/java/semeru-runtimes/downloads?license=IBM. On the page, select

  • IBM Semeru Runtime Open Edition
  • Java 8(LTS)
  • The operating system and architecture of your Content Navigator installation

  

Verify the JRE version

If a JRE exists on the system, use the following command to retrieve the version:

<path to JRE>/java -version

Ensure that the PATH and JAVA_HOME are set to point to the verified JRE

Define a PATH environment variable that points to the Java runtime. Ensure that the location of the Java executable is the first entry in the PATH environment variable. The IBM Content Navigator installer uses the Java runtime identified in the PATH environment variable.

For the IBM Content Navigator Configuration and Deployment tool, the installer uses the information in the environment variable, JAVA_HOME to configure the -vm option in the configmgr.ini file. The -vm option is set to use the bin directory in JAVA_HOME; that is, $JAVA_HOME$/bin. If the JAVA_HOME variable is not set before running the installer, the Configuration and Deployment tool cannot run.

• Setting the variables from the Unix command line

          export PATH=/opt/IBM/WebSphere/AppServer/java/8.0/jre/bin:$PATH
          export JAVA_HOME=/opt/IBM/WebSphere/AppServer/java/8.0
  
          Do not append a forward slash (/) to the end of the Java path.

• Setting the variables from the Windows command line

          set PATH=“c:\Program Files\IBM\WebSphere\AppServer\java\8.0\jre\bin;%PATH%”
          set JAVA_HOME=C:\Program Files\IBM\WebSphere\AppServer\java\8.0
  
          Do not append a backslash (\) to the end of the Java path.

• To set the variables from the Windows Explorer

  Add the Java executable path to the Environment Variables Path.

  

  Create a new Environment Variable JAVA_HOME and set it to the location of the Java runtime.

  

If the installer or the Configuration and Deployment tool do not run, check the following:

1. The software is using the correct Java version.
2. The path specified in the PATH and JAVA_HOME variable
   • Does not have any spaces or a slash at the end of the path.
   • There is not a \bin or /bin at the end of the Java path in the JAVA_HOME environment variable.
   • There is a \bin or /bin at the end of the Java path in the PATH environment variable.
   • The Java specified in the path is a supported version.
   • If accessing any of the software from a command window, the window was opened after the environment variable was set outside of the command window.
   • That the environment variables are set permanently at the correct level (session, user, system-wide) for the way the software is being instantiated.