There's generic solutions such as Launch4j http://launch4j.sourceforge.net/ which wrap Java apps into native binaries for all platforms, including an embedded JRE or the option to prompt and download one at install time.
On Wed, 2009-06-10 at 13:45 +0100, Stian Soiland-Reyes wrote: > How can you pop up a window if you have not got Java..? Do we need > some binaries included that can do that? > > I know there are launchers - which we have talked about before - which > can help the user get Java. > > I know we could put a 'pause' or something into the BAT file on > Windows at least - which is the main problematic OS as it does not > have Java by default. > > > Could we move this discussion - as any other technical Taverna > discussion - to Taverna hackers? (Perhaps with a bit filtering of the > 'your software sucks' bit :-) ) > > On Wed, Jun 10, 2009 at 10:45, Stuart Owen<[email protected]> wrote: > > Hi Ian, > > Thanks for your comments. The version that Katy used for the > > workshop was a Beta 1 version, which currently lacks the Taverna > > installer. We discussed on Monday that for the Beta 2 version it will > > include the proper installer that address a number of the problems you > > raise. We can check during the installation whether Java is installed. > > We can also add a check in the start up script for the presence of > > Java, and if not pop-up a window reporting it - or any other errors that > > occur. > > > > Stuart. > > > > Ian Cottam wrote: > >> > >> First, many thanks to Katy for giving a great Taverna Workshop in MIB > >> yesterday. About 18 people attended, from postgrads to senior academics, > >> and there are more waiting for a repeat performance (please). I > >> overheard, during the breaks, many positive comments about the Taverna > >> interface and the overall experience of using the system. > >> > >> Second, a bit of a moan. Two or three people had trouble getting Taverna > >> to start up. What details I know are below, and, of course, for the > >> Workshop this was a minor inconvenience because Katy knew immediately > >> what the main problem was and fixed it. However, consider the case of > >> Katy not being there. I suspect two out of the three would have given up > >> and not used Taverna. (One of them was the most senior academic present > >> who has complete influence over whether his team use Taverna or not.) > >> Remember, no one yesterday was upset by this; but if they were without > >> an expert present, they would quite likely have given up. > >> > >> You may have 10-15% fewer users than you could have (ignoring their > >> transitive influence). > >> > >> The main problem is that Taverna just flashes up a command window and > >> dies if you don't have Java installed. (Yes, I know you all know this.) > >> It is crazy to let this happen with professional software. If you don't > >> want to download it for the user, simply put up a dialogue saying > >> "Please download and install Java from here <whereever>, and then click > >> Continue to complete the Tavera installation". you will have more users > >> and hence greater fame and fortune (at least fame). > >> > >> One other problem we had was a suspected lack of disk space (by Katy) > >> but it wasn't, and I wasn't there to see the resolution of that one > >> (busy with an Italian version of Vista myself at the time). Katy: do you > >> know what this one was? > >> > >> Less critical, is that I was surprised when I downloaded Taverna 2 > >> myself this morning that I didn't get a Windows Start menu item and that > >> the default installation area is a folder on the Desktop. > >> > >> From reading the documentation, especially for non Windows platforms, > >> there may well be other dependencies: it is important that the Java > >> story above applies to them too. > >> > >> Thanks again and best wishes. > >> I will continue to try and help grow the Taverna/myExperiment user base > >> here in MIB. > >> -Ian > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> -- > >> Ian Cottam > >> Information Systems Manager > >> Manchester Interdisciplinary Biocentre & > >> School of Materials & > >> School of Chemical Engineering and Analytical Science (Room C24) > >> The John Garside Building (Room G.002) > >> The University of Manchester > >> e: [email protected] > >> t: 0161 306 5198 > >> m: 07856 849831 > >> http://personalpages.manchester.ac.uk/staff/Ian.Cottam > >> ["It's better, initially, to make a small number of users really love > >> you than a large number kind of like you." Paul Buchheit] > > > > > -- Richard Holland, BSc MBCS Finance Director, Eagle Genomics Ltd T: +44 (0)1223 654481 ext 3 | E: [email protected] http://www.eaglegenomics.com/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Crystal Reports - New Free Runtime and 30 Day Trial Check out the new simplified licensing option that enables unlimited royalty-free distribution of the report engine for externally facing server and web deployment. http://p.sf.net/sfu/businessobjects _______________________________________________ taverna-hackers mailing list [email protected] Web site: http://www.taverna.org.uk Mailing lists: http://www.taverna.org.uk/taverna-mailing-lists/ Developers Guide: http://www.mygrid.org.uk/tools/developer-information
