Installing Java

By Sandra Schloen, May 2021;
Updated March 2022, July 2022, August 2023, December 2023

OCHRE Requirements

OCHRE is a client-server application where a Java-based client app (the "front-end") interacts with a secure enterprise-scale database on the server (the "back-end" -- a Tamino database licensed from Software AG). The local computer requires a current version of Java 8 (with Java Web Start) to be installed in order to run the OCHRE client app.

Java was originally developed by Sun Microsystems and later acquired by Oracle Systems. But now there are also many free, open-source versions of Java, known as OpenJDK, available from the open source community.

Check the licensing terms, your institutional policy, and the system requirements to see which version is best for you. If you need to verify which Java versions are installed on your computer and/or remove specific versions, follow the instructions below. Additional trouble-shooting help is available here.

Managing Java On a Mac

To Find Installed Versions

On a Mac, run the following command in Terminal: /usr/libexec/java_home -V

Remove a Specific Version

On a Mac, navigate to the appropriate directory in Terminal: cd /Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/

You will need admin privileges to delete the directory: sudo rm -rf jdk1.8.0_271.jdk/

Managing Java On Windows

To Find (and Uninstall) Installed Versions

Search for "Add or remove programs" in System Settings and check the list of Apps & features for Java versions. A 64-bit version will show explicitly "64-bit" otherwise it is 32-bit (and not appropriate for the default version of OCHRE).

If you select a specific version you will be given an Uninstall option.

Search for "Configure Java" for options to view or update your current default Java installation settings.

Using Oracle JDK

The Oracle JDK (Java Development Kit) is installed by going to java.com or by finding an appropriate installation link for your operating system. This is the version in wide use throughout the industry and which often comes pre-installed on new computers. (See our trouble-shooting guide for assistance with this version.)

Using OpenJDK

The OpenJDK (Open Java Development Kit) is available from several providers in the Java community. All implementations of the OpenJDK are intended to be compatible with the Oracle JDK and, thus, are expected to support the OCHRE app.

OCHRE has been tested and shown to be compatible with several of the open source providers. We will briefly walk through the process of installing three different options, by way of example.

Important Notes

This is a good option for Windows and Linux users. To begin you will need to register to create a free Red Hat account.

The installation guide directs you the download page of the Red Hat Customer Portal, to which your new Red Hat account gives you access. (This link will change based on the current version number (here 1.8.0.272) so we do not include a link here.) We recommend using the MSI-based installer which takes care of all the installation details (unzipping files, setting environment variables, etc.).

Windows-based example of Red Hat installation

Run the installer, following the prompts. 

Be sure to choose to install the Java Web Start component which will be listed as optional, but which is required for OCHRE.


If you plan to use OCHRE offline, be sure to check the Custom Setup option: "Entire feature will be installed on local hard drive" (with thanks to Nicholas Schulte for testing this.)

Once the installation is complete, you can download OCHRE (an ochre8.jnlp file) from any of the Start OCHRE links on our wiki or website. The installation process will make a file association so that the jnlp file knows to start up as a Java Web Start process (if not, you can set a file association ("open with") to the program "javaws" in the java installation folder.

As expected, you will be prompted to "trust" the OCHRE app, Published by the University of Chicago.

OpenJDK makes doubly sure you trust the ochre app, and lets you specify that you do not need to be asked again.

That should do it! 

If you're not sure what vendor/version you are running, check the Project > About OCHRE option where the current vendor and version are reported:

2. Eclipse Temurin from Adoptium with IcedTea 

Choose Java 8 JDK for your operating system and install Eclipse Temurin OpenJDK

https://adoptium.net/temurin/releases/?version=8&package=jdk

Move the IcedTea directory to a safe and discoverable location on your hard drive. We tested the install by moving the directory to /Library/Java on the MacBook we used for testing.

Configure IcedTea to find the OpenJDK install.

On our MacBook, we used Terminal to run the following command to launch IcedTea settings:

/Library/Java/icedtea-web-image/bin/itweb-settings

On the JVM Settings page, use the Browse for JVM for IcedTea-Web to find the jre directory where the Temurin OpenJDK is installed. If configured correctly, the validation results will all display as green.

Launch OCHRE from the Terminal with a two-part command:

javaws location on your computer followed by ochre8.jnlp location on your computer

Update the following command to match the settings on your computer:

/Library/Java/icedtea-web-image/bin/javaws /Users/USERNAME/Downloads/ochre8.jnlp

NOTES:

3. Amazon Corretto OpenJDK with OpenWebStart

Visit the Amazon Correcto OpenJDK download page and choose Amazon Corretto 8. There will be options to choose your operating system (Linux, Windows, MacOS) and your system architecture (64-bit or x86). You need only the JRE (Java Runtime Environment, not the JDK (Java Development Kit). For Windows, we recommend using the MSI-based installer which takes care of all the installation details (unzipping files, setting environment variables, etc.).

Windows-based example of Amazon Corretto installation

Download and open the file appropriate for your system configuration. The Setup Wizard will launch and prompt you through the installation.

Next, download and configure OpenWebStart which will be used to launch the ochre8.jnlp file when you run OCHRE from the Start OCHRE link on our website. 

Choose a link appropriate for your system configuration.

Follow the installation instructions. Be sure to ACCEPT THE SUGGESTED FILE ASSOCIATION WITH JNLP when prompted.

Accept the license agreement.

By way of explanation ...

As a Java app, OCHRE runs using the installed OpenJDK version of Java under the terms of the "Classpath Exception" (or "linked exception"). That is, OCHRE is packaged as a Java app, but it does not include or re-distribute any of the source code provided by the OpenJDK implementation. The classpath exception of the license allows OCHRE to "link" to the binary (non-human-readable) libraries provided by Java, thereby creating a larger "executable program" for distribution to users.

When the installation is complete, start up OpenWebStart (e.g., from the Windows Start Menu).

From the JVM Manager menu option, click the Find local button near the bottom of the screen. This will find the OpenJDK implementation of the Amazon Corretto installed just above, and will set this as the default version.

If you have other versions of Java installed, be sure to select a Java 8 version to use with OCHRE.

Before moving on, we strongly advise you to change one more option, this time from the Settings.

By default, you will be periodically asked to update Java beyond Java 8 … NO! Do not update beyond Java 8! Java 8 continues to be widely used, supported, and regularly updated for security issues.


To avoid the temptation and eliminate the prompt, adjust the Update strategy to Use local if available.

You are now ready to run OCHRE from the Start OCHRE button on the OCHRE website. Note that the security certificate pops up as proof that this is an authorized and trusted version of OCHRE. You can choose to "Always trust ..." so that you won't be asked again.

You will also be prompted by OpenWebStart to allow it to leave shortcuts on your desktop and start menu -- this is always helpful.

Tested Platforms

We list here configurations that have been tested either by us or our users. If you have success with other platforms and versions, please let us know.

Mac, Windows, Linux:

Red Hat OpenJDK with IcedTea
Amazon Coretto with OpenWebStart
Azul Zulu 8

From the OCHRE > About window, the current version of Java being used by OCHRE is listed, in this case an OpenJDK on Linux.