OCHRE Wiki - Installing Java

Installing Java

By Sandra Schloen, May 2021;
Updated March 2022, July 2022, August 2023, December 2023, Feb 2025, June 2025

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.

Installation Instructions

For Windows, MacOS, and Linux the basic installation process is:

Download and install OpenWebStart
Download and install an OpenJDK with JavaFX included (we recommend Azul Zulu); be sure to get Java 8
In OpenWebStart Settings, go the JVM Manager
- Try Find local; if this successfully finds the Java 8 installation proceed with that (you may see 2 instances that look the same; that is normal)
- Otherwise, Add local... to find the OpenJDK on your computer (on a Mac this is usually found in /Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/)
Select the directory called zulu-8fx.jdk and click Choose
Change the OpenWebStart JVM Manager Settings Update strategy to Use local if available.

MacOS users may encounter additional issues during the installation process. Recommendations and further tips are included at each of the below steps.

NOTE: you may need to associate JNLP files with OpenWebStart javaws.

Windows:

- Right-click on any .jnlp file.

- Select "Open with" -> "Choose another app".

- If OpenWebStart isn't listed, click "Look for another app on this PC" and navigate to the OpenWebStart installation directory (usually C:\Program Files\OpenWebStart) and select javaws.exe.

- Check the box "Always use this app to open .jnlp files".

macOS:

- Right-click on a .jnlp file.

- Choose Open With
- Select OpenWebStart javaws from the list.

Launch OCHRE for the First Time

See Launch OCHRE, Login and Password and Launching OCHRE, Trouble-shooting

Download the appropriate OCHRE JNLP file.
Open the JNLP file.
Accept the various terms and permissions.
Use your credentials to login.

See below for additional details.

We no longer recommend the use of Oracle Java

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. In addition, as of Java 8 update 451 Oracle ended support for javaFx which OCHRE uses for some of its features.

Using OpenWebStart

OpenWebStart

OWS is an open source implementation of the Java Web Start technology. OWS manages various flavors of OpenJDK. For the two versions of OpenJDK we commonly run, you will need to install OWS.

Choose the version that is appropriate for your operating system and chip architecture:

https://openwebstart.com/download/

For MacOS users, it is essential that you download the correct version of OpenWebStart for your chip architecture. Confirm the chip in your device by checking About this Mac; your processor will either be an Intel chip, or an Apple M chip (an M followed by a number). If your device runs an Intel processor, download the x64 version of the .dmg file. If your device runs an Apple M chip, download the AARCH version.

When the installation is complete, start up OpenWebStart Settings (e.g., from the Windows Start Menu or with MacOS Spotlight Search). Be sure to open the Settings icon, not the javaws or Uninstall icons.

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. See below for details about installing various OpenJDK versions that have been tested for use with OCHRE.

Currently, most users have settled on either Azul Zulu or Amazon Corretto as the easiest to install.

Important Notes

The OpenJDK installation must be version Java 8 in order to support OCHRE.
The OpenJDK installation must include Java Web Start support in order to run OCHRE.
If the provider offers OpenJDK with JavaFX, we recommend choosing this option.
OpenWebStart versions 1.8, 1.91, and 1.10 are currently supported. Do not update to version 1.9 without moving on to 1.91. In the "Updates" pane of the OpenWebStart Settings app, change the "Update strategy for settings" option to "On every start." This should result in the most current stable version.

Amazon Corretto OpenJDK with OpenWebStart

The Amazon Corretto distribution, in conjunction with OpenWebStart. (This version does not currently support running OCHRE offline.)

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.

Azul Zulu OpenJDK with OpenWebStart

Azul Zulu is another valid OpenJDK. Follow the instructions above to install OpenWebStart, then visint the Azul Zulu download page to select and install the OpenJDK version for your OS and chip architecture.

https://www.azul.com/downloads/?version=java-8-lts&package=jdk-fx#zulu

It is again essential that MacOS users select the appropriate version of OpenJDK for their chip architecture. On Azul Zulu's downloads page (https://www.azul.com/downloads/?package=jdk#zulu), use the filters to limit the Version filter to limit to Java 8, and the Operating System filter to limit to MacOS. From the remaining options, choose either the x86 version if your device uses an Intel chip, or the ARM version if your device uses an Apple M chip. From the list of options under the Download tab, we recommend the .dmg file for ease of use, but any type will support OCHRE. After the download is complete, open the file and follow the prompts to complete installation.

Follow the instructions for how to locate Azul Zulu us the Find local button in OWS.

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 or Azul Zulu 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.

For MacOS users, if OpenWebStart does not find your Java 8 directory, select the Add local... button. In the finder window, navigate to the following directory: 'Macintosh HD > Library > Java > JavaVirtualMachines'. Select the 'zulu-8.jdk' folder and select Choose (Note: if your device installed the JDK package in any other directory, you will need to move the zulu-8.jdk folder to the above directory). This may load two versions of Java 8 into the window, which is normal.

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.

Further tips on launching OCHRE on MacOS for the first time

After downloading the ochre.jnlp file from the link above, right-click the ochre.jnlp file. Select Open with ... > OpenWebStart javaws. Allow the jnlp to run, and if desired, allow OpenWebStart to create a shortcut to OCHRE on your desktop.

Some newer versions of MacOS will continue to block opening OCHRE for the first time, even after selecting Open with ..., because it was not downloaded from the App Store. If this occurs, open System Preferences, go to Privacy and Security, and scroll to the bottom of the window. Enable opening the ochre.jnlp file in the warning window.

If legacy versions of Oracle Java are still installed on your device, attempting to open an ochre.jnlp file normally may fail when double-clicking the OCHRE icon after initial launch. This is because some MacOS devices will continue to attempt to use an out-of-date Java launcher, even if OpenWebStart has been properly configured with an OpenJDK package. In this case, you may need to right-click the ochre.jnlp file and select Open with ... > OpenWebStart javaws each time.

Red Hat OpenJDK with IcedTea (for using Offline OCHRE)

To begin you will need to register to create a free Red Hat account.

The Red Hat deployment of the OpenJDK, in combination with IcedTea (which provides the equivalent of the Java Webstart functionality needed to run OCHRE). This version has also been used successfully to run OCHRE in offline mode.

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.)

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 Ubuntu 22 and 24:

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

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

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.

Eclipse Temurin from Adoptium with IcedTea (Previoiusly tested OpenJDK)

The Eclipse Temurin OpenJDK from Adoptium, which also uses IcedTea. (This version does not currently support running OCHRE offline.)

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

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

Install IcedTea-Web

https://adoptopenjdk.net/icedtea-web.html

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:

This version of OpenJDK does not leave a desktop shortcut for OCHRE.
This version uses the Terminal as the Java Console.

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