Mac Users: latest Java update from Apple

[Azhrei]

The below linked thread discusses one user's problems after installing Apple's Java Update for Mac OS X Leopard (10.5.7). Apparently his javaws command disappeared! (That would be the program used to launch Java Web Start applications.)

http://forums.rptools.net/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=9949

I'm posting in the Announcements forum since it was decided a few days ago that users interested in last-minute, up to date information on the happenings with MapTool (regarding issues like the Test Connection button not working) would subscribe to this forum and therefore would receive an email when a posting was made here. Hopefully this works for everyone.

[Thanlis]

The below linked thread discusses one user's problems after installing Apple's Java Update for Mac OS X Leopard (10.5.7). Apparently his javaws command disappeared! (That would be the program used to launch Java Web Start applications.)

http://forums.rptools.net/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=9949

I'm posting in the Announcements forum since it was decided a few days ago that users interested in last-minute, up to date information on the happenings with MapTool (regarding issues like the Test Connection button not working) would subscribe to this forum and therefore would receive an email when a posting was made here. Hopefully this works for everyone.

More specifically -- my javaws program is still there, so I can launch MapTool OK from the command line. But the GUI is gone, and if you try to launch MapTool (or other apps) from the launch page, that fails because the memory size isn't set properly.

If you are in my shoes, this command line works:

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javaws "http://download.rptools.net/webstart.php/maptool-development.jnlp?vmargs=-Xmx512m%20-Xms64m%20-Xss4m"

Paste that into a Terminal window and you should be fine.

[trevor]

Stinking apple !

[toyrobots]

Okay, this sucks.

Webstart is the only way I can use maptool.

[palmer]

And people wonder why I hate Macs...

[trevor]

Note that there is a manual fix for this, solution found here:

http://forums.rptools.net/viewtopic.php ... 31#p110231

[biodude]

If you are running Mac OS X, you may be interested to know that Gadroc has bundled up the last few development versions (1.3b54 - 56) into stand-alone Mac Apps. It's pretty sweet and no more messing around with Java Web Start.
Links in this thread (scroll down past the boring intro and look for Gadroc's posts):
http://forums.rptools.net/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=8497

Of course, I'm not sure of the "official" status of these, but they've worked pretty awesome for me so far.

[X-Codes]

If you are running Mac OS X, you may be interested to know that Gadroc has bundled up the last few development versions (1.3b54 - 56) into stand-alone Mac Apps. It's pretty sweet and no more messing around with Java Web Start.
Links in this thread (scroll down past the boring intro and look for Gadroc's posts):
http://forums.rptools.net/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=8497

Of course, I'm not sure of the "official" status of these, but they've worked pretty awesome for me so far.

I use this, this is great. The problem is, I can't figure out how to adjust the stack size with this. My GM thinks that I need to have a larger stack size in order to run the macros we're using, but I think the issue is that I'm hitting an infinite loop that creates an error as soon as it maxes out the stack.

By the way, this is on b56 using Veggie's D&D 4e framework. This doesn't happen with all macros, just macros made by a player using the 'New Power Macro' button.

If nobody has any ideas, tell me what would help. I'll try and re-create the problem this upcoming weekend (game night) and come back with more info.

And people wonder why I hate Macs...

This is the *only* problem I have with my Mac, and since my Mac dual-boots Windows XP (and runs it better than my mother's dedicated Windows machine), it's a non-issue.

[Azhrei]

And people wonder why I hate Macs...

This is the *only* problem I have with my Mac, and since my Mac dual-boots Windows XP (and runs it better than my mother's dedicated Windows machine), it's a non-issue.

I hate Macs less than I hate Windows.

When something breaks on a Windows machine, there's no way to get into the guts of the thing and really see what's going on. It's like the OBD-I and OBD-II computer controls in cars nowadays -- the mechanic is reduced to a typical electronics repair technician who simply swaps out parts until it works again.

On a Unix platform, those guts are exposed -- if you want to see them. So while there are still 15 layers of software to wade through, at least it's possible. This is, IMO, what makes OSX better than Windows.

However, Apple is just as proprietary as MS, more so in many cases. And for me, that's a huge turn-off. Which is why this MBP is being wiped and having Linux installed when the warrant period is up on the hardware. At that point, I'll put a larger drive in it (it's only got a 160GB drive but it's 7200rpm; I need to find a high-speed drive in the 250GB+ range and that'll be pricey). I may still keep Leopard installed on an external firewire drive and boot from it if I have a need, although I can't foresee that need right now.

[keithcurtis]

And people wonder why I hate Macs...

This is the *only* problem I have with my Mac, and since my Mac dual-boots Windows XP (and runs it better than my mother's dedicated Windows machine), it's a non-issue.

I hate Macs less than I hate Windows.

When something breaks on a Windows machine, there's no way to get into the guts of the thing and really see what's going on.

Funny. I used to hear the exact opposite comment from a friend back during the days of DOS. He said that programming on a Mac was like typing with mittens on.

Myself, I've got too large a software and workflow investment to switch. Since I'm happy, that's a winning situation.

[Azhrei]

Funny. I used to hear the exact opposite comment from a friend back during the days of DOS. He said that programming on a Mac was like typing with mittens on.

Heh, it was back in the mid-80's! At least with OSX, Apple has moved to a Unix core. I'm not saying that the programming environment is necessarily any better (I don't do any serious application programming anymore), but there's a lot more varied examples of Unix applications to build on/from than most other platforms.

Myself, I've got too large a software and workflow investment to switch. Since I'm happy, that's a winning situation.

Yep. And MS is happy that you're locked in -- and happy about it. Which is essentially my problem with Apple -- I'm feeling "locked in" as well and I'm a bit claustrophobic.

[Thanlis]

I use this, this is great. The problem is, I can't figure out how to adjust the stack size with this. My GM thinks that I need to have a larger stack size in order to run the macros we're using, but I think the issue is that I'm hitting an infinite loop that creates an error as soon as it maxes out the stack.

The stack size error looks a lot like that; I bet if you try the Launch page version with a bigger stack size it'll go away.

[toyrobots]

No more platform wars in this thread please.

I'm watching it for updates, if I want to hear these cases I know where to look.

[keithcurtis]

Myself, I've got too large a software and workflow investment to switch. Since I'm happy, that's a winning situation.

Yep. And MS is happy that you're locked in -- and happy about it. Which is essentially my problem with Apple -- I'm feeling "locked in" as well and I'm a bit claustrophobic.

Actually, Apple is the happy one. I've been a Mac user since 1986.

And Toyrobots, sorry. I hadn't intended to sidetrack the thread into a platform war; I was merely making an anecdotal comment.I couldn't care less what people use. I only made this post to clear up a misconception. I'll stop clogging he signal with noise now.

[Gadroc]

I use this, this is great. The problem is, I can't figure out how to adjust the stack size with this. My GM thinks that I need to have a larger stack size in order to run the macros we're using, but I think the issue is that I'm hitting an infinite loop that creates an error as soon as it maxes out the stack.

By the way, this is on b56 using Veggie's D&D 4e framework. This doesn't happen with all macros, just macros made by a player using the 'New Power Macro' button.

If nobody has any ideas, tell me what would help. I'll try and re-create the problem this upcoming weekend (game night) and come back with more info.

Hopefully you've already resolved your issue but here is how you can change the JVM parameters for the .app version.

1) Right-click on the application and select "Show Package Contents".
2) Double-click the "Contents" folder
3) Double-click the "Info.plist" file to open it in TextEdit
4) Find the following lines

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		<key>VMOptions</key>
		<string>-Xss2m -Xms64mm -Xmx768mm</string>

5) Modify the items between <string></string> as necessary.