[kepler-dev] [Bug 3785] New: - Unclear Java requirements for Kepler installer on Vista 64-bit

[bugzilla-daemon at ecoinformatics.org]

http://bugzilla.ecoinformatics.org/show_bug.cgi?id=3785

           Summary: Unclear Java requirements for Kepler installer on Vista
                    64-bit
           Product: Kepler
           Version: 1.0.0
          Platform: PC
        OS/Version: Windows Vista
            Status: NEW
          Severity: normal
          Priority: P2
         Component: installer
        AssignedTo: berkley at nceas.ucsb.edu
        ReportedBy: regetz at nceas.ucsb.edu
         QAContact: kepler-dev at kepler-project.org


On a Vista 64-bit machine, the Kepler 1.0.0 installer for Windows failed with
64-bit JRE 5.0 (Update 16) installed, reporting the error "Cannot find Java
1.5.0". Adding the correct Java bin directory to the path variable didn't make
a difference, nor did running the installer as administrator, nor did running
it in compatibility mode for XP.

After I closed the installer error window, a web browser window automatically
opened at the Sun download page for (32-bit) Java 6 -- not 1.5.x, as the Kepler
documentation suggests. Nevertheless, after I installed this, Kepler
installation proceeded normally, and Kepler itself seemed to work
(superficially at least). Subsequent experimentation indicated that installing
32-bit Java 1.5 also works, as documented.

Is the Kepler installer simply having problems finding the 64-bit Java
binaries, or is 32-bit Java actually required? In either case, it would be
helpful if the Kepler documentation provided more clarity on the matter,
ideally with a note included on (or directly linked to) the downloads page. It
is also confusing that the installer error complains about missing Java 1.5.0,
but the user is prompted to install Java 6 (in conflict with the
documentation).