Running Oxygen with Java 1.7 on OS X

[jelovirt]

I have Oracle Java 1.7 installed on OS X and it's been configured to be the preferred Java version. However, Oxygen 14 still uses Java 1.6.

How can I configure OS X or Oxygen to use Java 1.7?

[jelovirt]

That is, how can I configure OS X or Oxygen to have Oxygen use Java 1.7.

[adrian]

Hi,

Please note that currently we recommend against using Oxygen with Java 7 (1.7) on OS X. At this time (Java 7 update 5) there are a few bugs in the Java 7 VM on OS X that make it difficult to use with Oxygen (e.g. some shortcuts invoke the actions twice). Some of these problems seem to have been resolved in Java 7 update 6 (early access), but we will have to wait and see.

As long as Apple provides a mature Java virtual machine and updates for it, Oxygen will prefer that (currently this is Java SE 6). When/If Apple stops providing a Java virtual machine with the operating system, we will offer an Oxygen package for OS X that includes a Java VM (most probably Java 7) that Oxygen has been thoroughly tested against.

If you really want to run Oxygen with Java 7 at this time, though I hope it's for experimental purposes only, I suggest using the command line startup script: oxygenMac.sh. You will have to move Java 7 at the top of the list in Java Preferences.

If I may ask, is there a particular reason why you want to run Oxygen with Java 7?

Regards,
Adrian

[jelovirt]

Java 7 is the latest version and perhaps has better performance than 6; also, Java 6 will reach its End of Public Updates in November 2012.

IIRC, Apple will no longer be shipping Java and Oracle has taken over in that sense for OS X, too.

[jelovirt]

FYI, the press release about Apple and Oracle collaboration on Java 7.

[adrian]

We are aware of all this, but the reality of today is that Java SE 6 is currently much more stable and more mature than Java 7, at least on OS X. Our priority is to offer our users the best experience possible and currently that means using Java SE 6.

Note that Apple is no longer shipping Java with OS X for a while now (since the release of Lion). However, Java is still supported and available as an add-on in Lion and will most likely also be in Mountain Lion.

We are continuously testing Oxygen and preparing it for the inevitable move to Java 7. We have already fixed any bugs that were triggered by our own code when running with Java 7. In Windows, Oxygen already runs very well on Java 7. We've also investigated the creation of an Oxygen package bundle for OS X that includes OpenJDK 7. When we feel Java 7 is good enough for us, we will make the move.

Regards,
Adrian

[adrian]

Hi,

Java 7 update 6 has been released (for a while) and this version resolves the issues I have mentioned.
If you still want to run Oxygen with Java 7, you can now safely use it with this latest version of Java 7.

Please let us know if you encounter any problems with this.

Regards,
Adrian

[muewi]

Hi,

how do I configure Oxgen 14.1 to work with Java 1.7 on Lion? I did not find a helpful answer to this question in this thread.
I've downloaded and installed the most recent JRE from the oracle site.
I need Java 1.7 because it is supposed to support Tibetan script with Unicode. I've been waiting for this many years.

Thanks,
Frank

[adrian]

Hi,

Actually the answer is in one of my previous replies:

If you really want to run Oxygen with Java 7 at this time, though I hope it's for experimental purposes only, I suggest using the command line startup script: oxygenMac.sh. You will have to move Java 7 at the top of the list in Java Preferences.

Please note that Java Preferences has been removed in the latest Java update from Apple (Java for OS X 2012-006 / Java SE 6 v1.6.0_37). However, when you install Java SE 7 it becomes the default Java VM.

Currently (v14.1) it's not possible to use the Oxygen .app launchers with Java 7. When you start them they will look for Java SE 6 and use that instead. We will consider supporting this in a future version of Oxygen.
To start Oxygen with Java SE 7, you have to open a Terminal window and run the command line script: oxygenMac.sh for XML Editor, oxygenAuthorMac.sh for XML Author or oxygenDeveloperMac.sh for XML Developer.

To check if Oxygen is using the correct Java VM, go to main menu > Help > About, System properties tab and look for the properties java.version or java.runtime.version.

Regards,
Adrian

[muewi]

Thanks for the answer. I tried to launch from the command line, but the version is still 1.6:
java.version 1.6.0_37

The Java Runtime Environment on my computer:
1.7 1.7.0_09 http://java.sun.com/products/autodl/j2se /Library/Internet Plug-Ins/JavaAppletPlugin.plugin/Contents/Home/bin/java true

What could I have done wrong?

Regards,
Frank

[muewi]

sorry, I had JRE installed.
Now I have SE and it is version 1.7, but Tibetan script does not work properly yet.

Regards,
Frank

[adrian]

Hi,

To clarify, in case others encounter this, you had the Java 7 Internet plugin (/Library/Internet Plug-Ins/JavaAppletPlugin.plugin), which is only used by the Java Applets and Java Web Start, not by Java desktop applications (like Oxygen). After you install Java SE 7 JRE or JDK from Oracle, it works as expected with the command line scripts.

If Java 7 is not of a specific use to you, I recommend sticking with Java SE 6 for Oxygen for the time being (use the .app launchers).

Regards,
Adrian

[QuiLoxx]

I am required to run 1.7 (not 1.6) for other Java applications, and for security reasons.

Loading 1.6 is not an option for me.

Now I'm completely unable to use this quite expensive XML editor

Where is the update for this application to work correctly with the Sun Java 7 (1.7)??

Thanks,

-Aaron

[adrian]

Hi,

For what version of Oxygen do you have a license?

Note that for v16.0 there is also a kit that bundles and uses Java SE 8:
http://www.oxygenxml.com/download_oxyge ... ?os=MacOSX
Look in the requirements section (3rd bullet) for the
OS X 10.8 and later ( Includes Java SE 8 ) download. <- You can use this direct link.

Regards,
Adrian