Java 6 and Java 7 web plugin

[BarryB]

Hi All,

Java is driving me up the wall, I have the latest 6 2013 (1.6.0_41) update and it installs OK as a PKG, a prerequisite for Symantec AV live update (go figure...) however we have an application that launches a jnlp file that needs the Java web plugin. With Safari it refuses saying missing plugin, even though I tried the re-enabling article on the Apple website.

However Firefox asks me what I want to use to launch it and it works OK.

Java 7 update 15 installed manually works OK but installed as either a home grown snapshot PKG/DMG it does not. Install JRE7 by copying out the PKG from the Oracle package and deploying it still does not work..

How are you guys packaging and deploying JRE?

Thanks,

Barry

[rtrouton · Accepted solution]

I'm using the Oracle-provided package installer and it seems to deploy fine.

For Java 6, I have a script to automate the Java 6 browser plug-in re-enable. If you want to take a look at it, it's available here:

https://github.com/rtrouton/rtrouton_scripts/tree/master/rtrouton_scripts/re-enable_java_6

Blog post here: http://derflounder.wordpress.com/2012/10/24/re-enable-the-apple-java-6-plug-in-for-use-with-web-brow...

I've got another script running that keeps the currently-installed version(s) of Java from being blocked by XProtect:

https://github.com/rtrouton/rtrouton_scripts/tree/master/rtrouton_scripts/xprotect_re-enable_java_6_...

Blog post here: http://derflounder.wordpress.com/2013/02/24/managing-java-browser-plug-in-settings-for-apples-xprote...

[nkalister · Accepted solution]

barry, don't use the DMG, use the pkg inside of the DMG.
I've had no problems with the oracle pkg file, just make sure it's set to install after first boot in your image config.

[rtrouton · Accepted solution]

I'm using the Oracle-provided package installer and it seems to deploy fine.

For Java 6, I have a script to automate the Java 6 browser plug-in re-enable. If you want to take a look at it, it's available here:

https://github.com/rtrouton/rtrouton_scripts/tree/master/rtrouton_scripts/re-enable_java_6

Blog post here: http://derflounder.wordpress.com/2012/10/24/re-enable-the-apple-java-6-plug-in-for-use-with-web-brow...

I've got another script running that keeps the currently-installed version(s) of Java from being blocked by XProtect:

https://github.com/rtrouton/rtrouton_scripts/tree/master/rtrouton_scripts/xprotect_re-enable_java_6_...

Blog post here: http://derflounder.wordpress.com/2013/02/24/managing-java-browser-plug-in-settings-for-apples-xprote...

[scottb]

My understanding is it's best to use the Oracle Java pkg and it has to be done on a live Mac - no pre-login option.
That's working for us.

[BarryB]

Thanks guys,

I will try adding the Oracle provided DMG for 1.7 to my image deployment tomorrow and see how that goes.

I will also give the scripts a try though I did try the KB article manually and it didn't work.

Cheers,

Barry

[nkalister · Accepted solution]

barry, don't use the DMG, use the pkg inside of the DMG.
I've had no problems with the oracle pkg file, just make sure it's set to install after first boot in your image config.

[mm2270]

Same here. We upload the pkg from Oracle and just deploy, using Smart Groups based on reporting from a couple of Extension Attributes e have in place. Works well for us, with only a couple of exceptions, but its not related to the pkg installer.
I've actually had more issues deploying Apple's version for the older OS releases, partly because the information on their kb articles has been consistently inaccurate.

[jarednichols · Accepted solution]

Yep, PKG from Oracle is working okay for us. If you're putting it into your imaging workflow though, I found that it has to be run at first boot otherwise you get "volume disabled" type messages in the jamf.log for that package during Imaging.

[rtrouton]

I've been using a script-driven process with the softwareupdate command line tool to deploy Apple's Java updates. So far, it's worked out pretty well.

I've posted what I'm doing here - http://derflounder.wordpress.com/2013/02/04/deploying-java-for-mac-os-x-10-6-update-12-using-the-sof...

[BarryB]

Hi All,

thank you for the great response!

Jared after first boot? My imaging workflow is straight through no reboots, OS then packages with some level of ordering, i only reboot at the end of the image process.

^^ OK figured that one out! The imho badly worded This package must be installed to the boot volume at imaging time was the option I was looking for.

I am fairly new to Casper and Mac imaging though I have a lot of experience in the Windows world in both packaging, imaging and scripting so I'm still trying to gauge what is best practice etc

Thanks,

Barry

[donmontalvo]

@BarryB LOL...add HP Autonomy Connected Backup (yep, the latest version too!) to the list of third party software with weak internal Mac development capabilities.

Somewhere out there, in a Microsoft show or seminar, some bozo is selling the enterprise world the idea of "one code set for all platforms"...resulting in the inevitable Adobe-esque "Let them pesky Mac guys do the work for us" mantra (we are the benevolent association for lazy, profit hungry developers).

I have the latest 6 2013 (1.6.0_41) update and it installs OK as a PKG, a prerequisite for Symantec AV live update (go figure...)