Sun ONE logo      Previous      Contents      Index      Next     

Sun ONE Instant Messaging Installation Guide

Chapter 4
Configuring Sun ONE Instant Messenger

This chapter describes the steps to configure Sun ONE Instant Messenger.

This chapter contains:

Sun ONE Instant Messenger Launch Overview

Sun ONE Instant Messenger is a Java applet which can run either as an applet from Java Plug-in, or independent of a browser, by running as a Java™ Web Start application.

The following are the events that occur when the user invokes the Instant Messenger:

  1. The user downloads a web page containing links to one or more applet descriptor files. For example, index.html page is one of downloadable web page that contains links to the im.jnlp and the im.html applet descriptor files. Several applet descriptor files are provided for download. For example, the im.jnlp and the imssl.jnlp can be downloaded to launch Instant Messenger using Java Web Start, or the im.html and the imssl.html can be downloaded to launch Instant Messenger from Java Plug-in. In a portal deployment, the portal desktop contains dynamically created links to the JSP files and these JSP files create the applet descriptor files.
  2. The user clicks one of the links in the index.html file and downloads the applet descriptor file.
  3. Java Plug-in or Java Web Start is invoked and based on the information contained in the applet descriptor file, the Instant Messenger resources are downloaded, and the Instant messenger applet is launched.

    4. Note

    Skip to Step 3, if you are using Java Web Start and have created a Desktop shortcut to start the Instant Messenger.

The following sections provide information on configuring:

Requirements to Run Sun ONE Instant Messenger

For the most recent information about software requirements of the product, see the Sun ONE Instant Messaging Release Notes

Sun ONE Instant Messenger Launch Methods

You can run Sun ONE Instant Messenger as a browser-based application by running the applet, or independent of a browser by running the Java™ Web Start application.

The two ways to configure your client are:

Using Java Web Start - Sun ONE Instant Messenger is launched from Java Web Start (JWS), which is an application launcher for Java technology-based applications that are written to be deployed on web. Once Sun ONE Instant Messenger is launched, your browser can be closed or used to locate other URLs without effecting the Sun ONE Instant Messenger session.

Using the Java Plug-in - The applet is launched from the Java plug-in, which is a code extension to the browser. To keep the Sun ONE Instant Messenger session active, the browser window from which the applet was launched must remain open and cannot be used to locate any other URL.

Configuring Client Systems

If the client machine has Java 1.4 or a higher version already installed, there are no additional requirements to use either Java Plug-in or Java Web Start. Netscape Navigator v7 as well as the recent versions of the Mozilla browser include Java v1.4 or higher version. Internet Explorer does not include the latest version of Java.

If the client machine has Java v1.3 and does not have Java v1.4 or a higher version installed, Java Web Start needs to be installed separately.

You can:

Troubleshooting Sun ONE Instant Messenger Problems

Use the following information to help solve issues with client installations:

Difficulty Loading Resources - Proxy Settings

In a network environment, you can experience difficulty in loading resources when there is a firewall between your computer and the internet, and when Java Web Start has not been configured with the right proxy settings.

Java Web Start uses the proxy settings automatically by querying the system or the default browser. However, if the settings are configured using a JavaScript file this is not possible.

You can set the proxies manually using the Preference panel in Java Web Start’s Application manager.

Java Web Start Does Not Start - mime.types for JNLP

If the im.jnlp file is displayed in the browser instead of Java Web Start, you need to edit the web server's mime.types file to include a line for JNLP.

On Sun ONE Web Server Enterprise Edition
  1. Type the following URL for starting the administration server in your browser:

    2. http://hostname.domain-name:administration_port

    For example: http://budgie.siroe.com:8888

    Sun ONE Web Server then displays a window prompting you for a user name and password.

  2. Type the administration user name and the password you specified during the Web Server installation.

    3. Sun ONE Web Server displays the Administration Server page.

  3. In the Manage Servers page, click Manage.

    4. Sun ONE Web Server displays the Server Manager page.

  4. Click the MIME Types link.
  5. From the MIME file drop-down list, choose a MIME type to edit and click OK.
  6. In the Global MIME Types page, select type from the Category drop-down list.
  7. In the Content-Type text box, type:

    8. application/x-java-jnlp-file

  8. In the File-Suffix text box, type:

    9. jnlp

  9. Click New Type to create the MIME type.
  10. Restart the web server for this change to take effect.
On Apache Web Server

The mime.types file located in the Apache Web Server configuration directory, should be edited to include the line:

application/x-java-jnlp-file jnlp

Note

The location of Apache Web Server configuration directory is site-specific.

Corrupted JAR File Cache

In some cases, the JAR file cache on the client system might get corrupted. If the JAR file cache gets corrupted, you will not be able to start the Instant Messenger or download a new version of the Instant Messenger. To rectify this problem, the JAR file cache must be cleared.

Use the procedure mentioned in this section to delete the JAR file cache on your client system.

Deleting Sun ONE Instant Messenger from the Java Web Start Cache

To Delete Sun ONE Instant Messenger from Unix Cache

  1. Launch Java Web Start Application Manager.

    2. For example, double-click the Java Web Start icon in the javaws directory.

  2. From the Applications menu, select Remove from Cache.
  3. Close Java Web Start Application Manager.

To Delete Sun ONE Instant Messenger from Windows Cache

  1. Launch Java Web Start Application (JWS) Manager.

    2. For example, double-click the Java Web Start icon on your desktop or start the Java Web Start program from the Start menu.

  2. From the View menu, select Downloaded Applications.

    3. The downloaded applications are displayed.

  3. Select Sun ONE Instant Messenger.
  4. From the Applications menu, select Remove Application.
  5. Close Java Web Start Application Manager.

To Delete Sun ONE Instant Messenger from the Windows Java Plug-in Cache

  1. Double-click the Java Plug-in icon in the Control Panel.

    2. The Java Plug-in Control Panel is displayed.

  2. Click the Cache tab in the Java Plug-in Control Panel.
  3. Click Clear JAR Cache.

Changes made to the Applet Descriptor Files are not Reflected

The browser caches the frequently accessed applet descriptor files in the memory. Thus the changes made to the applet descriptor files are not reflected immediately. To rectify this problem, you need to clear the memory cache in your browser.

To clear the memory cache in the browser (Netscape Navigator):

  1. From the Edit menu, choose Preferences.
  2. Open the Advanced category; then click Cache.
  3. To clear the memory cache, click Clear Memory Cache.


Previous      Contents      Index      Next     

Copyright 2003 Sun Microsystems, Inc. All rights reserved.