iPlanet Instant Messenger Release 3.0





iPlanet Instant Messenger for Solaris Requirements

To run iPlanet Instant Messenger on SolarisTM, make sure that your system meets these requirements.

  • Operating environment: Solaris 2.6 or Solaris 8

  • Browser: Netscape Communicator 4.76 or greater



Launching iPlanet Instant Messenger Overview

You launch iPlanet Instant Messenger on the Solaris platform by using Java Web Start, which is an application launcher for Java 2 technology-based applications that are written to be web deployed. Once iPlanet Instant Messenger launches, your browser can be closed or used to locate other URLs without effecting the iPlanet Instant Messenger session.



Configuring a Solaris Client with Java Web Start


Use the following steps to configure a Solaris client using Java Web Start. You will need to download and install both the Java Runtime Environment and Java Web Start software.


Note You should create two directories to hold the Java Runtime Environment and Java Web Start software. This example uses the directories /home/user1/JRE and /home/user1/JWS.


  1. Download the Java Runtime Environment 1.3 for Solaris self-extracting binary file (j2re1_3_0-solsparc.bin) to a local disk directory, such as /home/user1/JRE, from the following location:

    http://java.sun.com/products/archive/j2se/1.3.0/jre/index.html


    Note While Java Web Start works with JRE 1.2, it is not recommended because of potentially serious performance issues.


  2. Download the Java Web Start .zip file to a local disk directory, such as /home/user1/JWS, from the following location:

    http://java.sun.com/products/javawebstart/download-solaris.html

  3. Install the JRE. (For more information, download the Java Runtime Environment file, README.sparc.)

    1. Change to the directory where you saved the self-extracting JRE binary file, for example:

      cd /home/user1/JRE

    2. Make sure that you set execute permissions on the JRE self-extracting file before trying to install, for example:

      chmod +x j2re1_3_0-solsparc.bin

      This example is for Java Runtime Environment 1.3.0. Be sure to check the exact file name that you downloaded.

    3. Run the self-extracting file to install the JRE software, for example:

      ./j2re1_3_0-solsparc.bin

      The JRE installs itself into the directory where you saved it earlier, in a subdirectory called j2re1_3_0.

    4. Write down the full path to the subdirectory where the JRE is installed. You will need this path in Step 4.

      In this example, the path would be /home/user1/JRE/j2re1_3_0.

  4. Install Java Web Start.

    1. Change to the directory where you saved the Java Web Start .zip file, for example:

      cd /home/user1/JWS

    2. Unzip the file, for example:

      unzip javaws-1_0_1_01-solsparc-int.zip

      This example is for Java Web Start version 1.0.1_01. Over time, a newer version might be posted, so be sure to check the exact file name that was downloaded.

      Java Web Start files are extracted, including one called install.sh.

    3. Run the Java Web Start install script, install.sh. For example, to install JWS on the local disk as /home/user1/javaws:

      cd /home/user1

      /home/user1/JWS/install.sh

      The installer asks you to supply the path to the Java Runtime Environment. You should have noted this path in Step 3.

  5. Close and exit any browsers to allow new registrations to be picked up.

  6. Restart your browser.

    Now you are ready to run iPlanet Instant Messenger.

  7. To launch iPlanet Instant Messenger for the first time:

    1. Enter the appropriate URL in a browser window:

      http://webserver:webserverport/subdirectory

      where webserverport is necessary only if the default (80) is not being used, and subdirectory is necessary only if one was specified at installation. If the default directory was used, then subdirectory is not needed. If necessary, contact your administrator for more information.

      For example, if your web server is named company22.com and iPlanet Instant Messenger is invoked from the default directory, then the URL would be:

      http://company22.com/

    2. On the iPlanet Instant Messenger web page that appears, click the Launch via Java Web Start button.

      Because this is the first time using the application, a popup window opens while Java Web Start automatically downloads the iPlanet Instant Messenger jar files into its cache on your machine.

    3. A Security dialog is presented. Accept the Security dialog.

      iPlanet Instant Messenger starts and displays its Logon window.

  8. Log on to iPlanet Instant Messenger.

    See iPlanet Instant Messenger Release 3.0 Quick Reference for information on using iPlanet Instant Messenger.

  9. For subsequent invocations, you can:

    • Bookmark the URL for iPlanet Instant Messenger.

    • Launch the application using the Web Start launcher, found at $HOME/javaws/javaws (or wherever you installed Java Web Start).



Troubleshooting iPlanet Instant Messenger Problems

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

  • Difficulty Loading Resources - Proxy Settings

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

    Java Web Start can typically pick proxy settings up 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 by using the Preference panel in Java Web Start's Application manager.

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

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

    For iPlanet Web Server, the default location for this file is:

    /usr/netscape/server4/https-xxx/config/mime.types

    where xxx is your host name. If not already present, then add the following line:

    type=application/x-java-jnlp-file  exts=jnlp

    For this change to take effect, you must restart the https-xxx server.


Copyright © 2001 Sun Microsystems, Inc. All rights reserved.

Last Updated November 20, 2001