iPlanet Instant Messenger Release 3.0





iPlanet Instant Messenger for Windows Requirements

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

  • Operating Environment: Windows 95/98, Windows NT SP6A, or Windows 2000

  • Browser: Netscape Communicator 4.76 or greater or Internet Explorer 5.0 or greater



Launching iPlanet Instant Messenger Overview

You can run iPlanet Instant Messenger as either browser-based, running as an applet, or independent of a browser, running as a Java Web Start application.

The two ways to configure your client are:

  • Using Java Web Start - iPlanet Instant Messenger is launched from Java Web Start (JWS), 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.

  • 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 iPlanet 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 and Launching a Windows Client (Java Web Start)

Use the following steps to configure a Windows client with Java Web Start:

  1. Download the Java Web Start for Windows self-extracting file from the following location. You are not required to download and install the JRE separately. It is bundled into Java Web Start.

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

    Save the .exe file to a local disk directory, such as c:\temp.

  2. Install the Java Web Start:

    1. Open the directory where the .exe file was saved.

    2. Double click the self-extracting file javaws-1_0_1_01-win-rt.exe to start the install process.

      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.

      Follow the directions provided by the installer. It will update the Windows registry and add an icon to your desktop.

  3. To launch the client 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. Accept the Security dialog that opens next.

      iPlanet Instant Messenger starts and displays its Logon window.

  4. Log on to iPlanet Instant Messenger.

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

  5. For subsequent invocations, you can:

    • Launch iPlanet Instant Messenger using the Java Web Start launcher icon on your desktop, or use the iPlanet Instant Messenger shortcut on your desktop. (Java Web Start asks if you want to put the icon on your desktop after the first or second time you invoke iPlanet Instant Messenger. Whether it asks the first or second time is a preference that can be set from the Java Web Start Edit menu.)

    • Bookmark the appropriate URL.

    • Type in the browser:

      http://webserver:webserverport/subdirectory/iim.jnlp

      substituting the appropriate values for webserver, and webserverport and subdirectory, if needed.



Configuring and Launching a Windows Client (Java Plug-in and Internet Explorer)

The following steps describe how to configure a Windows client with the Java Plug-in, using Internet Explorer:

  1. In Internet Explorer, enter the URL to launch iPlanet Instant Messenger:

    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 Browser button.

  3. If this is the first time you are running the product, or if you do not have the Java Plug-in installed, Internet Explorer automatically installs and configures the plug-in for you.

    A Java Plug-in Security Warning window opens, asking you if you want to run the signed applet.

    You must choose between Grant this session, Deny, or Grant always. If you choose to grant for only this session, this window will open every time you invoke the plug-in, until you choose Grant always. If you choose Grant always, this window will not open again.

    iPlanet Instant Messenger starts and displays its Logon to server window.

  4. Log on to iPlanet Instant Messenger.

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


    Note Once the iPlanet Instant Messenger session is established using the plug-in, the browser window must be dedicated to its use; that is, you cannot locate any other URLs with this browser window, nor can you close the browser window without terminating the iPlanet Instant Messenger session. Inadvertently losing the iPlanet Instant Messenger connection is potentially very inconvenient, especially for conferenced chat sessions.


  5. For subsequent invocations, you can:

    • Bookmark the appropriate URL.

    • Type in the browser:

      http://webserver:webserverport/subdirectory/iim.html

      substituting the appropriate values for webserver, and webserverport and subdirectory, if needed.



Configuring and Launching a Windows Client (Java Plug-in and Netscape Communicator)

The following steps describe how to configure a Windows client with the Java Plug-in, using Netscape Communicator:

  1. Download the Java Runtime Environment 1.3 for Windows, which includes the Java plug-in, to a local disk directory, such as c:\temp, from the following location:

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

  2. Double-click the saved .exe file to start the install process.

    Follow the directions provided by the installer.

  3. Shut down and restart Netscape Communicator so that it will recognize the plug-in installed in the previous step.

  4. In Netscape Communicator, enter the URL to launch iPlanet Instant Messenger:

    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/

  5. On the iPlanet Instant Messenger web page that appears, click the Launch via Browser button.

  6. The first time you invoke the Java Plug-in, a Java Plug-in Security Warning window opens, asking you if you want to run the signed applet.

    You must choose between Grant this session, Deny, or Grant always. If you choose to grant for only this session, this window will open every time you invoke the plug-in, until you choose Grant always. If you choose Grant always, this window will not open again.

    iPlanet Instant Messenger starts and displays its Logon to server window.

  7. Log on to iPlanet Instant Messenger.

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


    Note Once the iPlanet Instant Messenger session is established using the plug-in, the browser window must be dedicated to its use; that is, you cannot locate any other URLs with this browser window, nor can you close the browser window without terminating the iPlanet Instant Messenger session. Inadvertently losing the iPlanet Instant Messenger connection is potentially very inconvenient, especially for conferenced chat sessions.


  8. For subsequent invocations, you can:

    • Bookmark the appropriate URL.

    • Type in the browser:

      http://webserver:webserverport/subdirectory/iim.html

      substituting the appropriate values for webserver, and webserverport and subdirectory, if needed.



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 JavaScriptTM 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