Java on OpenSuSE 12.1

Oracle Java license has changed so the normal rpm package that you will normally find in the repos like packman and such  does not exist anymore. icedtea-web is the plug-in for web browsers which works most of the time and openjdk as the alternative jre. You can find the binaries from java.com and install it. Here is a quick guide about installing the binary version. This is for 64 bit version only DO NOT use this guide if your using a 32 bit system.

First remove icedtea plug in for your browser and put  a lock on it since it is dependent on openjdk which you can leave in your system. Use zypper to remove and lock packages

•      zypper rm  icedtea-web  &&  zypper al icedtea-web 

Create a directory where you will put the package, we choose /opt since it is the normal place where third party packages is installed. As root run the command.

•    mkdir -p /opt/java/64    

Now download the package from java.com and put it in the directory you have just created.

•    wget -O /opt/java/64/jre-6u30-linux-64.bin http://javadl.sun.com/webapps/download/AutoDL?BundleId=58119  

Make it executable

•   chmod +x /opt/java/64/jre-6u30-linux-x64.bin 

go to the directory where the bin file is and execute that file.

•  cd /opt/java/64/  &&  ./jre-6u30-linux-x64.bin 

use update alternative  to configure your system.

•   update-alternatives --install "/usr/bin/java" "java" "/opt/java/64/jre1.6.0_30/bin/java"  1   

to switch from openjdk to use the jre from Oracle.

•   update-alternatives --set java /opt/java/64/jre1.6.0_30/bin/java  

Now to fix the browser plugin issue. This will be usable for every user and every browser in your system.

•  ln -s /opt/java/64/jre1.6.0_30/lib/amd64/libnpjp2.so /usr/lib64/browser-plugins/ 

Restart your browser and check the plugin. type    about:plugins    in the url and scroll down until you see something like this.

One more test if you have it installed on your browser go to java.com and check if you have it installed.


External links and source.  

http://sites.google.com/site/easylinuxtipsproject/java-for-opensuse#TOC-Oracle-Sun-Java:-removed-from-all-r

http://java.com/en/download/help/linux_x64rpm_install.xml