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Java For Portable Firefox

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antixogh
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Java For Portable Firefox

it would be nice to be able to install java (among other plugins i'm sure)
as to avoid having to install java on any computer that didn't already have it
this might be the wrong place to post this, maybe i should tell Sun and hope
for a java extension. anyway just a thought.

i had someone ask me about this recently, and it got me thinking how hard would it be to get the source code for firefox and hack.. rewrite the section that goes out to search the registry, and simply code it in a manner that points you the drive that firefox was launched from *:\apps\java\java.exe or something to that effect. or if you are pals with the folks over at mozilla get a configurable option to poll the registry or look in a specific location, in the about:config area. anyway just another thought, two years later.

-Antixogh
antixogh@gmail.com, antixogh@hotmail.com, antixogh@yahoo.com
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John T. Haller
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Unfortunately

Firefox uses the registry to determine if and where Java is installed. I may be adding a launcher/closer that will allow you to do this.

Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!

Deuce
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Java would be great

if it could be portable. I know there are alot of java programs out there that just use one .Jar file to run and would be a great addition to the protable world.

Deuce199

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Portable Software: Just the beginning.

John T. Haller
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That we can do

I'm writing up instructions on that.

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justin
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yeah

Then you could have cross-platform apps, as Java works on any platform as long as you have the runtime environment.

-Justin

John T. Haller
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Yes and No

You'd need the JRE for each platform you wanted it to run on. The Windows JRE alone is 57MB. Then it would be cross-platform.

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justin
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well

It's still possible

-Justin

mechir (not verified)
I need Java for my OOo

I hope that at least OpenOffice with JRE in one folder can be made. I don't know if this will violate Sun's policy. Many PCs don't has JRE installed. Or a portable JRE perhaps... well, maybe a bad idea Blum

iXneonXi
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RE: Unfortunately

John, sorry to be pushy just wondering how your work with Portable Firefox and getting JAVA portable is coming along?

Will Java have to be installed for Portable Firefox to use it, or would it be possible to have PF use a portable version of Java?

It would just be awesome if I could use the JAVA viewers for VNC or play Runescape from nearly any computer ^.^

John T. Haller
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Standalone, etc

I'm doing a couple different things. First off, Portable Firefox will successfully use a JVM installed on the local machine. It's always been that way. The only way to make Firefox use a JVM on the portable drive is to register that JVM on the local machine. So, essentially, we'd need a start and a stop program for that (reg and de-reg). It's a bit messy and can't be automated easily. I debated tying it into the Portable Firefox launcher, but so few people use Java within a browser, that it made more sense to keep it seperate.

You can use Java portably with standalone java apps using a java launcher. There have been a couple threads on this site about that.

Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!

iXneonXi
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RE: Standalone, etc

I debated tying it into the Portable Firefox launcher, but so few people use Java within a browser, that it made more sense to keep it seperate.

Is there a version where it is tyed in?
----
My issue is that the local machine does not have Java installed, so I wanted to have some portable version of java on my USB drive that could run web java applets from portable firefox.

And you mentioned a reg and de-reg program, does that mean this is virtually impossible to do without registry modification powers?

Even so, how would you go about doing this just out of curiousity (although I won't be able to use it on certain computers)?

John T. Haller
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Registration Required

Yeah, a Java VM has to be registered (a la in the registry) on the local machine for Firefox to pick it up. No registry, no Java.

The way you do it is to enter all that registration stuff in and then strip it out later.

Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!

nm35
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Ack!

There's an unclosed <cite> tag in the previous post -- can you fix it?

~nm35 {blog} {personal space}

John T. Haller
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Got it

Thanks to nm35, our token (involuntary) IE user.

Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!

iXneonXi
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So, how would you go about

So, how would you go about it even if you have to use the registry - in firefox and whatnot?
(sorry, this more than likely has been asked before - i'm very new to all of this)

John T. Haller
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Install Java and see

You'll need to backup all the registry entries associated with Java and merge them into the registry of the computer you plan to run Java on... updating all the paths to your portable copy. Then remove them all when you're done.

If you don't know how to do this. I would suggest not persuing it any further. The registry isn't something to be messed with lightly. It can kill your Windows install.

Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!

iXneonXi
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I'm familiar with working

I'm familiar with working with the registry, do it alot.

I just wonder what is the easiest way to remove the changes when I'm done, as I've seen most portable apps/launchers do this for you.

Also, which keys should I modify to update the paths to the portable copy of Java stored on the flash drive, and how would I get java onto the flash drive, or if this has already been posted, could you please direct me to the guide/howto.

Bruce Pascoe
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...

There's actually very few keys in the registry--relatively speaking--that can screw over your Windows installation if modified/deleted. Pretty much anything in HKEY_CURRENT_USER is safe to modify (just create a new user account if something goes wrong); it's HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE and HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT (which is actually a subkey of HKLM) you have to worry about. Even then, as long as you leave the stuff in HKLM\Software\Microsoft and HKCR alone, you're usually safe.

nm35
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Time for IEradicator!

our token (involuntary) IE user.

Ah well... such is the Gestapo IT...

I'd use PortableFirefox on the few computers I do have full access too, except I don't have enough room... Sad

Wouldn't Firefox show that unclosed tag anyways?

~nm35 {blog} {personal space}

John T. Haller
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Nope

That's why I thanked you.

Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!

iXneonXi
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I see it correctly, with no

I see it correctly, with no unclosed tag. I'm using firefox ofcourse.
Even before it was changed (if it was).

Now, sorry to be pushy but i see the offtopic (which is fine, good to have a lil humor), but I'm just wonder if you or John could help, nm35 xD

nm35
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Don't think much could be done...

It was changed... don't worry.

I'm afraid I don't really have any ideas... You can run Java apps with CMDow and a portable JRE, but Java in Portable Firefox... not likely.

~nm35 {blog} {personal space}

iXneonXi
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Workaround?

Is there a way to run a web applet off a webpage then as a java app without a browser?

Ryan McCue
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You could use

IE Tab or IE view if Java is installed.
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nm35
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...

Recompiling the Java application as an applet and running it from a web page would work if Java was installed on the host computer (using IETab/IEView or PortableFF if Java is enabled in your settings).

Or if it's a Java app you want without a browser, just use a BAT file to run javaw.exe (use the search to find the relevant thread).

~nm35 {blog} {personal space}

iXneonXi
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No go

ah, so a no-go if java isn't on the machine you want to run the applet?

hosamaly
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JVM installed, but not in PFx

Hello,

I have a JVM installed on this machine, and I can open applets in IE. However, using Portable Firefox 1.5.0.7, I'm unable to view any applets.

I'm using Windows 2000 Service Pack 4, and when I type "java -version" in CMD I get 1.4.2_04.

Could you please help me to figure out why I'm unable to view applets?

Thanks in advance.

dengle
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What about Registry Rapper

What about Registry Rapper from the Portasoft site? Does that do what needs to be done?

Deuce
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No..

I did not design it for that kind of app. Registry Rapper is great to use for programs that have one or a few entries that hold settings, so it is perfect for those programs that use the registry to just store programs settings. Java however, has many, many keys within the registry, it would not be able to handle that large and application.

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Deuce   {The Core} - {P.A. Dev Blog}
"Portable Software: Just the beginning.

Deuce
Portable Software: Just the beginning.

iXneonXi
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NSIS?

Yall seem to use NSIS for alotta stuff here.
That wouldn't work?

Deuce
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Correct...

I did use NSIS to write registry rapper, but again it is not built to handle large applications with many different registry entries.

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Deuce   {The Core} - {P.A. Dev Blog}
"Portable Software: Just the beginning.

Deuce
Portable Software: Just the beginning.

md
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Even Limewire

Even the popular P2P Program LimeWire requires Java, which is a shame cause you need to install it on every pc that you need to use Limewire on!!!

MD

MD

Ryan McCue
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Er

This topic is related to the Firefox Java Plugin, not Java.
This is an old topic as well.
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"If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate."

rich.bradshaw
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Don't use LimeWire - use

Don't use LimeWire - use FrostWire its the same functionality, but Open Source and doesn't include the bundled spyware etc...

Bahamut
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Limewire is GPL last time I

Limewire is GPL last time I checked...

I'll try Frostwire, though.

Vintage!

Ryan McCue
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Correct

and there is also no spyware.
Check the code yourself.
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R McCue
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People who didn't need people needed people around to know that they were
the kind of people who didn't need people.
(Maskerade)

"If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate."

cornflaker
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rmccue is right

rmccue is right, there is no spyware in limewire, However I do use frostwire though, I think it's default skin looks kinda cool too.

MobileDev
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Would this work?

I read somewhere on the net that if you copied certain files from an existing JRE installation on the host machine over to Portable FireFox's Plugin folder, you would be able to view Java apps. You see, the problem I am having is that, in Portable FireFox, when you open a java app, you just see a blank frame, with no prompt to install a plugin, so I'm sure that FireFox can detect that Java is installed somewhere, but without the files in the plugins folder, it can't que the Java Console to run the applet. I had a similiar problem with the Flash plugin, except I saw a puzzle peice thing and I was able to install Flash in FireFox without any problem (and in doing so, I activated just about every banner ad on the net) I was not able to install Shockwave though. The thing I realized is that on the library computers, Java and Flash are installed, but not Shockwave. I think it has something to do with registry editing or permissions. I also tried altering the TAG settings for Java installed on one the computers, so that it would allow Mozilla Suite to run applets, but I could not apply the settings without administrative rights. If copying files works, I will post the link to page with the instructions. I am not entirely sure if this is legal or not (didn't read license for FireFox or Java, too much all caps text)

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