"Cannot find Java"

[Demonperformer]

I am trying to install a program [Aperture Photometry Tool] that "uses Java Runtime Environment v7.0", but which "cannot find appropriate Java Runtime Environment". Control panel shows Java 7 is installed (albeit that it includes updates upto #80). And yet the program persists in saying that it cannot find Java.

I have tried the ubiquitous switch-it-off-and-on-again routine, to no avail.

Can any computer-savvy member suggest what I might be doing wrong?

Thanks.

[Bonnylad]

Are there any settings in APT that point to the path (location) of JRE? It may be that your JRE executable is in a different folder to that expected by APT.

Just one thought.

[MattJenko]

It is either a setting in APT as John suggests or you need to explicitly add the location of the JRE to the system PATH variable

[Demonperformer]

I see what you are saying, but I am not quite sure how I would check the settings in APT until I have been able to load it.

Java is loaded in c:\program files\java\jre7\bin\javacpl.exe and the only limitation I can see in the instructions [http://www.aperturephotometry.org/aptool/documentation/installation-and-execution-instructions/] is that if I try to run the program from APT.bat, it will only work "if the Java bin directory is in the path of the operating system". Not quite sure what this means, but am not trying to run it from the bat file anyway.

I let Java instal itself in the default (I didn't select anything different), which I would expect to be what the program is expecting in the absence of it saying anything else.

Thanks

 

 

[Bob Howard]

What I would try:

Download the Windows Offline (64-bit) version from HERE.

uninstall the current version of Java.

Run the new downloaded version to install the latest one.

Re-install APT.

[Bob Howard]

And to add the path...

Open a command prompt screen.

Type java -version.

Should look like this:

C:\Users\cg13650>java -version
java version "1.8.0_77"
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.8.0_77-b03)
Java HotSpot(TM) Client VM (build 25.77-b03, mixed mode)

Then:

Select Start -> Computer -> System Properties -> Advanced system settings -> Environment Variables -> System variables -> PATH. ... Prepend C:\Program Files\Java\jdk<YOUR VERSION NUMBER HERE>\bin; to the beginning of the PATH variable.

 

Eg:

Select Start -> Computer -> System Properties -> Advanced system settings -> Environment Variables -> System variables -> PATH. ... Prepend C:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.8.0_77\bin; to the beginning of the PATH variable.

[Demonperformer]

OK, I've updated the path, but it still doesn't like it. I am going to give the unload/reload option a go, but I'm a bit short of time just now and don't want to rush it - will try it later this afternoon.

Thanks.

[brantuk]

You should find it east of Krakatoa lol

[Dr_Ju_ju]

download & install the x86 version, most software still relies in 32bit Java....

[Demonperformer]

Many thanks to everyone who has contributed suggestions to solve the problem, which has now been solved. And the 'gold star' for providing the solution that produced the breakthrough goes to ... [drum roll] ... Dr_Ju_ju. I thought trying a 32-bit installation would be simpler than uninstalling/reinstalling everything and it worked. Thanks, Julian.

This just leaves me with one final query ... as I now have two different versions of Java running on my computer (32-bit & 64-bit) should I uninstall the 64-bit to prevent possible clashes? Or will they both run happily together?

Thanks.

[Bob Howard]

*facepalm*  Should have thought of that!

Well done for the fix :-D

It's fine running both 32 & 64 bit on the same system.  You won't (ummm...  Shouldn't!) get any clashes between the two.

[Demonperformer]

Thanks. I'll keep them both running then ... unless problems start ....

[Dr_Ju_ju]

Glad to be of help... & both versions installed, should cause no issues, in face it can sometimes be useful (as long as the calling software is x64 aware)

[Demonperformer]

I'm obviously being incredibly dumb now ...

Trying to stop java from automatically trying to update every time I switch the computer on. Found the instructions on Google, and managed to follow instruction 1 without too much difficulty. Instruction 2, however, seems to make no sense. I have checked through all the tabs (in the absence of an 'update' one), but can find nothing that will allow me to deselect this option.

Anyone?

Thanks.

[belfieldi]

I think you need to be logged in as an administrator to see the update tab.

[Bob Howard]

Click on Start > Run
Type the following command and press Enter: "regedit".
Go to "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE > SOFTWARE > Wow6432Node > JavaSoft > Java Update > Policy".
Create a DWORD (32-bit) value and named it as "EnableJavaUpdate".
    Set its value (value type - hex) to 1 to display the Update tab.
    Set its value to 0 to hide the Update tab from the Java console.

[Demonperformer]

Thank you both for your replies.

Unfortunately, neither of them worked.

However, I did a bit of digging-deeper on the internet and found this page. The short answer (for anyone who does not feel like wading through all the comments) is that, because I have both versions installed, when I access the control panel from the start menu, it automatically brings up the 64 version, which does not have an update tab. By going into explorer (or similar) and navigating to C:\Program Files (x86)\Java\jre7\bin\javacpl.exe and activating that program directly, it brings up the 32 version, which does have the update tab, and I was able to deselect the option to automatically update, which it has done although it did not like it!

Thanks.

[The image does not really relate to this reply, it was part of a previous reply I was working on before I discovered the answer, but I can find no way of deleting it before submitting the post]

[Bob Howard]

Glad you got it sorted :-)

[Demonperformer]

I spoke too soon. Although I managed to untick the box, 'apply' and 'ok' it, when I logged back in this afternoon, it did it again. EVERY time I go back into the java control panel, the box has re-ticked itself. I tried logging off and going back in as administrator. Now it would hold the unticked status between loadings of the control panel, but when I go back in as myself, it reverts to an automatically reticked status.

I am TPO'd with windows and its paternalistic attitude towards it users.

[Bob Howard]

Try this:

1. Run->msconfig (or in the Windows search box type msconfig.exe and then press enter) 
2. Click on the Startup tab 
3. Scroll down to 'Java™ Platform SE Auto Updater [ver]' and uncheck it. Sorting by Startup Item column helps to find this easier. 
4. Click Apply, then click OK, and restart the computer for this to take effect.

[Demonperformer]

Thank you, thank you, thank you, Bob. There is more than one way to skin a cat ... and some skin it better than others!

[Bob Howard]

Heh!  :-D

No worries.  Glad I could help!