Using the application without Java installed

[poisonborz]

I'm absolutely loving RouteConverter, but the Windows Java installation requirement gives me the creeps.
Would there be a way (or if not, as a feature request) to point the program to a static Java/JDK folder path for use? This way, Java wouldn't need to be installed on the OS level. The Java folder could even come bundled with the app itself. A number of other Java-based programs do this, eg. JetBrains IDEs.

[lundefugl]

I'm absolutely loving RouteConverter, but the Windows Java installation requirement gives me the creeps.
Would there be a way (or if not, as a feature request) to point the program to a static Java/JDK folder path for use? This way, Java wouldn't need to be installed on the OS level. The Java folder could even come bundled with the app itself. A number of other Java-based programs do this, eg. JetBrains IDEs.

Hello,

You can use your own Java version by using the Routconverter-Jar. You can download it from the same location as the Exe file. You have to change the extension from ".exe" to ".jar" in the download URL from the Exe.
On the download site for prerelease versions exists a direct link to the jar file. 

Start it with "<path to your own java>\java.exe -jar RouteconverterWindows.jar"

Thomas

[kumo]

Addendum to above hint of @lundefugl

I like to have different versions of RC available on my PC to be able to make comparisons when I find a issue.
So I consequently rename the files immediately after download:
   
The uppermost file RC.bat has this content:

Code:

java -jar -Xmx2048m RouteConverterWindowsPrerelease_20-10-01.jar

Where -Xmx2048m gives RouteConverter 2GB of memory and _20-10-01 is the current prerelease version.

So I have to edit my batch file when I like to start a different version with 2GB memory assigned.
Nonetheless I can always start a *.jar with a a double click without memory assignment.

[poisonborz]

Thanks! I updated the title to better reflect the goal.
I should also mention it's better to use javaw.exe so that a console doesn't pop up.

I wish there was a better way for doing this... Or as written above, if it would come "pre-bundled" like this. Most newer systems don't have Java installed, and I doubt that they should be.

For anyone finding this thread later, to have RC running on Windows without Java installed (but a local Java JRE folder available) the steps are as follows:

• Get a JRE folder (you can do this by installing Java, copy out the "jre1.x" folder from program files to somewhere, then uninstall).
  
• Go to the download site https://www.routeconverter.com/stable-releases/en
  
• Right click on the windows  link, and copy the address - paste it to your browser address bar and rewrite "exe" to "jar"
  
• Create a .bat file with notepad with the following content:
  "<path to java jre folder>\javaw.exe" -jar "< path >\RouteConverterWindows.jar"

[nordlicht]

• Get a JRE folder (you can do this by installing Java, copy out the "jre1.x" folder from program files to somewhere, then uninstall).
  

You don't have to install Java first, just use this: https://portableapps.com/apps/utilities/java_portable

You could also go one step further and start RC with the JavaPortable_Launcher, then it won't even write its settings to the registry.

[routeconverter]

You don't have to install Java first, just use this: https://portableapps.com/apps/utilities/java_portable

You could also go one step further and start RC with the JavaPortable_Launcher, then it won't even write its settings to the registry.

Is there anything that needs to be done for this approach?

I'm asking because I'm currently using https://github.com/lukaszlenart/launch4j-maven-plugin to package the Windows version of RouteConverter. And I don't use Windows anymore so I'm not really enthusiastic about big changes ;-)

Launch4j offers an option to bundle the JRE http://launch4j.sourceforge.net/docs.htm...ation_file but I failed to use that with an earlier version of the launch4j-maven-plugin

So if somebody wants to jump in?

[routeconverter]

Btw, here we a similiar discussion: https://forum.routeconverter.com/thread-2224.html

[nordlicht]

Is there anything that needs to be done for this approach?

Yes:

- Install jPortable or OpenJDK JRE Portable.
- Install jPortable Launcher.
- Create a subdirectory for RouteConverter and put i.e. RouteConverterWindowsOpenSource.jar in it.
- Navigate to the jPortable Launcher directory and run jPortable Launcher (JPL).
- In JPL, navigate to RouteConverterWindowsOpenSource.jar and select it.

I have to correct myself, RC still writes to the registry when started this way.
For more information please see https://portableapps.com/ .

[routeconverter]

I've created a prerelease for RouteConverter as a Portable App, please try the Portable Apps prerelease on
https://www.routeconverter.com/prereleases/en
and report any observations, problems, praises.

PS: It requires the jPortable app, nothing more. And it writes only to the Data directory of the portable app

[nordlicht]

PS: It requires the jPortable app, nothing more. And it writes only to the Data directory of the portable app

PortableApps also offers portable OpenJDK runtimes as 32bit and 64bit, are you going to integrate these as an alternative if there is no jportable runtime present?