RouteConverter and Mac OS X

[CalvinFold]

I'm having difficulties getting RouteConverter to work with OS X.

At home, I have a non-Intel Mac (newer "cheesegrater" case) and Mac OS X 10.5.x (it's either 10.5.2 or 10.5.6, I'm not in front of it right now). When I try to launch RouteConverter it says I need a newer Java (mine doesn't have v6) and Apple doesn't provide that Java version for that OS X version (and Sun doesn't provide it separately).

At work, I have a 2x2.26 Quad-Core running 10.5.8 (latest updates) and trying to run RouteConverter simply says it cannot be launched and to check the console. Tried to get the console to launch/open, but it won't--it's not being triggered (changed the Java Preferences). Tried getting it to run in a Browser Process (default) and in it's own process. Still nothing.

Am I missing some key setup instructions?

--Kevin

[routeconverter]

At home, I have a non-Intel Mac (newer "cheesegrater" case) and Mac OS X 10.5.x (it's either 10.5.2 or 10.5.6, I'm not in front of it right now). When I try to launch RouteConverter it says I need a newer Java (mine doesn't have v6) and Apple doesn't provide that Java version for that OS X version (and Sun doesn't provide it separately).

Hi Kevin,

since Java 5 is deprecated I have dropped the support for it with RouteConverter 1.30. You could try an older version of RouteConverter, i.e. the 1.29 from

http://www.routeconverter.de/download/1....terMac.jar

It work, I have a 2x2.26 Quad-Core running 10.5.8 (latest updates) and trying to run RouteConverter simply says it cannot be launched and to check the console. Tried to get the console to launch/open, but it won't--it's not being triggered (changed the Java Preferences). Tried getting it to run in a Browser Process (default) and in it's own process. Still nothing.

What is the output when you start

> java -version

and

> java -jar RouteConverterMac.jar

from the console? Is there anything printed into the log files (see FAQ for details).

Am I missing some key setup instructions?

You don't miss any setup instructions, I don't own a Mac and thus my support for them is not as good as for Windows. Sorry - helping hands to improve the situation are always welcome.

[CalvinFold]

I'm running Mac OS X 10.5.8 on the machine the following information comes from.

From the command-line Terminal, using java -version:

java version "1.5.0_22"
Java™ 2 Runtime Environment, Standard Edition (build 1.5.0_22-b03-333-9M3125)
Java HotSpot™ Client VM (build 1.5.0_22-147, mixed mode, sharing)

From Terminal, using java -jar /Users/username/Desktop/RouteConverterMac.jar: (this is the latest version I downloaded)

Exception in thread "main" java.lang.UnsupportedClassVersionError: Bad version number in .class file
at java.lang.ClassLoader.defineClass1(Native Method)
at java.lang.ClassLoader.defineClass(ClassLoader.java:676)
at java.security.SecureClassLoader.defineClass(SecureClassLoader.java:124)
at java.net.URLClassLoader.defineClass(URLClassLoader.java:260)
at java.net.URLClassLoader.access$100(URLClassLoader.java:56)
at java.net.URLClassLoader$1.run(URLClassLoader.java:195)
at java.security.AccessController.doPrivileged(Native Method)
at java.net.URLClassLoader.findClass(URLClassLoader.java:188)
at java.lang.ClassLoader.loadClass(ClassLoader.java:317)
at sun.misc.Launcher$AppClassLoader.loadClass(Launcher.java:280)
at java.lang.ClassLoader.loadClass(ClassLoader.java:252)
at java.lang.ClassLoader.loadClassInternal(ClassLoader.java:375)

For log information, I need a more specific path to the file as /tmp is not enough information (there is no directory /tmp at the top level of the hard drive). I tried running 1.29 on this same machine and it brings-up a larger blank window and sometimes a smaller blank window. Attempts to drag-n-drop or otherwise do anything to the larger window will hang the application (requiring a Force Quit), and for some reason also really upsets iTunes. Trying to quit via command-Q will also hang the application.

---

I just checked and Java 6 is also not available for Mac OS X 10.5.8 (from Apple, per Sun).

So my guess is that the latest version of RouteConverter only runs in Snow Leopard (10.6.x)? Can anyone confirm? Would be a downer, as we're not due to go to Snow Leopard until late this year at the soonest, too buggy.

That being the case, interested in getting any of the older versions of RouteConverter (1.29?) running.

[routeconverter]

From Terminal, using java -jar /Users/username/Desktop/RouteConverterMac.jar: (this is the latest version I downloaded)

Exception in thread "main" java.lang.UnsupportedClassVersionError: Bad version number in .class file

The reason is that the latest RouteConverter versions are compiled for Java 6 and you only have Java 5 on your machine. Please update to Java 6 - for the latest Mac OS X release, there is an option somewhere.

For log information, I need a more specific path to the file as [font=Courier]/tmp is not enough information (there is no directory /tmp at the top level of the hard drive).

No /tmp ? Maybe not in the Finder but the file system should contain one... at least on my Mac OS X VMware image.

I just checked and Java 6 is also not available for Mac OS X 10.5.8 (from Apple, per Sun).

There is one in the Developer Connection: http://209.85.129.132/search?q=cache:tID...=firefox-a

[CalvinFold]

For log information, I need a more specific path to the file as /tmp is not enough information (there is no directory /tmp at the top level of the hard drive).

No /tmp ? Maybe not in the Finder but the file system should contain one... at least on my Mac OS X VMware image.

Are you logged-in as Root or Admin? What is the explicit/exact path?

I just checked and Java 6 is also not available for Mac OS X 10.5.8 (from Apple, per Sun).

There is one in the Developer Connection: http://209.85.129.132/search?q=cache:tID...=firefox-a

Turns out it is already loaded, but for some reason the OS is not activating it. I forced the issue and the application loaded, yay!

But now a new issue:

Failed to create chrriis.dj.nativeswing.swtimpl.components.NativeWebBrowser[1/164014493]

Reason:
The native interface is not open!

The right pane is open and displaying info. Had to move the center bar to get the buttons to show, but all looks well. But the left pane displays the above instead of map. What is it looking for? The default browsers on our Macs is Firefox, is that an issue?

EDIT: Clarified "left" and "right" pane designations.

[routeconverter]

I forced the issue and the application loaded, yay!

Good.

The right pane is open and displaying info. Had to move the center bar to get the buttons to show, but all looks well. But the right pane displays the above instead of map. What is it looking for?

Frankly, this is the best point you can reach so far. I'm waiting for the Eclipse SWT 3.6 release which is supposed to finally contain a Cocoa-based browser and thus map support on Mac OS for RouteConverter. I wasn't aware of this when I switched the library to embed the map somewhen last summer...

[CalvinFold]

Fair enough. If it's a "known issue" its all good. I'm thankful you've written anyting at all that works. THANKS!

[d101au]

Fair enough. If it's a "known issue" its all good. I'm thankful you've written anyting at all that works. THANKS!

Thought I'd add that I've just downloaded RouteConverter and have run into exactly the same difficulties as CalvinFold running it under MacOSX 1.5.8.

The version of Java the system is defaulting to is 1.5.0_22.

I did find a Java update to Ver 6 at:
http://support.apple.com/downloads/Java_...5_Update_4

But struck the same issues with the system appearing to be confused as to which version was active. By using Java Preferences I forced V 6 to be the only active version.

RouteConverter now loads but many aspects appear to be dysfunctional.

I look forward to any updates that may eventuate for this platform.

Best wishes.

[CalvinFold]

FWIW, you don't have to make Java 6 the only active version, just make sure it is first on the list (you can move around the order).

What alot of people don't know (and I had to a few Tech Notes to figure this out, I have to support odd Java things at work) is that Apple seems to have some sort of "load what is appropriate" system going on. That way, in theory, older Javas can load for older apps, newer for newer apps, etc. and all transparently (i.e. in true Apple style, they hide it from the user).

Unfortunately, while this works in 99% of applications on the web (where this usually comes-up...not alot of stand-alone Java apps on the Mac in my experience), RouteConverter is not doing something the Mac OS expects in order to correctly launch the right Java (perhaps not "identifying itself" in some way?).

Worse, the "forcing Java V6 to the top" that we're playing with here is not "typical user" stuff. Most people do not even realize Java Preferences exists.

Might be useful to add instructions for this tweak, for the Mac tinkerers who aren't Java-geeks. Or figure out some way to say to the Mac OS X, "Hey, this is a Java 6 app, make sure you launch the right one!"

Still, nifty it works at all, in any capacity. Alot of "cross platform Java" isn't very cross-platform where Macs are concerned. I too look forward to when the in-app mapping is working again.

[routeconverter]

RouteConverter is not doing something the Mac OS expects in order to correctly launch the right Java (perhaps not "identifying itself" in some way?).

I'd be happy to fix this if you point me to instructions how to achieve that.
There is an article from Sun which focusses on the user interface.

I could provide you with .app files that might work better than .jar files. Would you be willing to test them?

Worse, the "forcing Java V6 to the top" that we're playing with here is not "typical user" stuff. Most people do not even realize Java Preferences exists.

And I guess most Mac users step back from RouteConverter if it is not working out of the box (let's don't think about the damn map problems...).

Btw, this german page enumerates all Java versions for Mac OS X.

I too look forward to when the in-app mapping is working again.

The next Eclipse SWT release 3.6 is planned to contain fixes for Mac OS X which might enable the map again. Though I didn't tested that yet...