Installing Java

Who needs to install?	Installing Java
Which Applications are affected?	Common Problems

What is Java?

UCL Administrative Systems are mainly available via the web using an internet browser. Many of the commonly used systems require the use of Java via a browser plugin in order to run.

This page outlines how to get Java, how UCL Admin Systems make use of it, and common problems.

Java 7 - March 2013

Please Note: UCL Admin Systems will support Java 7 from the end of March 2013. The information below covers installation of Java 7 and some of the exceptions where Java 6 will still be needed after this point.

Java 6 is available to install using the link at the foot of the page.

Who needs to download?:

There are two options available for using Java with UCL Administrative Systems:

Windows Users:

Install Java 7: Windows users may install Java 7 on their desktop PCs and run systems directly from their internet browsers. See below for a link to the latest Java version.

Mac Users:

Install Java 7 from Oracle - see link below. Note that the version of Java supplied by Apple dopes not include a web browser plug-in. You must install Java 7 from Oracle to be able to use Admin Systems directly on your computer.

Managed Services:

If you are using the Staff WTS, Myriad or ADS Managed Services, Java will already be installed and you need do nothing.
If you are running Administrative Systems from your own or a departmentally managed computer, you need to check first if you have Java installed - see below

Alternative Methods:

If you are unable to install or run Java or the necessary browser plugins on your desktop computer or device, they can instead be accessed using the Staff WTS service.

Java Versions

As of March 2013, ISD recommends that users install the latest update of Java 7. This will be compatible with all Oracle Java based oracle applications except FIS and EDRM (see below).

FIS, FAMIS and EDRM Users: Please Note

FIS, FAMIS and the EDRM Webtop applications are not currently certified for use with Java 7. If you use one or both of these applications and install Java 7, you may need to either:

Disable the Java 7 browser plug-in and re-enable the Java 6 plug-in
Remove Java 7 and install Java 6 instead.

If you choose to install Java 7, we recommend that you install it into a different location than the default so that it will not remove Java 6 components required by FIS/EDRM. The Java installation allows you to specify a different directory location.

If you have problems with Java and FIS, FAMIS or EDRM, you may be required to uninstall Java 7 completely and install only Java 6. This will aid troubleshooting and support for these systems.

Other Admin Systems can still be accessed if you only have Java 6 installed.

Which version do I need?

UCL Administrative Applications that use Oracle forms technology currently require Java 7 to run. You can download the latest version of Java 6 by following the link below.

Please note that Java 7 is not compatible and, if you have this installed, you will need to remove Java 7 for Admin Systems to work directly on your computer. Alternatively, use the Staff WTS service and access Admin Systems using a web browser there.

Installation

If you do not have software installation privileges

Please ask your system administrator to install Java on your behalf - installing Java will require administrative rights to your computer.

If you have software installation privileges

Download and Install Java 7 from the Java website. Select the version most appropriate for your operating system, e.g.:

Windows x86 for Windows XP or Windows 7
Windows x64 for 64-bit versions of Windows (inc Windows 7)
Mac OS X x64 for Apple Macs

If you still need Java 6 (for FIS/EDRM)

Download and install Java 6.

Common Problems with Firefox:

The Firefox browser may have disabled the Java plugin, particularly if you have an out-of-date version of Java installed. If you are using your own computer, always update to the latest version of Java 6.
WTS 2010 users may have problems with the Java plugin if using Firefox. This is because WTS 2010 uses an older Java version that is disabled by default by this browser. For WTS 2010, we recommend either using Internet Explorer 8 or, alternatively, using the Firefox Add-ons page to re-enable the Java plugin.
If you have installed the latest version of Java and Firefox can still not load the plugin, you may need to reinstall Java and/or Firefox. Alternatively, downloading and running this Windows Registry file may also enable the plugin. [You may need to rename the file once downloaded to remove the .txt file extension. Always proceed with caution when updating the Windows Registry. If in doubt, always contact your local IT support. We cannot guarantee this will work.]