Error loading applets in Windows XP Professional 2002 SP 2

[Sridhar Venkataraman]

Hi all,

First off, let me just say that I purchased a copy of Head First Java (not the only Head First book I picked up in a recent shopping extravaganza!).

IGNORE THIS BECAUSE THE PROBLEM IS SOLVED
//I started reading the book from the very beginning in an endeavour to get up and running with the Java programming language. It said somewhere in the book that version 1.5 or later of the Java 2 Standard Edition SDK had to be downloaded for getting down to using the code (and generating self-made code of course..) given in the book. I tried my best to locate the same, but could only manage to download the Java 2 SDK, SE v1.4.2_11 from the Sun website for Java (I'm not sure whether this is a typo in the book or I'm doing something seriously wrong). Could someone lead me to the right place to get v1.5 or later? I'm highly confused by the sheer number of releases the developers of Java have put out (you know, the j2ses, the j2res, the j2ees etc.) . //



That is only part of a larger problem. My browser(s) [IE 7 and Mozilla Firefox] used to run java applets fine until made this installation. Now, whenever an applet is present in any web page on the internet, I get a red X with a grey background in its place.

Strangely enough, I am able to view the test applet provided by Sun at http://www.java.com/en/download/help/testvm.xml

The following Java components are installed in my system :
J2SE Development Kit 5.0 Update 6
J2SE Runtime Envrionment 5.0 Update 6
Java Web Start


I tinkered around with the Envrionment Variables (Under Control Panel > System > Advanced) after making the aformentioned installations. Could this be a reason why the applets are failing to load? I followed the installation instructions to set the PATH variable though.

Also, I don't have a Java Web Start icon on my desktop or in the system tray. Does this mean that it hasn't installed or initialized? And could this be yet another reason as to why the applets aren't loading?

My Java folder is C:\Program Files\Java on my computer

Could someone please tell me how to get the applets loading again? Is there anything which needs to be installed in addition? I am prepared to start on a clean state and reinstall everything if necessary...

Thanks a bunch.

PS : A thousand apologies if this is in the wrong forum. I'd like to think that I'm an amateur at this whole thing, so I guessed this would be the right place to put this issue up.

[ May 22, 2006: Message edited by: Sridhar Venkataraman ]

[ May 22, 2006: Message edited by: Sridhar Venkataraman ]

[ May 22, 2006: Message edited by: Sridhar Venkataraman ]

[ May 23, 2006: Message edited by: Sridhar Venkataraman ]
[ May 23, 2006: Message edited by: Sridhar Venkataraman ]

[Campbell Ritchie]

Welcome to the Ranch.

I am surprised you could only download J1.4.2. You ought to be able to find the J5.0 download Here on the Java site. Click where it says JDK 5.0 update 6. You can get NetBeans too if you wish, but I think most beginners have more than enough to learn with Java without learning NetBeans too.

Against where you download the SDK without NetBeans, it give installation instructions. Follow them to the letter. Setting up Java in the first place causes no end of problems.
And while you are at it, on the same page as the JDK download, you will find documentation downloads. If you aren't connected to the net all the time, you will find that file useful for the API specifications.

I don't think I can help with the browser problem, I am afraid.

CR

[Sridhar Venkataraman]

Hi there. Thanks for your prompt response.

I think my confusion stemmed from the fact that the Java SDK is now known as JDK (does Sun intentionally do this to confuse us novices, God only knows..). Thanks for the link.

I do hope someone can guide me to solving the applet problem...*sigh*
[ May 23, 2006: Message edited by: Sridhar Venkataraman ]

[Sridhar Venkataraman]

I'm sorry about the mistake in the first post, where I said I get a red "X" with a grey background. It is a red "X" with a transparent background...much like when an image fails to load on a website.