Your check is too stringent - I think requiring 1.6.0-14 is sufficient.
This is easily changed.
Pointing them to the right place for download is definitely useful. Not sure
how the automatic download would work if there is no connection? Or if the
user has Java available.
The installer already does this, by opening up
http://www.java.com/en/download/manual.jsp. Now, we could try and
download a URL as part of the install, but it will just need to abort
if there is no connection. If they are not online, and do not have
Java, and we do not package it, then they will be stuffed.
The two main alternatives is to 1) use the Java installer (either provided
on a CD/USB or prompting the user to download it) or 2) to have an
alternative where an “unzipped” JRE is packaged with the installer and
placed in the DHIS folder (and probably used only for DHIS, not generally
available on the users machine). The latter alternative would ensure that
things work well and can be done silently, with the only downside being a
somewhat increased download (15 MB?).
Seems like a pretty good alternative. But we could also use the Java
installer in Silent mode. Of course, there is a risk that it may fail
(as is the case with Synergy machines) or that I will be abducted by
Oracle covert ops. We could package the JRE as you mention fairly
simply. However, I guess there would need to be some sort of variable
that DHIS2 would know to use to access that particular JRE. Not
really sure about this, but having a dedicated version of Java for
DHIS2 could result in less problems in the long run, if we just
package everything together.
I think this point again to multiple installers for multiple
scenarios. Therefore, I would like a clear blueprint of what the
scenarios are.
- A postgres install with all dependencies (included JRE, include
Postgres, BIRT, etc). The final size could be over 200 MB
Lets not put BIRT in, we have Jasper, if people want BIRT they can download and install it separately, its quite big…
- A “lite install” allowing the user to download and manually
install, with H2. . Footprint is around 60 MB.
This sounds good to me. I am envisioning this range of downloads:
A. Cross-platform Live package
(DHIS 2 Live with H2 as we have it today, no installer)
B. Windows on-line installer
Similar to your 2. alternative.
C. Windows off-line installer.
Similar to your 1. alternative. A dedicated Java sounds like a good idea. Can we achieve this simply by setting JAVA_HOME “temporarily” while starting DHIS? I guess Bitrock allows for this…?
D. Linux debian package
Bob’s deb as we have it today.
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2010/3/2 Jason Pickering jason.p.pickering@gmail.com