I need help with JAVA

[Greg]

The other day, I noticed that a button in my web page doesn't work. It
still works on a friends computer. I think it is a Java applet, but I
don't know. Still this problem led me to discover another problem.
When I open the JAVA(TM) plugin console and click update, I get a
message stating the Java plugin could not update and please check
internet options and connections. I am having no problem connecting to
the interet. Can some assist me in correcting this problem. Thanky
you.


<applet code="fphover.class" codebase="./" width="120" height="24">

<param name="textcolor" value="#FFFFFF" />

<param name="text" value="Back to Top ..." />

<param name="url" valuetype="ref" value="#Top" />

<param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF">
<param name="color" value="#666600">
<param name="hovercolor" value="#993300">
<param name="effect" value="fill">

</applet>

 

[Andrew Thompson]

The other day, I noticed that a button in my web page ...

URL?

 

[Greg]

Andrew,

Thanks for your reply. Here is one of the pages contraining the
applet. I have since managed to resolve the issue of Java(TM) plugin
not being updated, but the applet still doesn't work. My friend can
open my website and he told me it is working fine. This is what leads
me to believe it is something to do with my IE settings.
http://gregmaxey.mvps.org/word_tips.htm

 

[gimme_this_gimme_that]

If you are using IE, check that java is enabled. The default is off.

Go to Tools, Options, then look for the tab that has the checkboxes
on it and look for the checkbox for enabling java.

 

[Andrew Thompson]

Thanks for your reply. Here is one of the pages contraining the
applet. I have since managed to resolve the issue of Java(TM) plugin
not being updated, but the applet still doesn't work. My friend can
open my website and he told me it is working fine. This is what leads
me to believe it is something to do with my IE settings.
http://gregmaxey.mvps.org/word_tips.htm

Whatever the problem is, it is potentially serious.

The applet in that page runs with the MSVM just fine..

Wait, let me take a moment to expand on that, so we are all
on the same page, by first asking you a question.

Why the heck do you have an applet that has a button titled 'Back to Top',
(which indeed causes the page to scroll to the top when clicked) in your
page at *all*?

The irony of it is that..
- The user can hit the 'Home' button to go to the top of the page.
- If you want a link to an anchor at the top of the page,
HTML is your bet. It requires no JS, or Java, and is both more reliable
and quicker than either. You can use CSS if you want to make the link
look like a button.
- Introducing an applet into the page can *disable* the 'Home'
button (or more specifically, keyboard based page navigation)
in some browser/VM combinations.[1]

So, by putting a 'Back to Top' applet into a page that does not require
it, you have actually achieved ..adding bytes to a page that effectively
breaks the very functionality of the key that the user expects will take
them to the top of the page.

Can *you* see the funny side of that? ;-)

In any case. I did not test it with the 1.5 VM, but only because I
expect no problems. Note that rules out the solution
suggested by 'gimme_this_gimme_that' (though configuration[2]
of IE is commonly the problem for developers.)

Have you recently installed IE SP 2? Have you ever run a
utility called 'unmsvm.exe' on your computer?

If you visit this page,
<http://www.physci.org/test/appletcall/index5.html>
...what do you see above..
"Above is defined an applet call in two forms, ..."

Most importantly, are you willing to use a different browser?

[1]
<http://groups.google.com.au/[email protected]>
[2]
<http://www.physci.org/codes/javafaq.jsp#appletie>

 

[Andrew Thompson]

The applet in that page runs with the MSVM just fine.. ....
...Note that rules out ...(..configuration[2]
of IE is commonly the problem for developers.)

"That" being "works in 1.1", whereas I ended up putting a whole lot
of text between "works in 1.1" and "selecting JRE not the problem".

 

[Greg]

Andrew,

Thanks again for you reply. Unfortunately you are speaking about
topics that are above my head.

Yes I have installed SP2. No I wouldn't consider using another
browser, and I see OBJECT in a grey box when I visit the link you
posted.

The reason I have the applet installed is that I borrowed the page
design from a friend. He could have put spirits on the page and I
wouldn't have know the difference.

Based on your post I will remove the applets, but I am still concerned
as to why the applets won't work on my computer. They work on my
laptop, but it has XP SP1. Again this leads me to believe the problem
is associated with SP2 or this Java(TM) Applet addin (what ever it is)
that is installed on my computer.

 

[Andrew Thompson]

Yes I have installed SP2. No I wouldn't consider using another
browser,
[1]

....
Based on your post I will remove the applets, ..

That is a sterling idea. Please inform your friend of the same reasonning.
It will probably be that they thought it to be a good idea at the time,
but that reason can prevail.

[1] But I am afraid I have little more time for debugging particular
IE installations at the moment.

OTOH, I have completed a few projects where I present my findings
and (sometimes) a small testing facility. Some might be relevant..

The software I present in place of IE's 'unmsvm.exe'
<http://www.physci.org/jvmclean.jsp> chase the links at the top.

Applet 'showDocument' tester.
<http://www.physci.org/test/showdoc/>

And lastly, a very basic applet properties tester..
<http://www.physci.org/pc/property.jsp?prop=java.version>
[ Note that if you see no applet at this link, it almost certainly
points to 'unmsvm.exe' as the problem. ]

HTH

 

[Greg]

Andrew,

I am feeling really stupid about now. You are talking at the graduate
level and I am in the first grade. Thanks for trying to help and I
understand that you don't have time to keep it up. Searched for a
unmsvn.exe file and it was not found. I did the checks on the jmvclean
page and it reported that the problem was not found. However teh show
document tester checks all failed. Your statement "if you see no
applet" is unfortunately meaningless. I still don't know what an
applet is supposed to look like. I get a systems properties screen with
some options to submit querries.

Thanks for your time.

 

[Andrew Thompson]

However teh show document tester checks all failed.

You mentioned earlier..

Yes I have installed SP2.

I suspect that is the problem.

Simple applets and later applets that use the <object>
element both *appear* in your IE, but the 'showDocument'
command is ignored, IE SP2[1] is the most likely source of
that blocking.

If you insist on using IE (with SP2), you need to learn to live
with that.

[1] Microsoft did it (largely) to prevent people using Java to
create pop-up windows, but it also cripples applet links right
down to the simple 'Top of Page' type applet you have.

The solution for your pages is ..

a) Remove the applet.

[ ..and if you *insist* upon having redundant functionality. ]
b) insert this instead. In the 'head' of the document, change..

<STYLE>A:active {
COLOR: #993300
}
A:visited {
COLOR: #993300
}
</STYLE>

...to..

<STYLE>A:active {
COLOR: #993300
}
A:visited {
COLOR: #993300
}
..internal {
color: #fff;
background: #660;
width: 120px;
height: 24px;
}
a:visited.internal {
color: #eee;
}
a:hover.internal {
background: #930;
}
..internalBlock {
width: 120px;
height: 24px;
text-align: center;
}
</STYLE>

...and replace the applet call with..

<div class='internalBlock'>
<a href='#Top' class='internal'>Back to Top ...</a>
</div>

It will probably drop the download size of the page by around
40%, given the applet itself is 10Kb. Then the page should
display & work correctly, even in your rather 'damaged'* OS component.

For safety sake you should take those styles out of the page
and either link to, or import them instead.

Not only will that allow you to hide some styles from browser that
are even more challenged than IE w/SP2, but the external styles
can be cached, further reducing the download size of each page.

But that is for a web-design group.

* It depends how you look at it, but those with more experience with IE
generally see SP 2 as a necessary (if unfortunate, for developers) evil.

...Your statement "if you see no
applet" is unfortunately meaningless. I still don't know what an
applet is supposed to look like. I get a systems properties screen ...

What are the values of the properties listed?

BTW - Could you also report your problems to Microsoft?

 

[Greg]

Andrew,

Thanks again. I will investigate and report the Properties Listed in
the tomorrow.

One question. I sported with the alternate code to include a link to
the top (yes a redundant). It appears a ghoulish color. How would I
select colors for the standard and mouse over appearances. Thanks.