Ubuntu – Why can’t I run Java Web Start Applications

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I have Ubuntu 12.10 for x86-64 on my PC and I'm trying to run a .jnlp file. I've installed Java 7 and the Java plugin for Mozilla Firefox manually (because there is no .deb package for Java 7 for Ubuntu).

Whenever I double click a .jnlp file, Firefox is opened and it gives me the option of opening the file with Firefox or saving it. If I click save, it download the file I'm trying to run, and if I click open with Firefox web browser, it opens another tab and asks me again (in the new tab) to either open or save.

I used to run the exact same file on Debian, so what should I do to run this file on Ubuntu?

Best Answer

First install the icedtea-8-plugin package (or later version) that include the java browser-plugin and the javaws webstart tool that can launch .jnlp files.

Use javaws to open the downloaded .jnlp file.

Related Solutions

Ubuntu – How to integrate Java Web Start to browser

In firefox go,

Edit -> Prefferences -> Applications -> JNLP File 
Choose SunJDK Java 6 Web Start

Ubuntu – How to associate jnlp file with javaws

You will need to create a .desktop file like described in the this post for javaws to appear in Open With dialog.

In your case you will need to create a new text file in the folder ~/.local/share/applications. Name this file whatever you want, it has to have the extension .desktop. The content of this file has to be the following:

[Desktop Entry]
Encoding=UTF-8
Name=Java 6 Web Start
Comment=Java 6 Web Start
Exec=/usr/lib/jvm/java-6-oracle/jre/bin/javaws %u
Terminal=false
Type=Application
Icon=javaws
Categories=Application;Network;
MimeType=application/x-java-jnlp-file;

Please pay attention that the path to javaws executable in the Exec parameter may be different on your system. You can find out the path to your javaws executable by typing the following command in terminal:

which javaws

or by listing all your JDK/JRE installations with the command:

update-alternatives --display javaws

Best Answer

Related Solutions

Ubuntu – How to integrate Java Web Start to browser

Ubuntu – How to associate jnlp file with javaws

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