After checking your Java Environment, downloaded and installed either an Oracle JDK or an Open JDK, now it's time to pack everything together.

At this point, you have a new JVM installed below your /usr/lib/jvm directory , and you've a jinfo file tuned to your needs with a unique priority number.

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Install
Install
Install

Now it's time to link /etc/alternatives with our new installed JVM.

Anchor
InstallCommandLine
InstallCommandLine
Command Line

Usually one has to install each java commands, tools or libraries one by one with the following interactive command:

...

Code Block

language	bash
theme	Emacs

sudo update-alternatives --install "/usr/bin/java" "java" "/usr/lib/jvm/default-java/jre/bin/java" 1073;

Check if your added JVM java command has been processed by running:

Code Block

language	bash
theme	Emacs

user@machine:~$ update-alternatives --list java
/usr/lib/jvm/default-java/jre/bin/java
/usr/lib/jvm/java-8-openjdk-i386/jre/bin/java
/usr/lib/jvm/java-8-oracle/jre/bin/java
/usr/lib/jvm/ramdisk-java-8-oracle/jre/bin/java

Anchor
InstallScripting
InstallScripting
Scripting

Doing this task one by one is pretty tedious, we provide a shell script ito facilitate the work.

The trick here is to always increment the priority number for a new installed JDK JVM and define a unique alternative name. Here is an excerpt of the man page:

...

Code Block

language	bash
theme	Emacs

#/usr/lib/jvm/default-java/jre/bin
sudo update-alternatives --install "/usr/bin/ControlPanel" "ControlPanel" "/usr/lib/jvm/default-java/jre/bin/ControlPanel" 1073;
sudo update-alternatives --install "/usr/bin/java" "java" "/usr/lib/jvm/default-java/jre/bin/java" 1073;
sudo update-alternatives --install "/usr/bin/javaws" "javaws" "/usr/lib/jvm/default-java/jre/bin/javaws" 1073;
sudo update-alternatives --install "/usr/bin/jcontrol" "jcontrol" "/usr/lib/jvm/default-java/jre/bin/jcontrol" 1073;
sudo update-alternatives --install "/usr/bin/jjs" "jjs" "/usr/lib/jvm/default-java/jre/bin/jjs" 1073;
sudo update-alternatives --install "/usr/bin/keytool" "keytool" "/usr/lib/jvm/default-java/jre/bin/keytool" 1073;
sudo update-alternatives --install "/usr/bin/orbd" "orbd" "/usr/lib/jvm/default-java/jre/bin/orbd" 1073;
sudo update-alternatives --install "/usr/bin/pack200" "pack200" "/usr/lib/jvm/default-java/jre/bin/pack200" 1073;
sudo update-alternatives --install "/usr/bin/policytool" "policytool" "/usr/lib/jvm/default-java/jre/bin/policytool" 1073;
sudo update-alternatives --install "/usr/bin/rmid" "rmid" "/usr/lib/jvm/default-java/jre/bin/rmid" 1073;
sudo update-alternatives --install "/usr/bin/rmiregistry" "rmiregistry" "/usr/lib/jvm/default-java/jre/bin/rmiregistry" 1073;
sudo update-alternatives --install "/usr/bin/servertool" "servertool" "/usr/lib/jvm/default-java/jre/bin/servertool" 1073;
sudo update-alternatives --install "/usr/bin/tnameserv" "tnameserv" "/usr/lib/jvm/default-java/jre/bin/tnameserv" 1073;
sudo update-alternatives --install "/usr/bin/unpack200" "unpack200" "/usr/lib/jvm/default-java/jre/bin/unpack200" 1073;
#/usr/lib/jvm/default-java/jre/lib
sudo update-alternatives --install "/usr/bin/jexec" "jexec" "/usr/lib/jvm/default-java/jre/lib/jexec" 1073;
#/usr/lib/jvm/default-java/bin
sudo update-alternatives --install "/usr/bin/appletviewer" "appletviewer" "/usr/lib/jvm/default-java/bin/appletviewer" 1073;
sudo update-alternatives --install "/usr/bin/extcheck" "extcheck" "/usr/lib/jvm/default-java/bin/extcheck" 1073;
sudo update-alternatives --install "/usr/bin/idlj" "idlj" "/usr/lib/jvm/default-java/bin/idlj" 1073;
sudo update-alternatives --install "/usr/bin/jar" "jar" "/usr/lib/jvm/default-java/bin/jar" 1073;
sudo update-alternatives --install "/usr/bin/jarsigner" "jarsigner" "/usr/lib/jvm/default-java/bin/jarsigner" 1073;
sudo update-alternatives --install "/usr/bin/javac" "javac" "/usr/lib/jvm/default-java/bin/javac" 1073;
sudo update-alternatives --install "/usr/bin/javadoc" "javadoc" "/usr/lib/jvm/default-java/bin/javadoc" 1073;
sudo update-alternatives --install "/usr/bin/javafxpackager" "javafxpackager" "/usr/lib/jvm/default-java/bin/javafxpackager" 1073;
sudo update-alternatives --install "/usr/bin/javah" "javah" "/usr/lib/jvm/default-java/bin/javah" 1073;
sudo update-alternatives --install "/usr/bin/javap" "javap" "/usr/lib/jvm/default-java/bin/javap" 1073;
sudo update-alternatives --install "/usr/bin/javapackager" "javapackager" "/usr/lib/jvm/default-java/bin/javapackager" 1073;
sudo update-alternatives --install "/usr/bin/java-rmi.cgi" "java-rmi.cgi" "/usr/lib/jvm/default-java/bin/java-rmi.cgi" 1073;
sudo update-alternatives --install "/usr/bin/jcmd" "jcmd" "/usr/lib/jvm/default-java/bin/jcmd" 1073;
sudo update-alternatives --install "/usr/bin/jconsole" "jconsole" "/usr/lib/jvm/default-java/bin/jconsole" 1073;
sudo update-alternatives --install "/usr/bin/jdb" "jdb" "/usr/lib/jvm/default-java/bin/jdb" 1073;
sudo update-alternatives --install "/usr/bin/jdeps" "jdeps" "/usr/lib/jvm/default-java/bin/jdeps" 1073;
sudo update-alternatives --install "/usr/bin/jhat" "jhat" "/usr/lib/jvm/default-java/bin/jhat" 1073;
sudo update-alternatives --install "/usr/bin/jinfo" "jinfo" "/usr/lib/jvm/default-java/bin/jinfo" 1073;
sudo update-alternatives --install "/usr/bin/jmap" "jmap" "/usr/lib/jvm/default-java/bin/jmap" 1073;
sudo update-alternatives --install "/usr/bin/jmc" "jmc" "/usr/lib/jvm/default-java/bin/jmc" 1073;
sudo update-alternatives --install "/usr/bin/jps" "jps" "/usr/lib/jvm/default-java/bin/jps" 1073;
sudo update-alternatives --install "/usr/bin/jrunscript" "jrunscript" "/usr/lib/jvm/default-java/bin/jrunscript" 1073;
sudo update-alternatives --install "/usr/bin/jsadebugd" "jsadebugd" "/usr/lib/jvm/default-java/bin/jsadebugd" 1073;
sudo update-alternatives --install "/usr/bin/jstack" "jstack" "/usr/lib/jvm/default-java/bin/jstack" 1073;
sudo update-alternatives --install "/usr/bin/jstat" "jstat" "/usr/lib/jvm/default-java/bin/jstat" 1073;
sudo update-alternatives --install "/usr/bin/jstatd" "jstatd" "/usr/lib/jvm/default-java/bin/jstatd" 1073;
sudo update-alternatives --install "/usr/bin/jvisualvm" "jvisualvm" "/usr/lib/jvm/default-java/bin/jvisualvm" 1073;
sudo update-alternatives --install "/usr/bin/native2ascii" "native2ascii" "/usr/lib/jvm/default-java/bin/native2ascii" 1073;
sudo update-alternatives --install "/usr/bin/rmic" "rmic" "/usr/lib/jvm/default-java/bin/rmic" 1073;
sudo update-alternatives --install "/usr/bin/schemagen" "schemagen" "/usr/lib/jvm/default-java/bin/schemagen" 1073;
sudo update-alternatives --install "/usr/bin/serialver" "serialver" "/usr/lib/jvm/default-java/bin/serialver" 1073;
sudo update-alternatives --install "/usr/bin/wsgen" "wsgen" "/usr/lib/jvm/default-java/bin/wsgen" 1073;
sudo update-alternatives --install "/usr/bin/wsimport" "wsimport" "/usr/lib/jvm/default-java/bin/wsimport" 1073;
sudo update-alternatives --install "/usr/bin/xjc" "xjc" "/usr/lib/jvm/default-java/bin/xjc" 1073;
#/usr/lib/jvm/default-java/jre/lib/i386
#sudo update-alternatives --install "/usr/binlib/firefox-javapluginxulrunner-addons/plugins/libjavaplugin.so" "firefox-xulrunner-1.9-javaplugin.so" "/usr/lib/jvm/default-java/jre/lib/i386/libnpjp2.so" 1073;
#sudosudo update-alternatives --install "/usr/bin/iceapelib/firefox-addons/plugins/firefox-javaplugin.so" "iceapefirefox-javaplugin.so" "/usr/lib/jvm/default-java/jre/lib/i386/libnpjp2.so" 1073;
#sudo update-alternatives --install "/usr/bin/iceweasellib/iceape/plugins/iceape-javaplugin.so" "iceweaseliceape-javaplugin.so" "/usr/lib/jvm/default-java/jre/lib/i386/libnpjp2.so" 1073;
#sudo update-alternatives --install "/usr/lib/biniceweasel/plugins/midbrowsericeweasel-javaplugin.so" "midbrowsericeweasel-javaplugin.so" "/usr/lib/jvm/default-java/jre/lib/i386/libnpjp2.so" 1073;
sudo#sudo update-alternatives --install "/usr/binlib/mozilla-plugin/plugins/libjavaplugin.so" "mozilla-pluginjavaplugin.so" "/usr/lib/jvm/default-java/jre/lib/i386/libnpjp2.so" 1073;
#sudo update-alternatives --install "/usr/lib/midbrowser/binplugins/mozillamidbrowser-javaplugin.so" "mozillamidbrowser-javaplugin.so" "/usr/lib/jvm/default-java/jre/lib/i386/libnpjp2.so" 1073;
#sudo update-alternatives --install "/usr/binlib/xulrunner-javapluginaddons/plugins/libjavaplugin.so" "xulrunner-javaplugin.so" "/usr/lib/jvm/default-java/jre/lib/i386/libnpjp2.so" 1073;
#sudo update-alternatives --install "/usr/bin/xulrunner-1.9-javaplugin.so" "xulrunner-1.9-javaplugin.so" "/usr/lib/jvm/default-java/jre/lib/i386/libnpjp2.so" 1073;

...

This shell script mirror the content of the jinfo file described in the Java Environment Tutorial.

This shell script file contains various known plugins. However at this time we only describe the Firefox Java plugin support. It is why we suggest the other plugin support as comments.

Usually we store those shell scripts under /usr/lib/jvm/tools. This one is called installDefaultJavaAlternatives.sh.

Don't forget to chmod your shell script.

Code Block

language	bash
theme	Emacs

user@machine:~$cd /usr/lib/jvm/tools
user@machine:/usr/lib/jvm/tools$ sudo chmod 744 installDefaultJavaAlternatives.sh 
user@machine:/usr/lib/jvm/tools$ ls -al installDefaultJavaAlternatives.sh 
-rwxr--r-- 1 root root 6814 Jul 12 11:53 installDefaultJavaAlternatives.sh

Then run it:

Code Block

language	bash
theme	Emacs

user@machine:/usr/lib/jvm/tools$ sudo ./installDefaultJavaAlternatives.sh

Then run

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language	bash
theme	Emacs

user@machine:/usr/lib/jvm/tools/sudo update-java-alternatives -s default-java

Sometimes the previous command fails because default-java refers to an existing JVM:

Code Block

language	bash
theme	Emacs

user@machine:/usr/lib/jvm/tools$ sudo update-java-alternatives -s default-java
update-alternatives: error: alternative /usr/lib/jvm/ramdisk-java-8-oracle/bin/appletviewer for appletviewer not registered; not setting
update-alternatives: error: alternative /usr/lib/jvm/ramdisk-java-8-oracle/bin/extcheck for extcheck not registered; not setting
update-alternatives: error: alternative /usr/lib/jvm/ramdisk-java-8-oracle/bin/idlj for idlj not registered; not setting
update-alternatives: error: alternative /usr/lib/jvm/ramdisk-java-8-oracle/bin/jarsigner for jarsigner not registered; not setting
update-alternatives: error: alternative /usr/lib/jvm/ramdisk-java-8-oracle/bin/jar for jar not registered; not setting
update-alternatives: error: alternative /usr/lib/jvm/ramdisk-java-8-oracle/bin/javac for javac not registered; not setting
update-alternatives: error: alternative /usr/lib/jvm/ramdisk-java-8-oracle/bin/javadoc for javadoc not registered; not setting
update-alternatives: error: alternative /usr/lib/jvm/ramdisk-java-8-oracle/bin/javafxpackager for javafxpackager not registered; not setting
update-alternatives: error: alternative /usr/lib/jvm/ramdisk-java-8-oracle/bin/javah for javah not registered; not setting
update-alternatives: error: alternative /usr/lib/jvm/ramdisk-java-8-oracle/bin/javapackager for javapackager not registered; not setting
update-alternatives: error: alternative /usr/lib/jvm/ramdisk-java-8-oracle/bin/javap for javap not registered; not setting
update-alternatives: error: alternative /usr/lib/jvm/ramdisk-java-8-oracle/bin/jcmd for jcmd not registered; not setting
update-alternatives: error: alternative /usr/lib/jvm/ramdisk-java-8-oracle/bin/jconsole for jconsole not registered; not setting
update-alternatives: error: alternative /usr/lib/jvm/ramdisk-java-8-oracle/bin/jdb for jdb not registered; not setting
update-alternatives: error: alternative /usr/lib/jvm/ramdisk-java-8-oracle/bin/jdeps for jdeps not registered; not setting
update-alternatives: error: alternative /usr/lib/jvm/ramdisk-java-8-oracle/bin/jhat for jhat not registered; not setting
update-alternatives: error: alternative /usr/lib/jvm/ramdisk-java-8-oracle/bin/jinfo for jinfo not registered; not setting
update-alternatives: error: alternative /usr/lib/jvm/ramdisk-java-8-oracle/bin/jmap for jmap not registered; not setting
update-alternatives: error: alternative /usr/lib/jvm/ramdisk-java-8-oracle/bin/jmc for jmc not registered; not setting
...

In our configuration .default-java.jinfo refers to .ramdisk-java-8-oracle.jinfo:

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user@machine:/usr/lib/jvm$ ls -al .default-java.jinfo 
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 30 Jul 12 14:29 .default-java.jinfo -> ./.ramdisk-java-8-oracle.jinfo

The .default-java.jinfo is linked to .ramdisk-java-8-oracle.jinfo who use ramdisk-java-8-oracle as its name. This the reason why the previous command failed.

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name=ramdisk-java-8-oracle
priority=1073
section=main

It means that ramdisk-java-8-oracle should be installed through the Update Alternatives mechanism before we can set the alternatives to default-java or you define a jinfo file with a different priority number.

Then check again that everything is correct with your Java Update Alternatives Environment.

Anchor
Uninstall
Uninstall
Uninstall

Now it's time to unlink /etc/alternatives with the JVM we want to uninstall.

Anchor
UninstallCommandLine
UninstallCommandLine
Command Line

Usually one has to uninstall each java commands, tools or libraries one by one with the following interactive command:

Code Block

language	bash
theme	Emacs

sudo update-alternatives --remove "java" "/usr/lib/jvm/default-java/jre/bin/java";

Anchor
UninstallScripting
UninstallScripting
Scripting

Doing this task one by one is pretty tedious, we provide a shell script ito facilitate the work.

Code Block

language	bash
theme	Emacs

#/usr/lib/jvm/default-java/jre/bin
sudo update-alternatives --remove ControlPanel /usr/lib/jvm/default-java/jre/bin/ControlPanel;
sudo update-alternatives --remove java /usr/lib/jvm/default-java/jre/bin/java;
sudo update-alternatives --remove javaws /usr/lib/jvm/default-java/jre/bin/javaws;
sudo update-alternatives --remove jcontrol /usr/lib/jvm/default-java/jre/bin/jcontrol;
sudo update-alternatives --remove jjs /usr/lib/jvm/default-java/jre/bin/jjs;
sudo update-alternatives --remove keytool /usr/lib/jvm/default-java/jre/bin/keytool;
sudo update-alternatives --remove orbd /usr/lib/jvm/default-java/jre/bin/orbd;
sudo update-alternatives --remove pack200 /usr/lib/jvm/default-java/jre/bin/pack200;
sudo update-alternatives --remove policytool /usr/lib/jvm/default-java/jre/bin/policytool;
sudo update-alternatives --remove rmid /usr/lib/jvm/default-java/jre/bin/rmid;
sudo update-alternatives --remove rmiregistry /usr/lib/jvm/default-java/jre/bin/rmiregistry;
sudo update-alternatives --remove servertool /usr/lib/jvm/default-java/jre/bin/servertool;
sudo update-alternatives --remove tnameserv /usr/lib/jvm/default-java/jre/bin/tnameserv;
sudo update-alternatives --remove unpack200 /usr/lib/jvm/default-java/jre/bin/unpack200;
#/usr/lib/jvm/default-java/jre/lib
sudo update-alternatives --remove jexec /usr/lib/jvm/default-java/jre/lib/jexec;
#/usr/lib/jvm/default-java/bin
sudo update-alternatives --remove appletviewer /usr/lib/jvm/default-java/bin/appletviewer;
sudo update-alternatives --remove extcheck /usr/lib/jvm/default-java/bin/extcheck;
sudo update-alternatives --remove idlj /usr/lib/jvm/default-java/bin/idlj;
sudo update-alternatives --remove jar /usr/lib/jvm/default-java/bin/jar;
sudo update-alternatives --remove jarsigner /usr/lib/jvm/default-java/bin/jarsigner;
sudo update-alternatives --remove javac /usr/lib/jvm/default-java/bin/javac;
sudo update-alternatives --remove javadoc /usr/lib/jvm/default-java/bin/javadoc;
sudo update-alternatives --remove javafxpackager /usr/lib/jvm/default-java/bin/javafxpackager;
sudo update-alternatives --remove javah /usr/lib/jvm/default-java/bin/javah;
sudo update-alternatives --remove javap /usr/lib/jvm/default-java/bin/javap;
sudo update-alternatives --remove javapackager /usr/lib/jvm/default-java/bin/javapackager;
sudo update-alternatives --remove java-rmi.cgi /usr/lib/jvm/default-java/bin/java-rmi.cgi;
sudo update-alternatives --remove jcmd /usr/lib/jvm/default-java/bin/jcmd;
sudo update-alternatives --remove jconsole /usr/lib/jvm/default-java/bin/jconsole;
sudo update-alternatives --remove jdb /usr/lib/jvm/default-java/bin/jdb;
sudo update-alternatives --remove jdeps /usr/lib/jvm/default-java/bin/jdeps;
sudo update-alternatives --remove jhat /usr/lib/jvm/default-java/bin/jhat;
sudo update-alternatives --remove jinfo /usr/lib/jvm/default-java/bin/jinfo;
sudo update-alternatives --remove jmap /usr/lib/jvm/default-java/bin/jmap;
sudo update-alternatives --remove jmc /usr/lib/jvm/default-java/bin/jmc;
sudo update-alternatives --remove jps /usr/lib/jvm/default-java/bin/jps;
sudo update-alternatives --remove jrunscript /usr/lib/jvm/default-java/bin/jrunscript;
sudo update-alternatives --remove jsadebugd /usr/lib/jvm/default-java/bin/jsadebugd;
sudo update-alternatives --remove jstack /usr/lib/jvm/default-java/bin/jstack;
sudo update-alternatives --remove jstat /usr/lib/jvm/default-java/bin/jstat;
sudo update-alternatives --remove jstatd /usr/lib/jvm/default-java/bin/jstatd;
sudo update-alternatives --remove jvisualvm /usr/lib/jvm/default-java/bin/jvisualvm;
sudo update-alternatives --remove native2ascii /usr/lib/jvm/default-java/bin/native2ascii;
sudo update-alternatives --remove rmic /usr/lib/jvm/default-java/bin/rmic;
sudo update-alternatives --remove schemagen /usr/lib/jvm/default-java/bin/schemagen;
sudo update-alternatives --remove serialver /usr/lib/jvm/default-java/bin/serialver;
sudo update-alternatives --remove wsgen /usr/lib/jvm/default-java/bin/wsgen;
sudo update-alternatives --remove wsimport /usr/lib/jvm/default-java/bin/wsimport;
sudo update-alternatives --remove xjc /usr/lib/jvm/default-java/bin/xjc;
#sudo update-alternatives --remove xulrunner-1.9-javaplugin.so /usr/lib/jvm/default-java/jre/lib/i386/libnpjp2.so;
sudo update-alternatives --remove firefox-javaplugin.so /usr/lib/jvm/default-java/jre/lib/i386/libnpjp2.so;
#sudo update-alternatives --remove iceape-javaplugin.so /usr/lib/jvm/default-java/jre/lib/i386/libnpjp2.so;
#sudo update-alternatives --remove iceweasel-javaplugin.so /usr/lib/jvm/default-java/jre/lib/i386/libnpjp2.so;
#sudo update-alternatives --remove mozilla-javaplugin.so /usr/lib/jvm/default-java/jre/lib/i386/libnpjp2.so;
#sudo update-alternatives --remove midbrowser-javaplugin.so /usr/lib/jvm/default-java/jre/lib/i386/libnpjp2.so;
#sudo update-alternatives --remove xulrunner-javaplugin.so /usr/lib/jvm/default-java/jre/lib/i386/libnpjp2.so;

This shell script mirror the content of the jinfo file described in the Java Environment Tutorial.

This shell script file contains various known plugins. However at this time we only describe the Firefox Java plugin support. It is why we suggest the other plugin support as comments.

Usually we store those shell scripts under /usr/lib/jvm/tools. This one is called installDefaultJavaAlternativesremoveDefaultJavaAlternatives.sh.

Don't forget to to chmod your your shell script.

Code Block

language	bash
theme	Emacs

user@machine:~$cd /usr/lib/jvm/tools
user@machine:/usr/lib/jvm/tools$ sudo chmod 744 installDefaultJavaAlternativesremoveDefaultJavaAlternatives.sh 
user@machine:/usr/lib/jvm/tools$ ls -al installDefaultJavaAlternativesremoveDefaultJavaAlternatives.sh 
-rwxr--r-- 1 root root 6814 Jul 12 11:53 installDefaultJavaAlternatives.sh

Then run it:

Code Block

language	bash
theme	Emacs

user@machine:/usr/lib/jvm/tools$ sudo ./installDefaultJavaAlternatives.sh

...

:53 removeDefaultJavaAlternatives.sh

Then run it:

Code Block

language	bash
theme	Emacs

user@machine:/usr/lib/jvm/tools/sudo update-java-alternatives -s default-javatools$ sudo ./removeDefaultJavaAlternatives.sh

As you've uninstalled a JVM, it depends whether or not you have other installed JVMs. In case you have more than one, the update-alternatives will update your configuration with the highest priority JVM.

Then check again that everything is correct with your your Java Update Alternatives Environment.

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