Instant JChem release information
Installation
Instant JChem can now be installed in three different ways:
1. Traditional installer
Download the Instant JChem installer to install a new version of Instant JChem. If you are using this approach then uninstall any previously installed versions first.
Note: Since IJC 2.4 administrator mode is needed to install IJC on Windows, so as to be able to register the OLE server and to avoid re-installation problems on Vista.
Once you have installed don’t forget to load any updates that might be available (Tools -> Plugins).
2. Java Web Start
Since version 2.2 Instant JChem can be launched using Java Web Start (JWS). This allows you to load it directly from a webpage rather than needing to install it first. The Java Web Start version should be fine for most users, but it is slightly less flexible, for instance should you wish to install your own or a third party’s extension. For more information about the Java Web Start versions look here or you can launch it right now:
Alternatively, you can launch using Java Web Start including some demo data and see the IJC URL feature in action by using the:
Instant JChem Java Web Start Demo Page
3. Autoupdate
Autoupdate allows you to pick up the latest updates for Instant JChem without needing to re-install. Autoupdate only applies to the installer based versions of IJC, not the Java Web Start versions which are updated automatically. You access it by using Tools -> Plugins. Documentation on using autoupdate can be found here.
Important note for Windows Vista users: You must use autoupdate when running as an administrator to avoid problems when installing later versions. See here for details.
Major version updates
Autoupdate is not available for all major version upgrades. For these you should uninstall the old version and install the new one.
About upgrading
When upgrading Instant JChem by any mechanism it is possible that significant changes to the JChem version and/or the organisation your project information will occur. We try to make sure that these upgrades work transparantly and smoothly, but if any of your projects contain important information that cannot be easily regenerated we do recommend that you backup your data prior to updating. To do this do one (or all!) of the following:
- Export your data to a file (e.g. SD file)
- Take a copy of the complete project. Use the file manager (e.g. Windows Explorer) to copy (or create a zip archive) of the complete directory containing your project(s). Note: this will only back up data in local databases.
- If you are using a MySQL or Oracle database you should ensure that you have a database backup before you update. Backing up the IJC project directory will not backup the data in these databases.
Java version
The Windows and Linux installers since Instant JChem 2.1 use Java 1.6. Since Instant JChem 5.4 Java 1.6 is required. In some cases you might want to change the version of Java that is used in Instant JChem. You can do this by:
- Download and install Java 1.6 from http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javase/downloads/index.html (you only need the Java Runtime Environment).
- Close IJC.
- Locate where Instant JChem is installed.
- Inside this directory locate the file etc/instantjchem.conf and open it in a text editor.
- Locate the line starting with jdkhome= and make a copy of it in case you need to restore it.
- Edit this line to point it to the version of Java 1.6 you installed. Remove the initial # (if present) to uncomment the line.
- Start IJC.
- From the View menu choose ‘Instant JChem log file’. The log file will be displayed. At the top of this file information is displayed about the version of Java that is being used. Check that this is as you expect.
Installation problems?
If you are having problems installing or running IJC then these notes might help
Userdir
IJC saves various settings and all updates it gets from the Update Center in a “userdir” which is usually found in C:\Documents and Settings\<username>\Application Data\.instantjchem\ijc_<version number> (on Windows) or $HOME/.instantjchem/ijc_<version number> (on Linux) or ${HOME}/Library/Application Support/ijc_<version number> (on Mac). The exact location is described in the Help -> About Instant JChem box. If you are having problems installing or running IJC then try deleting this directory. You will loose your current settings and will need to re-open your projects, but you will not loose any data.
One possible scenario that could need this action is if you have downloaded some updates from the Update Center, but that these updates have become corrupted for some unknown reason. In this case you must delete your userdir to clear out these files.
Windows Vista and Windows 7
Windows Vista and 7 have peculiar security settings that are know to cause problems with many different softwares. The Windows IJC installer must be run with administrator settings to avoid these problems and to be able to register the OLE server. If you do not have administrator privileges then you will not be able to install. See here for more information about installation issues on Vista.