Running 32 and 64 bit java applications on the same windows host

Posted on November 22, 2010 by ellisbjohns
  1. First install both the 32 and 64 bit JREs. Use the default installation locations (i.e. 32 bit Java in the Program Files (x86) directory and 64bit Java in the Program Files directory).
  2. Set the two JAVA_HOME environmental variables: A “JAVA_HOME” variable which points to C:\Program Files\Java\ and a “JAVA_HOME_32” environmental variable which points to C:\Program Files (x86)\Java\.
  3. Start up all 32 bit java applications using the command:  “%JAVA_HOME_32%”\bin\java.exe -cp …
  4. Make sure you’ve either deliberately specified any needed drivers/dlls using the library.path java command line option  (e.g. -Djava.library.path=../lib) or you’ve placed the dependencies in your system path such that there can be no ambiguity about which dll/jar your application will be using.   This can be a big issue when you have identically named dependencies in your system32 and sysWOW64 directories.  Normally,  windows configures it’s path look-up such that it looks in system32 directory first, if running a 64 bit application, and sysWOW64 first, if running a 32 bit application.  I believe this priority can be manually configured in some instances.

There are certainly other ways of accomplishing this same functionality, and I’m curious what others are doing.  Also, the above configuration allowed me to run two population health java applications simultaneously.  Of note: This configuration did not allow me to run a 64 and 32 bit installation of tomcat simultaneously on the same machine (just one at a time).

Posted in 64 bit, Apache, Java, Windows | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Using a wireless keyboard & mouse with a KVM switch

Posted on November 1, 2010 by ellisbjohns

Almost every wireless peripheral device maker will state that their products will not work with KVM switches.  What’s more, almost every KVM switch maker states that their switch will not work with wireless peripherals.  Both statements are only half-truths.  These statements stem from a desire to limit the customer-support/troubleshooting burden, but for the inclined, there are device-KVM combinations that will play together as long as a few principals are observed.

    1. PS2 KVMs don’t tend to work with wireless devices.  I have seen forum entries that state otherwise, but I’ve never seen this arrangement succeed.  Unless you’re willing to buy and return a lot of HW, it’s best to stick with USB KVMs.
    2. IOGear/ATEN USB KVMs and logitech/microsoft peripherals tend to be the most compatible with a wireless I/O KVM arrangement.
    3. Do not try to use a common USB dongle for both your keyboard and your mouse.  There are exceptions to this rule (e.g. the Logitech dinovo) but I and others (i.e. forum posters) have noticed that using separate USB-RF receivers for your mouse and keyboard greatly improves your chances of success with this arrangement.  Adhering to this principal means the wireless Keyboard+Mouse  combos are out (huge bummer, but there may be an exception to this rule.  See Dennis’ post below).
    4. When connecting usb dongles to your kvm for your usb keyboard and mouse, try to keep some distance between the two dongles.  I have noticed that if I connect my Microsoft and logitech dongles into ports within a few inches of each other there is a noticeable lag in mouse performance.   I’m guessing it’s an interference issue since both devices operate in the 2.4GHz range (a very crowded freq range).  To solve my problem I used an extension to connect my mouse dongle to the KVM (actually the extension connects the KVM hub port to my monitor’s built-in usb hub, and the wireless mouse dongle connects into my monitor’s hub.  See image below).

kvmDongles

Final Setup: Microsoft 5000 keyboard (not using the paired wireless mouse), Logitech M510 wireless mouse, IOgear GCS1204 (now.  Keyboard dongle is connected to the KVM’s keyboard port.  Mouse dongle is connected to the KVM’s rear USB-hub port via a usb extension.   Everything works but there is a few second delay between port changes.

Update: The IOgear GCS1204 had intermittent connectivity issues after 4 years of use.  I upgraded to a ATEN CS1644 and it has been rock solid for about a year.  As a bonus there is virtually no delay on port switching.  I’m still using the same mouse and keyboard as stated above.

Posted in general, System Integration | 15 Comments

Google Docs Editing

Posted on October 13, 2010 by ellisbjohns

I was a reluctant convert to Google docs for a number of years, but after working on a project that required a lot of collaboration between 3 different organizations in three different countries, I quickly had to figure out a way to keep the the project members on the same “page” while also decreasing the revision burden my predecessors had struggled with.

I use Google sites for the majority of our collaboration, but I recently discovered the new Google docs editor which allows for comments (something you can’t do with the native Google site’s page editor).  We began including  Google docs as inline text in our Google site pages which allows for a number of collaborative editing features. One such feature, which lead to our transition from native Google site page documentation to Google doc inclusion in our Google site, is the “call-out” comment functionality.  While undergoing this transition we had some the problems and also some resolutions.  Some of these problems/resolutions are listed below:

  1. Why can’t I use the new Google doc editor I see in all of the Google doc help pages:  There is a settings menu at the top of your Google doc which allows you to check a check-box to ensure all new Google docs use the new editor.   After you check this box all new Google docs will use the improved editor.
  2. My comments are inline.  I thought the latest version of Google docs had “call-out” comments: I you didn’t follow the instructions in point number 1 above, then all comments will be inline and thus will clutter up your editing space.
  3. My editing space is only a narrow box in the middle of my wide-screen monitor: The new Google doc editor doesn’t seem to have a full/wide-screen editing view.  You can accomplish something similar by going to File–>Page Setup and choosing landscape or one of the alternative wide page options.  You can always change the layout after you’re done editing to match your desired “true” page/letter setup.  I work on 24″ wide-screen monitor and just using the landscape layout works great for me ( and allows me to see my comments).
  4. More to come.

E

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