Software | 8 Comments

ClearType, install4j and case of Java bug

Do you know what ClearType (font-smoothing technology in Windows) has in common with Java (programming language and one of  the recommended frameworks) ?

Nothing except that they were working together hard at making me miserable for few months. I had some Java software that I couldn’t install. I mean really couldn’t – not even figure out reason or reproduce it on another PC.

Recently I was approved for Woopra beta (site analytics service) and it uses desktop client written in Java… I couldn’t install. That got me really mad. :)

Story

All of the software in question was similar :

• setup based on install4j;
• setup crashing with bunch of errors.

I was blaming install4j during early (hundred or so) attempts to solve issue. Later I slowly understood that if it was that bugged for that long time – solution would have been created and googled.

Tracing

After shifting focus from install4j I decided to push Java framework. I was trying stable versions earlier so decided to go for non-stable 1.6 Update 10 Release Candidate.

This actually fixed error messages but not crashes. I had also noticed that there was new error log created in directory with setup files. Previously I had only seen logs in Windows temporary directory.

New error log was saying following :

Could not display the GUI. This application needs access to an X Server.
If you have access there is probably an X library missing.
*******************************************************************
You can also run this application in console mode without
access to an X server by passing the argument -c

Very weird to look for X-Server on non-Linux PC, isn’t it? So I decided to try that “-c” argument. And was actually able to install in console mode.

Happy ending? Nope. Now installed app was crashing. But it really got me thinking. If console works but graphical interface doesn’t – there must be problem with latter.

One more error log (in application folder) was now saying (among other things) :

Caused by: java.lang.IllegalArgumentException: -60397977 incompatible with Text-specific LCD contrast key

Which successfully googled me description of bug with Java unable to read non-standard ClearType registry setting.

Solution

I immediately launched ClearType Tuner from Control Panel and found setting showing gibberish number. After correcting it to proper one all problems with Java were instantly gone.

Lessons learned

1. Don’t be fast to blame software problems on single application.
2. Even minor and totally unrelated settings can launch deadly chain reactions.

Links

Jave Runtime Environment http://www.java.com/en/download/index.jsp

ClearType Tuner http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/powertoys/xppowertoys.mspx

Woopra http://www.woopra.com/

install4j http://www.ej-technologies.com/products/install4j/overview.html