IoX Launcher shortcut stopped working, have to keep using start.jnlp

[raymondjiii]

I had all of the java cache files cleared, installed a new start.jnlp - everything working. I then got an update for Java 8 update 411 today:

java -version
java version "1.8.0_411"
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.8.0_411-b09)
Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM (build 25.411-b09, mixed mode)

 

I have the latest start.jnlp from:

https://isy.universal-devices.com/start.jnlp

 

Double clicking start.jnlp puts a shortcut to IoX Launcher on the desktop (where I want it) but if I double click the shortcut - nothing happens.

I have to keep using start.jnlp anytime I want IoX Launcher to work.

I started over again with a new install of Java 8.411 from here:

https://www.java.com/en/download/

 

Here is the start.jnlp spec:

<jnlp spec="1.0+" codebase="https://isy.universal-devices.com/launcher/" version="6.3" href="https://isy.universal-devices.com/launcher/start.jnlp">
  <information>
    <title>IoX Launcher</title>
    <vendor>Universal Devices</vendor>
    <homepage href="https://www.universal-devices.com"/>
    <description>This utility finds ISY Services and launches the correct version of the UI/Admin Console/Dashboard</description>
    <description kind="short">IoX Launcher</description>
    <icon href="https://isy.universal-devices.com/launcher/udlogo.png" kind="splash"/>
    <icon href="https://isy.universal-devices.com/launcher/udlogo.png" kind="shortcut"/>
    <shortcut online="true" install="false">
      <desktop/>
      <menu submenu="IoX Launcher"/>
    </shortcut>
    <offline-allowed/>
  </information>
  <security>
    <all-permissions/>
  </security>
  <update check="background" policy="always"/>
  <resources>
    <jar href="https://isy.universal-devices.com/launcher/isyfinder-3.5.jar" download="eager" main="false"/>
    <java version="1.8+"/>
  </resources>
  <application-desc main-class="com.universaldevices.isyfinder.ISYFinder"/>
</jnlp>

 

Looks okay, I think.

 

If I enable the java console and double click start.jnlp I do get an exception:

 

https://isy.universal-devices.com/iox/5.8.0/iox.jar
https://isy.universal-devices.com/iox/5.8.0/ce.jar
https://isy.universal-devices.com/iox/5.8.0/bc.jar
https://isy.universal-devices.com/iox/5.8.0/chart.jar
java.lang.NullPointerException
    at com.universaldevices.ui.UDMenuSystem.setActivated(Unknown Source)
    at com.universaldevices.ui.UPnPClientApplet.authenticate(Unknown Source)
    at com.universaldevices.ui.UPnPClientApplet.onDeviceOnLine(Unknown Source)
    at com.universaldevices.upnp.UDControlPoint.onLine(Unknown Source)
    at com.universaldevices.upnp.UDControlPoint.updateDeviceInfo(Unknown Source)
    at com.universaldevices.upnp.UDControlPoint.addDevices(Unknown Source)
    at com.universaldevices.ui.UPnPClientApplet.start(Unknown Source)
    at com.universaldevices.ui.UDIDefaultLauncher$2.run(Unknown Source)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Geddy]

@raymondjiii after you updated Java did you clear the java cache again? Make sure you check all three boxes in that process!

I've had it happen (in the past) that when Java updates it will mess up how IoX Launcher works and makes the icon go away. I can't get the icon to add back to the desktop until java cache is fully cleared. 

I'm not local to my eisy currently, but I did run the Java update and that process did not damage my IoX Launcher. 

Are you running any anti-virus or firewall applications? It's possible they're causing a conflict when Java updates.

 

Wiki troubleshooting tips to review:

https://wiki.universal-devices.com/Main_Page#Admin_Console_icon_does_not_appear_on_the_desktop

https://wiki.universal-devices.com/Main_Page#Java_applications_are_blocked_by_your_security_settings

https://wiki.universal-devices.com/Main_Page#Admin_Console_Minimized/Invisible_and_Cannot_be_Restored

 

[raymondjiii]

Hi,

Yes, I definitely checked all 3 boxes on the clear cache (multiple attempts). I could verify that the IoX Launcher app did get deleted, etc. I can get the icon to add back to the desktop by double clicking the start.jnlp, but the newly added IoX Launcher shortcut does nothing. If I view the "Get details" of the shortcut, it looks good.

I do think the java update has something to do with my issue since all was working well (with my old ISY994i for over 2 years and even with my two week old eisy) prior to yesterday's Java update. I did download and and install a new Java install package from Oracle at the standard Java 8 download location. I did clear all 3 cache options before and after the install.

I tried to download a new start.jnlp - just in case. I'm positive that I am using the new start.jnlp and not an old copy laying around.

I do not run any anti-virus or firewall applications on my Macbook. But I do have a lot of "built-in packet rules" on my Synology (access point), but for any packet that is dropped, I do get an email alert about it. There are very few rules that actually drop packets despite the alert descriptions sounding quite serious, I guess there are many false positives in the packet monitoring space.

I thought exactly what the second link you posted shows was the problem (without even seeing those details). I added these two entries yesterday (but they were never needed prior to this update):

I can try to add "https://isy.universal-devices.com" without the suffix as well to this list.

 

So, I only have Mac's in this house, and using the standard Oracle Java 1.8 (Version eight) has never been a problem. I have fiddled with other Java versions in the past only because I needed certain things for work related software development. But right now, in the Java Control Panel, only the 1.8_411 shows (no other versions)

I don't know if the Java exception thrown, that I see in the Java console, is serious or not. I find that in the "java world" many "exceptions" are oddly not important, seems odd to me.

 

My full security pane looks normal:

 

 

My Advanced panel:

I did add the "Show console" option last night to help debug.

 

More of the advanced settings...

 

and lastly...

I added the "Use TLS 1.1" last night just to test if that would have any effect.

 

The JAVA_HOME env setting is correct (for a Mac):

echo $JAVA_HOME
/Library/Internet Plug-Ins/JavaAppletPlugin.plugin/Contents/Home

 

In the past, I also used to have two other shortcuts from earlier ISY994i days: "admin" and "dashboard" and neither of them worked as well. They got deleted but I do still have the jnlp files for them. I never really used two app before so not a big deal but maybe that's another clue.

 

Unfortunately, this sounds like an incompatibility between the Java update and IoX launcher on a Mac. Way back in the day...(around 1998??) the Java idea was your code would run on ANY JVM despite the OS and machine type but that always seemed like a high bar to reach.

Just a wild guess, but if I had to bet on something I would guess there is some path in the install code that maybe does not work correctly on the Mac and this last Java update was bothered by that. Just a guess though since the start.jnlp does run the IoX console, it just doesn't install it.

 

Thank you for your help.

 

[raymondjiii]

INTERESTING...I added the URL: isy.universal-devices.com and now the JVM console for start.jnlp shows more details and NO exception from .../5.8.0/chart.jar

 

The full contents from starting start.jnlp:

Java Web Start 11.411.2.09
Using JRE version 1.8.0_411-b09 Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM
JRE expiration date: 8/16/24 12:00 AM
console.user.home = /Users/ray
----------------------------------------------------
😄 clear console window
f:   finalize objects on finalization queue
g:   garbage collect
h:   display this help message
m:   print memory usage
o:   trigger logging
p:   reload proxy configuration
q:   hide console
r:   reload policy configuration
s:   dump system and deployment properties
t:   dump thread list
v:   dump thread stack
0-5: set trace level to <n>
----------------------------------------------------
https://isy.universal-devices.com/iox/5.8.0/iox.jar
https://isy.universal-devices.com/iox/5.8.0/ce.jar
https://isy.universal-devices.com/iox/5.8.0/bc.jar
https://isy.universal-devices.com/iox/5.8.0/chart.jar
Z-Wave event: control=[_25] action=[1.3]

 -- Extended Info --

<eventInfo>
    <zwave CBP="false" CONNECTED="false" RELAXDELAY="0" INTERVIEWTIMEOUT="0" SECUREINC="2" HOMEID="0" NODEID="0" RELAXDELAYDEFAULT="15"/>
</eventInfo>

 --

Z-Wave event: control=[_25] action=[7.1]

 -- Extended Info --

<eventInfo>
    <options>
        <files ZMATTER="false"/>
        <dongle ZMATTER="false" ZWAVEOTHER="false"/>
    </options>
</eventInfo>

 --

Z-Wave Backup Options:
 - zmatterFile=  false
 - 500SeriesFile=false
 - zmatter connected=false
 - other connected=false

 

AND I JUST REMEMBERED, I did add the add the POLYGLOT V3 yesterday! (due to finally getting an eisy)

 

 

 

[Javi]

I just updated our Troubleshooting guide to account for some Mac Security and Privacy Preferences which may cause this issue.

https://wiki.universal-devices.com/Main_Page#Unidentified_Developer_Blocked

[raymondjiii]

Alright...so check this out....I just rebooted this Mac (could not reboot last night due to long test needing to complete) and after reboot finishes I CAN double click the IoX desktop shortcut and it launches the console. BUT, if I close IoX console, I cannot restart it from the IoX desktop shortcut...UNLESS...I reboot again. Now that is weird.

So it's like a one-shot deal between reboots.

[raymondjiii]

1 hour ago, Javi said:

I just updated our Troubleshooting guide to account for some Mac Security and Privacy Preferences which may cause this issue.

https://wiki.universal-devices.com/Main_Page#Unidentified_Developer_Blocked

I have seen this before but I found that if you double click it a second time, you get the window which gives you the option to "Open".

[raymondjiii]

HA! I figured this out! But...I do not understand why.......so the one shot run is still true, BUT looking at the Activity Monitor and sorting by process name...I found that "Java Updater" was running and I tried quitting that process (regular quit not a force quit) THEN I can relaunch IoX Launcher desktop shortcut. I have to keep quitting the Java Updater in order to run the IoX Launcher shortcut again.

It used to be, weeks ago, that when I would launch the IoX Launcher shortcut, I would get an error that "the Java Updater failed" - I wish I captured that screen. That error was in a Java style window as opposed to something that looks like an IoX window. So, I used to get that error, and I have not since a few days ago when I cleared cache and downloaded another start.jnlp

BUT BEFORE this last Java update. I was able to launch multiple times the IoX Launcher without having to do anything (reboot or kill any process). I know this because I had a lot of starting and stopping when I got the new EISY and I was trying to get this migrated and working 100%, and also because this machine has not been rebooted in weeks.

But this process is still running.

 

But the Java Control Panel says the last time the update was run was at 12:56pm EST today. However, it is now 2:48pm EST and that process is still running.

I guess an uninstall of java - which I believe you can do by launching the installer, it gives you the option to "uninstall" - is now in order.

 

[raymondjiii]

Narrowing this down further...I just did a full uninstall, then a reinstall (using the latest Oracle download jre-8u411-macosx-x64.dmg)

In the "System Settings" --> "General" --> "Login Items", the Java installer adds this:

You get a notice during the install that this setting has been added to the "Login Items".

But if I deselect this item, start IoX launcher, stop IoX launcher, the "Java Updater" is still running. So it seems that disabling this option does not do anything ASSUMING that this option is used for either running or not running the Java Updater.

 

[raymondjiii]

So, back at the beginning of this thread I showed the Java exception being thrown that can be seen if you have the console enabled when you start IoX Launcher. I just found that that exception is only thrown when you start IoX Launcher, click on your device, the big screen opens with the little dialog window prompting for userid and password. If you now hit Cancel here, this is what throws the Java exception. As I stated, so many Java exceptions get thrown when they really should not (in almost all Java apps).

One other thing that I discovered is that the Java uninstall is very thorough on a Mac, removes tons of stuff in many directories. I found that it leaves ONE thing behind:

/Library/Preferences/com.oracle.java.Helper-Tool.plist

Suspicious I know. So I did another Java 8 uninstall and then went and manually deleted this file (need to use sudo). After re-installing Java 8 this file showed up, as expected, but now the date of this file is today. This is a binary file but from what I can see it looks like it contains the data and time of when to auto-run the Java Updater.

Edited April 18 by raymondjiii
Added more info about the Java Updater

[Geddy]

@raymondjiii I think the biggest issue is MacOS. It's always been a question mark by many. Some it works fine, others have a heck of a time. I don't have anything macOS to test with so only speaking from a Windows side of life. Thanks to @Javi for updating the Wiki for some additional macOS setup checks. I know there are a lot of posts about IoX Launcher being flaky in the world of macos + java. I recall @Bumbershoot had a good post in the past about how to get things running consistently. 

Hope you get things sorted out again. 

[raymondjiii]

Yes, I can see that in general that is of macOS here with respect to UD, especially with the bulk of users using Windows. I honestly do not think there is an issue of running Java on macOS at all. But something is and has been (as described by many) with the combination of all 3: Java, macOS, IoX Launcher.

[sjenkins]

Thanks @raymondjiii, for your thorough problem solving.  As a macOS user who spun the Russian roulette yesterday and updated ; without issue ; I have been reading with interest.  I love my Mac and I love my IoX, java meh.

[raymondjiii]

2 hours ago, sjenkins said:

Thanks @raymondjiii, for your thorough problem solving.  As a macOS user who spun the Russian roulette yesterday and updated ; without issue ; I have been reading with interest.  I love my Mac and I love my IoX, java meh.

When you say updated, I assume you meant the Java version (as opposed to the device)? Yeah, macOS just isn't what it used to be unfortunately. In the past, I could go over 6 months of heavy development on a macbook pro and never need a reboot. I have to believe the recent issues are due to the loss of Steve Jobs. I feel it's been downhill since his death. Think about it, he was all about the quality and these pathetic "features" that get added to every new version, I do not think that he would have found useful..I certainly don't.

[raymondjiii]

One way to fix this problem, if anyone else every experiences it, is to just disable "Check for Updates Automatically" in the Java Control Panel (nothing changed in IoX launcher). Not ideal, you just have to periodically remember to check for updates. But then you can at least start/stop IoX launcher as much as you want.

Edited April 26 by raymondjiii