MPLAB X now installs its own version of Java on Windows and Linux (not allowed on Mac). It is no longer necessary to install Java yourself or to ensure that you have the correct version. It is installed in the MPLAB X directory structure and will not interfere with any existing Java installation.
Before you install:
Check to see if you have a version of Java already installed on your system. This can be done by opening a Command Prompt window (Under Accessories in the Start menu) and typing in the following command:
java -version
If Java is already installed, you should see something similar to the following:
java version "1.6.0_29"
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.6.0_29-b11)
Java HotSpot(TM) Client VM (build 20.4-b02, mixed mode, sharing)
If you have a compatible version of Java, there is no need to install another version.
Requirements and Known Issues
- Version 1.00-1.20 of MPLAB® X IDE is not compatible with versions of Java from the 1.7.0 branch.
- MPLAB X IDE requires a version from the 1.6.0 branch, of which 1.6.0_31 is the latest and may be found here at the time this was written.
- There have been some incompatibilities reported with Java version 1.6.0_25, so it is best not to use this version.
- If you are running a 64-bit version of Windows, you need to install the 32-bit version of Java for MPLAB X to function properly. Multiple versions of Java may reside on one system and MPLAB X may be directed to use a specific version (detailed below). If you have the 64-bit version installed, the last line in the command line output above would read: Java HotSpot(TM) 64-bit Server VM… or similar.
Installation
Download the appropriate version of Java from http://www.java.com or as directed in the section above.
Java 6 is no longer available from the main Java downloads page. Java 6 may be found here
Run the installer and follow the on screen prompts.
How to specify which installation of Java should be used by MPLAB X IDE
If you install a new version of Java after installing MPLAB X IDE or you have multiple versions of Java installed, you may need to modify the MPLAB X configuration file to point it to the correct installation.
Go to the following directory:
- On 32-bit systems: C:\Program Files\Microchip\MPLABX\mplab_ide\etc
- On 64-bit systems: C:\Program Files (x86)\Microchip\MPLABX\mplab_ide\etc
Open the file mplab_ide.conf in a text editor.
Find the line starting with jdkhome (usually third line of text from the bottom). Change this line to point to your Java Runtime Environment installation. This will usually be:
- On 32-bit systems: jdkhome="C:\Program Files\Java\jre6"
- On 64-bit systems: jdkhome="C:\Program Files (x86)\Java\jre6"
Backlinks
These pages link back to this one. You may find them helpful.
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