We use the java webstart functionality to let our users use Omniscope dashboards (2.6). The buildnumber was stable on 412 for a few weeks and now I just noticed it changed to 451.
I assumed our weblinks wouldn't work anymore due to this change, but they still do work!
Can you explain how this works?
When should we change this? If we do, is it possible to get a signal before, in order for us to have some time to change our settings?
Apart from the default version of Omniscope, currently 2.5, alpha/beta versions change weekly. The older versions are removed with a week or two's delay. The only reason b412 has remained for so long is due to instabilities in interim versions since b412.
If you need to "freeze" a given version so it is permanently available, let us know.
For us it is important that webstart links remain working when buildnumbers change in the background.
I have a couple of questions: 1 - When we create the webstart link, the HTML code contains the buildnumber (e.g. 412). When you remove this build as you mention above, will our code still work? 2 - If not, would it be sufficient to just replace the buildnumber in the HTML code? In other words, does the code remain the same, except for the buildnumber? 3 - If 2 = Yes, can we automate the process with you? I image a situation in which you publish the buildnumber somewhere, our script retrieves this value automatically every night and updates our HTML code.
This is only a problem while Omniscope is in alpha. You have 3 options with Omniscope Online:
A. Use the stable version (currently 2.5) by leaving the version options blank. When maintenance releases of 2.5 are issued, you will automatically get these.
B. Use a specific version by build number, such as 2.5 b307 or 2.6 b459, specified explicitly in the Omniscope Online customise page. These will be removed from the server after anywhere between 1 week and 2 months. We do not keep archives of all our builds online (although these are available on request). You must remember to change your build number each week. This is intended for short-term use with specific alpha builds; alpha builds become outdated quickly, so we don't have a mechanism for permanently referencing the alpha version.
C. Ask us to create a permanent copy of a given build number, which you reference explicitly from the Omniscope Online customise page. We will copy the given build to a different area on our servers where it will remain until you ask us to update it. It is up to you to decide which alpha version you wish to use and when you want to update it.
In response to your questions:
1. No.
2. Yes. You can experiment using any of the daily builds.
3. No. I'm afraid we cannot resource this in the run up to beta/release.
Does it mean that when 2.6 goes to beta, we won't have this problem anymore? When do you expect to release to beta?
Regarding A above: what do you mean with "you will automatically get these"? Will we receive a message reg a new version or is it incorporated in the html code?
Another question relating this topic: is the buildnumber in which an iok is created relevant for the java webstart?
A: If you go to http://www.visokio.com/getomniscope and click customise in the Omniscope Online section, you will see the form is blank by default. Leave the "Version" and "Build" fields blank (feel free to customise the others). Submit. You will see the HTML code does not refer to any version. When this is the case, the site automatically selects the same version of Omniscope as seen on the http://www.visokio.com/getomniscope web page. Currently this is Omniscope 2.5 b319. When we change this (either by issuing maintenance releases of 2.5, or by making 2.6 the default version), anyone using a page containing that HTML will see the new version when they click the Launch button.
The build number used to create a file has no impact on web start.
I am pleased to tell you that one can now specify the Omniscope Online free Viewer build via the "Customise" link. Via the configuration page you can now configure Omniscope Online to use either the default or a specific build. Everything is explained by following the "Customise" link from the Omniscope Online section of the download page.
We have version b482 frozen by yourselves but we have noticed that you now get a warning message telling you the version is out of date and guides you towards the download page. We would ask: 1. Why guide a user towards the desktop download when they are using webstart? 2. Is there any way that the frozen versions could skip this check?
Ed, we have heard occasional reports of this too, but have been thus far unable to reproduce or fix the problem. Web Start should never prompt for updates.
You can force it to be disabled in your JNLP file by introducing the tag inside the tag as follows:
But before you do this, please could you send us a copy of your JNLP file, and check whether, on launching the app, you get a "Check for updates automatically" menu option in the Help menu. Please also file an error report labelled "Web Start check for updates bug" from inside the application, immediately after the problem occurs.
Check for updates happens only once per day, so to reset this, delete the registry value "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\JavaSoft\Prefs\visokio\omniscope\/N/E/X/T_/U/P/D/A/T/E_/C/H/E/C/K_/T/I/M/E" before trying to reproduce it.
Also, do you see this menu option when launching using the Launch button on the main download page (i.e. the latest build and our JNLP file, rather than the frozen build with your own JNLP)?
Mustafa, thanks for the update regarding specifying the buildnumber for the java webstart. It is not really clear however, how to specify it. I need buildnumber 491 and have entered the following details: Default version:2.6 Specific version: 2.6 b491 Specific version build: empty but also tried omni26/auto/2-6_b491
None of these launch build 491. Please advise how to configure this? Thanks
When we freeze a particular build for a client we store it in a different location on our website than the normal builds, hence entering omni26/auto/2-6_b491 will not work. In the "Specific version build" box you need to enter the location where we freeze your build. In your case, this is "webstart/clients/marketcompass/omni26/2-6_b491" without the quotes.