If you fancy using BlueJ on Mac OS X, head over to bluej.org and and grab the stable 2.2.1 version for OS X. Once downloaded you will have the BlueJ folder, just put this where you keep your other apps. This is a stock BlueJ install so you will need to add the OU components.
2. Navigate to the userlib folder Contents > Resources > Java > userlib.
3. Pop in the Course software CD, at the root of the CD is a folder named “libraryfiles” go inside here and copy the files “bsh-2.0b4.jar” and “ou.jar” to the userlib folder opened in the last step.
4. Next navigate to the folder Contents > Resources > Java > extensions.
5. From the root of the course CD copy the jars “eaextension.jar” and “ouwextension.jar”.
6. In the finder navigate to the folder named Library in the root of your hard drive and scroll down to the folder Java, copy the same two jars “bsh-2.0b4.jar” and “ou.jar”
to the folder named “Extensions”.
Quick listing:
Inside BlueJ application bundle:
Resources > Java > Extensions should contain the following:
eaextension.jar
ouwextension.jar
Inside BlueJ application bundle:
Resources > Java > userlib should contain
bsh-2.0b4.jar
ou.jar
In the Library Folder in the Hard Drive and not in your home folder.
/Library/Java/Extensions should contain the following:
bsh-2.0b4.jar
ou.jar
If your still stuck let me know :)
Thats it done. Now your good to go!
I have seen another site that says to put “bsh-2.0b4.jar” and “ou.jar” in /System/Library/Frameworks/JavaVM.framework/Versions/1.5.0/Home/lib/ext/ this location is the actual Java system and should not really be touched. The Location /Library/Java/Extensions is the official location for additional jars and classes specified by Apple, all extensions are loaded when the JavaVM is started up. Another advantage of this approach is that if Apple updates the Java installation which is common this location is static and will just work with future versions.
If you want some more info, or find this useful leave me a comment.
18 Comments
[...] Please see updated version here [...]
Posted at 11:34 am 3 June, 2007
I’ve put the relevant files in the directories as instructed and OUWorkspace does appear as an option in the BlueJ menu, it just doesn’t bring the workspace up.
What am I missing?
Thanks,
Guy
Posted at 3:24 pm 4 September, 2007
Hi there,
Ok first you need to be running OS 10.4 with all the updates including the Java ones. Inside the BlueJ application package follow the folder trail Resources > Java and in here there are two folders of interest, one is extensions which must contain copies of eaextension.jar and ouwextension.jar. Then go back a level and in the userlib folder you must have bsh-2.0b4.jar and ou.jar. Thats the setup for BlueJ. Next make sure you have bsh-2.0b4.jar and ou.jar in the folder /Library/Java/Extensions. The /Library folder is the one in the root of you hard drive and not the one in your home folder. Next launch BlueJ and under the Tools menu you should see “OUWorkspace”. Thats it all done. Let me know how you get on, I have got a mac os x installer I made for this but I don’t think the OU would be too happy about me putting it about. I could email it you if your still stuck.
Posted at 4:16 pm 4 September, 2007
Fantastic!
Thanks Paul.
I hadn’t put the two files in Java/Extensions/ Doh!
Hooray, I can do my assignment on my lovely to use Mac!
Best wishes,
Guy
Posted at 4:50 pm 4 September, 2007
I just stumbled across this while starting to work out how to install OUWorkbench on my wifes mac… 5 mins later and job done so a big thank-you!
Martin
Posted at 7:49 pm 29 January, 2008
Saw this install routine in the M255 forums and now have BlueJ for the OU up and running on my lovely iMac. Now I do not have to start my ancient and wheezing Toshiba laptop.
Thank you very much
Peter Schofield
Posted at 9:15 am 24 February, 2008
Thanks for this – got BlueJ up and running straight away on my iMac, saving me the pain of booting into Windows to do M255.
Matthew
Posted at 4:53 pm 2 March, 2008
Thanks a million! I’m going on a 3 weeks holiday and my assignment is not finished – only have an ibook laptop that I can take with me. (Yeah I know, but it has to be done!) You’ve probably saved me from dropping out of my course!
Posted at 6:26 pm 26 June, 2008
Found this a doddle to do so thanks for this. However currently getting the following error message every time I run an OU script:
java.io.FileNotFoundException: /Documents/Open University/M255/M255_TMA02_08J/M255_TMA02_08J/TMA02_Project_Q1_Solution/backup.txt (Operation not permitted): /Documents/Open University/M255/M255_TMA02_08J/M255_TMA02_08J/TMA02_Project_Q1_Solution/backup.txt (Operation not permitted)
Can not see anything that I have missed from your instructions. Currently running BlueJ 2.5.0 on Leopard 10.5.6
Posted at 7:20 am 19 January, 2009
That doesn’t look like a blue/j error i.e from the OU libraries not loading, looks more like some error in the project supplied to you or that you’ve created. The exception is calling for the backup.txt file. I would get the source and make a new project with the source code and try that.
Posted at 7:29 am 19 January, 2009
Definitely works recreating the file from the source code so thanks for that suggestion. A little confused as to what is causing this as the backup.txt file is definitely in the same folder as the project itself. The other issue this has thrown up is the lack of graphical display for some files. If the original OU file is used then the OU workspace generates the graphical display option. If I recreate the file from scratch then that is lost in the new file. Seems like a choice between two issues here!
Posted at 7:22 am 20 January, 2009
I’m pretty sure there used to be an option to turn off the making of those backup files. Sorry haven’t used BlueJ since I did M255 a while back. Not all projects will have graphics so really depends, normally if the code was trying to call some graphics library and that wasn’t found then you’ll know about it. I’m not really sure without looking at the code from the original and the new project. If you want me to take a look use the contact form for the code http://www.phasenoise.co.uk/contact
Posted at 7:43 am 20 January, 2009
congenialAnimal Just had a look at my old projects from M255 and the OU supplied projects have some additional dependencies in the projects, this means that if you make a new project and don’t move the libraries to it then you wont get the graphics. Best bet would be to open the original project and find the setting to turn off the make backup file thingy or just delete the backup.txt and see what happens. I don’t have blue/j installed any longer so can’t give you a firm “do this” reply unfortunately. Have you tried the other project files supplied by the OU to see if it is isolated to this particular project? Either way it sounds like blue/j is running correctly. We just need to find out whats causing you this problem :)
Posted at 8:05 am 20 January, 2009
Help!
BlueJ was setup and running fine thanks to this site, but now am having major problems!!
I have installed NetBeans 6.5 for course M257 with the OU (complete waste of time as I can only use 4.1, and no matter what I do I can not get 4.1 to run!) However, this seems to off “knocked out” my BlueJ installation. BlueJ still opens and the editor is working, but I have lost javadoc and more importantly the OUWorkspace so I can not debug / test any code! Does anyone have any ideas for a fix?
Thanks for the help,
Posted at 8:04 pm 4 February, 2009
For Blue/J just check all the file locations. Also If your doing M257 why are you using Blue/J? Installing Netbeans as I described shouldn’t make any difference as netbeans is self contained.
I used Netbeans 6 for M257 and never had a problem, I’m sure the tutors are also running newer software. The code you submit in the TMA is what gets marked, I just included the built projects and personally never had a problem.
Posted at 8:20 pm 4 February, 2009
Within the course forums they are quite adamant that version 4.1 must be used due to a difference in the way projects are saved down.
I am using BlueJ at the same time as my M255 course is still continuing
Thanks again for the help
Posted at 8:54 pm 4 February, 2009
Well not quite sure then, like I said I never personally had a problem. You can download Netebeans 4.1 and use that, I started with it and got fed up with it and switched to 6 and now 6.5. For bluej just follow the instructions and you should be good to go. When you do a build in Netbeans the src is in the project and the compiled binary is in dist that should really do to prove your work. Best to do whatever suits you really.
Posted at 9:14 pm 4 February, 2009
Hi, gr8 post thanks for posting. Information is useful!
Posted at 6:10 pm 12 June, 2009