JAVA+Archicad+BIM Server

[ares997]

With the whole JAVA melt down in the last couple of days our IT team insisted that we disable JAVA. This sort of worried me a little considering that JAVA is required for Archicad installations. How critical is it to the operation of the software, the BIM Server, and anything else that is tied to the use of Archicad.

[Anonymous]

I am also interested in an answer.

[Karl Ottenstein]

An update to Java - Java 7 Update 11 - was posted today which addresses the security issue.

[Rafal SLEK]

ares997 wrote:
How critical is it to the operation of the software, the BIM Server, and anything else that is tied to the use of Archicad.

I always thought that Java is not important for ArchiCAD till some Java update for MAC (it was version 14 as I remember). After this problematic Macos update there were numerous problems, for example with PDF printing/publishing, saving xls from schedules. So it is important question but I think that only somebody from GS could tell how deeply is Java connected with ArchiCAD now.

[Katalin Takacs]

ArchiCAD requires Java for more functionalities such as ArchiCAD install/uninstall, license borrowing, saving xls, or publishing to pdf.

The known Java security attacks came through the web browsers. We recommend to protect your computer by turning off the Java plugin in the web browser through the Java Control Panel. Disabling this option still allows ArchiCAD run smoothly. (You need to enable Java in the browser during the protection key plug upgrade process only.)

Note: even if you turned the Java in your web browser off in Java Control Panel, this will keep it from running if you ever change that setting in your web browser. For further details, please check this site: http://java.com/en/download/help/disable_browser.xml

[Anonymous]

Katalin wrote:
ArchiCAD requires Java for more functionalities such as ArchiCAD install/uninstall, license borrowing, saving xls, or publishing to pdf.

This means Java SE 7 from the Oracle-Homepage is OK for OS X 10.7 and 10.8?

[Katalin Takacs]

ArchiCAD 16 uses and supports Java 6 that can be installed from the ArchiCAD DVD or can be downloaded from here: http://www.archicadwiki.com/Install/Java

In case only Java 7 is installed on your Mac OSX, ArchiCAD will prompt to download Java 6 during installation.

[Anonymous]

Katalin wrote:
ArchiCAD 16 uses and supports Java 6 that can be installed from the ArchiCAD DVD or can be downloaded from here: http://www.archicadwiki.com/Install/Java

In case only Java 7 is installed on your Mac OSX, ArchiCAD will prompt to download Java 6 during installation.

The guidance below comes from Java's website. How should we deal with that advice? In the case where TW Server is installed on a true server OS, two versions of Java have proved problematic. For example, in a past year the newer Java 7 on our server had to be uninstalled, Java 6 from the original ArchiCAD DVD installed, then TW Server installed, then Java 7 re-installed.

From the Java websie:

"Should I uninstall older versions of Java?
"How can I remove older versions of Java?

Do I need older versions of Java?

"Help Center
We highly recommend users uninstall all older versions of Java from your system. Keeping old and unsupported versions of Java on your system presents a serious security risk." [Recommendation in red]

There is also a Java 6 Update 20 which became recently available. Should TW Server be using Java 6 or Java 7?

[Anonymous]

Karl wrote:
An update to Java - Java 7 Update 11 - was posted today which addresses the security issue.

Two other items may be of interest:


1. Microsoft and others have advised not using the System Tray Java icon to update Java, but rather to go directly to the Java website, since your system can have been hacked to divert the browser to a bad (malware) site.

2. Documentation indicates that if you go to Java website for an update via 32-bit IE browser, you will get the 32-bit Java; via 64-bit browser, you get the 64-bit version. This was true 4+/- weeks ago.

[Katalin Takacs]

Java 6 is required for ArchiCAD 16 install/uninstall processes.
Regarding to our tests, ArchiCAD functions (such as xls output, TW messaging, etc.) operate with Java 7 as well.
If you decided to remove Java 6 after ArchiCAD is installed completely, you need to (re)install Java 7 to make these functions work.