Integrated Composite Analyzer (ICAN/JAVA)
Execution

Choose how to run ICAN/JAVA

• "Use setup to Get JRE" means entering the command "setup java" to obtain access to the JRE (Java Runtime Environment) / JDK (Java Development Kit). There is a version of the JRE/JDK available using setup for the SGI or SUN UNIX platform.

  The advantage is that no download is required. The disadvantage is that the latest version of Java may not be available yet.

• "Download to Get JRE" means downloading and installing at least the JRE (Java Runtime Environment) on the local machine and executing ICAN/JAVA using the local version of the JRE. The JRE may be downloaded on many machines for free.

  The advantage is that the latest version of Java is available. The disadvantage is that it requires a download to the local machine.

• "Use Applet Viewer" means running ICAN/JAVA as an Applet using the JRE's appletviewer. The appletviewer has the ability to bypass some of the security restrictions of Netscape so that files may be saved to your local system.

  The disadvantage is that ICAN/JAVA is executed as an Applet so that there are more restrictions than executing as an application. As an Applet, the user can only read data from the remote server. Unless the Applet resides on the local machine, the user cannot read and write local disk files and cannot print locally.

• "Use Executer" means running ICAN/JAVA as an application using the JRE's Java virtual machine interpreter and a small Executer application. This will execute as an application without the Applet restrictions. This is recommended to get the greatest capability with the least restrictions. The main restriction is that you must run the Executer in the same directory in which it resides or adjust the CLASSPATH to point to the directory containing the Executer. The downloading of the Executer application is easier than modifying special files to remove restrictions.

  The advantage is that ICAN/JAVA is executed as an application so that the user can read and write local disk files and can print locally. The disadvantage is that the executer must be downloaded.

• "Use Plug-In" means downloading and installing at least the Java 1.1 plug-in, then using the browser with the plug-in to run ICAN/JAVA, using a jar file by clicking on the appropriate version: jar (1.1) (faster),
  jar (1.3) (faster),
  jar (1.4) (faster). In Netscape, click on Help and then click on "About Plug-ins" to see whether any Java plug-ins are installed and whether it is Java 1.1 or above. In Internet Explorer, click on Tools/Internet Options... then click on the tab Programs and the Manage Add-ons... button to see whether any Java plug-ins are installed and whether it is Java 1.1 or above. If you have a version of Netscape that is Java 1.1 enabled (see "Use Browser" below), do not use the Java 1.1 plug-in because there is a runtime resources conflict, which causes an instability. However, the conflict has been resolved in the Java 1.2 plug-in. The Java plug-in downloaded here is less robust than the appletviewer. Although you will be prompted, the download is semi-automatic but you must know the directory in which you would put it before continuing.

  One disadvantage is that ICAN/JAVA is executed as an Applet so that there are more restrictions than executing as an application. As an Applet, the user can only read data from the remote server. Unless the Applet resides on the local machine, the user cannot read and write local disk files and cannot print locally. Another disadvantage is that the plug-in must be downloaded. Another disadvantage is that the browser remains active, in memory.

• "Use Browser" means to try executing ICAN/JAVA using a jar file or class files in Netscape which must be Java enabled. The standard version of Netscape at NASA Glenn, Netscape 4.7, is Java enabled and can execute ICAN/JAVA; however, it starts up very slowly. It took me about 8.5 minutes just to start up ICAN/JAVA this way. This can not save or print files to the local machine but is the easiest way to see the capability of the new ICAN/JAVA, if it works. Sometimes the Java Console will show error messages that are helpful in diagnosing problems. The Java Console may be displayed in Netscape 4.7 by clicking on Communicator/Tools/Java Console. Note that Netscape 4.7 uses Java 1.1.5 whereas ICAN/JAVA was compiled with Java 1.1.6.

  The advantage is that no download is required. One disadvantage is that ICAN/JAVA is executed as an Applet so that there are more restrictions than executing as an application. As an Applet, the user can only read data from the remote server. Unless the Applet resides on the local machine, the user cannot read and write local disk files and cannot print locally. Another disadvantage is that the browser remains active, in memory.

• There is also a batch version of ICAN/JAVA that may be used from scripts or other programs.
• NESSUS is a program that can be used to execute ICAN/JAVA probabilistically.

Installing locally will increase disk space requirements but decrease run-time slightly. The JRE (Java Runtime Environment) requires less disk space to install than the full JDK (Java Development Kit). The JDK may also be referred to as the SDK (Software Development Kit). Java 2 (also known as Java 1.2 or higher) should be installed rather than Java 1.1, if available. See some preliminary information on Java 2.

There is a file that contains the update history when the latest version of ICAN/JAVA was updated on the server. You may also use the Help menu in ICAN/JAVA to see the update history.