Download JAVA3D API necessary to run java3d?

Question

I have a problem because i made a game in java3d
for new users that connect for the first time they have to download java1.3.1_06 plug in and then they have to download java3d API and installe manually.
is there a way to download only one thing to make the two functions...?
I would like the user to just download a plug in conataining everything necessary to the execution of my game.
thank you seriously,i am blocked.

Answer 1

The short answer to your question is "No".
As you know, installing the JPI is simple. In principle, it would be possible, to autoinstall Java3D as an own JAR-file too. See this article:
http://www.j3d.org/tutorials/quick_fix/auto_install.html
But there are some problems with this solution:
- The Java3D-files in the auto installer are fixed on a specific platform like "J3D 1.2 for Windows & DirectX" etc.
- The JAR-file has to be signed, an that is a process
- You can use a self made (test-) certificate to sign the JAR-file, but (on Windows), double clicking a certificate will install it in the Windows internal database - and that database is ignored by Java since version 1.3. Therefore, the certificate has to be installed in the Java internal certificate database via command line.
I think it's the better way to let download the User the 3D API for his specific platform. As you know, there are some other obstacles:
Each combination of OS, Graphics Acceleration and JVM Version requires different versions of J3D. (For example: The JVM 1.4, requires J3D 1.3. Otherwise, J3D 1.3 requires DirectX 8. But what's with platforms with JVM 1.4 and DirectX 7? For those, there is the J3D 1.3_4 etc...)
Not necessary to say, that this is too much to almost all visitors of a normal website.
Therefore, we have created a "Java 3D Download Guide". It is available on http://www.AniFun3.de/java3d/index.php. It has a neutral Design and can be integrated into other websites. The Download Guide will ask some questions and than redirect to the download page of a specific J3D version.
You have to grant that the User will restart the JVM after installing the 3D API. That means, all browser windows has to be closed after the 3D API installation.
Additional hint: Your game can check the local system for a proper installation of J3D at startup, and, if not installed, redirect to the download guide. The game can feed the download guide with information about the local system like OS name and JVM version. This infomation let the download guide jump over the first page.
Note: To make this "auto check" propper work, your start class must not have any reference to a class of the 3D API!
Here is a code example:
// Member variable: Data structure, containing Java version information
private static int[]          ivJavaVersion    = null;
// Member variable: Flag, that indicates, if the program is started in applet mode or not.
//                  Set this flag to 'false' in main()
private static boolean        ivIsApplet       = true;
* This method returns true, if Java 3D (TM) has been found in the
* environment. If there is a problem using Java 3D, this method will
* (if started in applet mode) try to open the Java 3D Download Guide
* in a new browser.
* @return boolean
private boolean check3DAPI()
     boolean error        = false;
     boolean exit         = false;
     boolean exception    = false;
     String  errorMessage = "";
     boolean isApplet     = (this instanceof Applet);
     String  downloadURL  = "http://www.AniFun3.de/java3d/index.php";
     // Try to access a class of the 3D API
     try
          Class.forName( "javax.media.j3d.VirtualUniverse" ).newInstance();
     catch( Exception e)
          exception = true;
     catch( Error err )
          error = true;
          errorMessage = err.getMessage();
     // 3D API not available
     if( exception )
          // Bring up an error message
          errorMessage = "Java 3D extension not installed. \nPress OK to get redirected to the Java 3D download page\n" + downloadURL;
          System.err.println(errorMessage);
          JOptionPane.showMessageDialog( this, errorMessage, "AniFun3", JOptionPane.ERROR_MESSAGE );
          exit = true;
          // If started in applet mode, try to open the Download Guide
          if( isApplet )
               // OK. Now find some information about the local System
               // and submit it via the query string to the Download Guide.
               // Doing so, will avoid one HTML-Form.
               StringBuffer query = new StringBuffer();
               query.append("?");
               for( int i=0; i<getJavaVersion().length; i++)
                    query.append("jv");
                    query.append(i);
                    query.append("=");
                    query.append(getJavaVersion());
                    query.append("&");
               query.append("os=");
               query.append(System.getProperty("os.name"));     
               // Open the browser     
               try
                    ((Applet)this).getAppletContext().showDocument( new URL(downloadURL + query.toString()), "_blank" );
               catch( Exception ex )
                    ex.printStackTrace();
     // There has occured another error. Java 3D seems to be installed, but maybe not correctly:
     else if( error )
          // Bring up an error message
          errorMessage = "Java 3D reports an error. Maybe the extension is not propper installed.\n" + errorMessage;
          System.err.println(errorMessage);
          JOptionPane.showMessageDialog( this, errorMessage, "AniFun3", JOptionPane.ERROR_MESSAGE );
          exit = true;
     if( exit )
          // Try to shutdown the programm, this will fail in applet mode
          try
               System.exit(1);
          catch( Exception ex )
               // can't shutdown the program
          return false;
     return true;
* This method parses the Java VM version into an integer array.
* @return int[]
private int[] getJavaVersion()
     if( ivJavaVersion == null )
          ivJavaVersion = new int[]{0,0,0,0};
          try
               StringTokenizer tokenizer = new StringTokenizer (System.getProperty("java.version"), ".");
               String actToken = null;
               int i=0;
               while( tokenizer.hasMoreTokens() )
                    actToken = tokenizer.nextToken();
                    try
                         ivJavaVersion[i] = Integer.parseInt(actToken);
                         i++;
                    catch( NumberFormatException e )
                         // Some versions are seperated by a '_'
                         StringTokenizer newTokenizer = new StringTokenizer( actToken, "_" );
                         while( newTokenizer.hasMoreTokens() )
                              ivJavaVersion[i++] = Integer.parseInt(newTokenizer.nextToken());
          catch( Exception e )
               System.out.println("[KFBuddy]::getJavaVersion(): couldn't parse Java version: " + e);
     return ivJavaVersion;
Regards,
OFH