How to Install Greenfoot (Beginner Java programmers)

Question

I haven't posted in a long time.
I recently started studying java and we had to download greenfoot. Greenfoot has a .deb file. To install a deb file on arch is pretty simple:
ar -x fileName.deb
tar -xzvf data.tar.gz
then just move the stuff from data into the install location of your choice.
So you've installed Greenfoot.
Now when you run it it gives you an error that it can't find a suitable JDK and that you may need to edit the bin file.
Do it. Go to /usr/bin/greenfoot and open it with leafpad or whatever you use.
Apparently greenfoot doesn't update their program. Java is now past 6. We're on 7.
Change it to:
#!/bin/sh
if [ -e /usr/lib/jvm/java-7-sun/lib/tools.jar ]; then
    JAVAPATH="/usr/lib/jvm/java-7-sun"
elif [ -e /usr/lib/jvm/java-7-openjdk/lib/tools.jar ]; then
    JAVAPATH="/usr/lib/jvm/java-7-openjdk"
elif [ -e /usr/lib/jvm/java-7-openjdk-amd64/lib/tools.jar ]; then
    JAVAPATH="/usr/lib/jvm/java-7-openjdk-amd64"   
else
    echo "A suitable JDK couldn't be located. You may need to edit the"
    echo "/usr/bin/greenfoot launch script."
    exit 1
fi
CP="/usr/share/greenfoot/bluej.jar:$JAVAPATH/lib/tools.jar"
"$JAVAPATH/bin/java" -Dawt.useSystemAAFontSettings=on -cp "$CP" bluej.Boot \
    -greenfoot=true -bluej.compiler.showunchecked=false \
    -greenfoot.scenarios=/usr/share/doc/Greenfoot/scenarios \
    -greenfoot.tutorial=file:///usr/share/doc/Greenfoot/tutorial/tutorial.html \
    -greenfoot.tutorial.scenario=wombats \
    -greenfoot.url.javadoc=/usr/share/doc/Greenfoot/API/index.html \
     "$@"
I know it's simple, but it took a while out of my potential homework time.
Last edited by darris (2013-04-03 16:45:06)

Answer 1

Search and you shall receive :::
https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/?O=0&K=greenfoot
The aur package has a depends on java-environment & java-runtime, and so would work with any version of java. You wouldn't have to change any bin file of even extract the deb and copy files yourself. Best of all, this way, pacman is aware of the package and its dependencies and can be helpful when you have to uninstall it or modify it in any way.