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Java Installs Required for DITA to JavaHelp

Before you can build and view JavaHelp for the first time you have to download and install some Java files and you have to make changes to your environment variables.

How to Download and Install Necessary Java Files for JavaHelp

To build and view JavaHelp, you must first install the necessary files from Oracle.

  1. Download the necessary files.
    1. Download the Java Development Kit 6 or 7 (JDK 6 or JDK 7) from here: http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javase/downloads/jdk-6u26-download-400750.html or here http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javase/downloads/jdk7u7-downloads-1836413.html .

      Note: There are 32-bit and 64-bit versions of this software. Download the one appropriate to your machine. You can tell if your machine is 32-bit or 64-bit by right clicking on "Computer" on your desktop or in the start panel and selecting "Properties". A window will appear that displays "System type" as 32-bit or 64-bit.

      Note: You should download JDK 6 or 7. DITA to JavaHelp will likely work with previous versions but has only been tested with JDK 6 and 7.

    2. Download the JavaHelp system files from here: http://download.java.net/javadesktop/javahelp/javahelp2_0_05.zip
  2. Install the Java Developer Kit (JDK).
    1. Open the "jdk-YOUR-VERSION-NUMBER-windows-x64.exe" or "jdk-YOUR-VERSION-NUMBER-windows-x32.exe" downloaded in step one.
    2. Follow the instructions in the dialogs that appear.
  3. Install the JavaHelp system software.
    1. Unzip "javahelp2_0_05.zip" downloaded in step one. This will create a directory named "jh2.0".
    2. Move the "jh2.0" directory to "C:\\jh2.0".

      Note: The location for this file directly under "C:" is necessary to get around some bugs in some versions of the DITA-OT and JavaHelp compilers. If you want to place it somewhere else make sure that the path to the directory does not contain any spaces.

  4. Edit your environment variables so that your machine knows where to find the required Java files. The following instructions are based on Windows 7. If you are using Windows XP, the instructions are similar but not identical.
    1. Right click on "Computer" on your desktop or in the start panel and select "Properties".
    2. Click on "Advanced system settings". A new "System properties" dialog appears.
    3. In the "System Properties" dialog click on "Environement Variables ...". An "Environement Variables" dialog appears.
    4. Add the following variables to your "System Variables". Please note that the exact file paths and file names will depend on what you have installed and where you have placed the software in your file system.
      1. Add the variable "JAVA_HOME" ... "C:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.7.0_01"

        This is the location of your JDK installation. Use the location where you have installed the JDK directory. In the path quoted above "Program Files" is often "Program Files (x86)".

      2. Add the variable "JAVAHELP_HOME" ... "C:\jh2.0"

        This is the location of your jh2.0 directory. Use the location where you have installed the jh2.0 directory.

      3. Add the variable "JHHOME" ... "C:\jh2.0"

        Again, this is the location of your jh2.0 directory. Use the location where you have installed the jh2.0 directory.

      4. Edit your PATH variable by appending "C:\jh2.0\javahelp\bin;".

        This is the location required for the JavaHelp indexer SW to run. Without it you may get a JavaHelp file but the search function will not work.

        Use the location where you installed the jh2.0 directory. Include the "\bin" at the end. Semicolons (;) are important. They separate multiple paths in the PATHS environment variable. You'll need one (and only one!) at the start and at the end of this path.

      5. Edit your PATH variable by appending "C:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.7.0_01\bin;".

        Use the location where you have installed the JDK directory. Include the "\bin" at the end. Semicolons (;) are important. They separate multiple paths in the PATHS environment variable. You'll need one (and only one!) at the start and at the end of this path.

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