using netscape to compile java

The reason that java class files which make use of graphics can not be run with this feature is down to the way in which the AWT (Graphics part of Java) makes use of peers that are dependant on the underlying machine architecture and implementation of the java. Or more simply Netscape provides the AWT layer, but uses different peers.

This is what you need to need to do in order to run java

• Get hold of the Sun supplied JDK

• Copy the file classes.zip from the JDK into the same place where the Netscape data files are kept (something like /usr/local/lib/netcape). The file names are different (You might like to check, just in case) so theres no likelyhood of overwriting essential files.

• You need to set up a few environment variables to make sure netscape knows where the java compiler can be found. In straight forward bourne shell this looks like

  NETSCAPE_DATA_DIR=/usr/local/lib/netscape NCLASSPATH=.:$NETSCAPE_DATA_DIR/java_30:$NETSCAPE_DATA_DIR/classes.zip export NCLASSPATH

• You're ready to run java class files

  netscape -java .....

• And to compile java, you need to utter

  netscape -java sun.tools.javac.Main -verbose java source files

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