Processing 1.0 - Processing Discourse - Signed applet loads for some, not for others

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Index › Programming Questions & Help › Programs › Signed applet loads for some, not for others

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Signed applet loads for some, not for others (Read 1234 times)

Scott Murray

Signed applet loads for some, not for others
May 22^nd, 2009, 8:21am

This project works beautifully for some, and not at all for others:

http://alignedleft.com/projects/2009/QuestionsAnswers/

It works on my machine (Mac, latest Java) and on others I have tested (Windows and Mac), but I have anecdotal reports that it doesn't load at all for some people (Windows and Mac). Those people report seeing just a black screen, sometimes with the little box-with-red-X-mark. The applet is self-signed, since it loads data from multiple data sources online.

Any ideas? Could this be an issue with Java version conflicts, or browser security settings? Thanks!

Scott Murray

Re: Signed applet loads for some, not for others
Reply #1 - May 26^th, 2009, 2:59pm

OK, I'd like to enlist the community's help debugging this problem. If you can take a minute out of your day, this would be a huge help. Please:

Go to: http://alignedleft.com/projects/2009/QuestionsAnswers/
Click the "launch the project" link.
You should be asked to "trust" the applet. Click "yes" or "trust." If you're not asked to do that, please reply to this post saying so.
Note whether or not the applet runs. You should see lots of text and pretty colors. If you just see a black screen, it's not working.
Go to: http://www.javatester.org/version.html
Note your Java version and vendor.
Reply to this, and post your OS, Java version and vendor, and what you saw after clicking "launch the project". (Did it work?)

Thanks so much to anyone who can help.

Andreas F YaBB Newbies Offline Posts: 34	Re: Signed applet loads for some, not for others Reply #2 - May 26^th, 2009, 4:42pm Works for me on OS X 10.5.7 with Java Version 1.5.0_16 from Apple Inc.
	gwoptics.org

PhiLho

Re: Signed applet loads for some, not for others
Reply #3 - May 27^th, 2009, 3:23am

Tested with Firefox 3.0 on Windows XP Pro SP3 French.
Java Plug-in 1.6.0_13 (as said by Java console...)

It took a while to start, I saw the Processing logo for a few seconds (then I switched to this tab to start typing, so I don't know how long exactly), the startup time might confuse some visitors.

One problem: when the mouse cursor goes over the applet, it disappears, which is confusing (for the Click to start...).
Beside that, it works well.

FYI, here is the console listing after browsing a bit and closing the tab:
Code:

there are 27 top level categories
Starting PaletteFiller thread id 0
Starting GetAnswers thread id 0
25 colors retrieved
15 results returned from Answers
GetAnswers thread 0 is done!
25 colors retrieved
25 colors retrieved
25 colors retrieved
25 colors retrieved
25 colors retrieved
13 colors retrieved
25 colors retrieved
25 colors retrieved
25 colors retrieved
25 colors retrieved
25 colors retrieved
25 colors retrieved
25 colors retrieved
25 colors retrieved
25 colors retrieved
25 colors retrieved
25 colors retrieved
starting timed demo function
25 colors retrieved
22 colors retrieved
25 colors retrieved
25 colors retrieved
25 colors retrieved
starting timed demo function
25 colors retrieved
25 colors retrieved
PaletteFiller thread 0 is done!
starting timed demo function
starting timed demo function
starting timed demo function
starting timed demo function
starting timed demo function
starting timed demo function
starting timed demo function
starting timed demo function
starting timed demo function
starting timed demo function
starting timed demo function
starting timed demo function
starting timed demo function
starting timed demo function
starting timed demo function
starting timed demo function
starting timed demo function
starting timed demo function
starting timed demo function
topLevelMenuItemIDs[selectedMenuItemID] == 396545660
Starting GetAnswers thread id 0
15 results returned from Answers
EXCEPTION CAUGHT
EXCEPTION CAUGHT
GetAnswers thread 0 is done!

Scott Murray

Re: Signed applet loads for some, not for others
Reply #4 - May 27^th, 2009, 12:09pm

PhiLho, you are exposing all of my app's deep, dark secrets!

Guess I should comment those print statements out before going public.

The mouse-hiding is intentional, but I agree that it's confusing. I will have to reconsider how to design that. An initial click is necessary to ensure the applet has focus, but after that only arrow keys are needed for navigation.

Thanks to you and Andreas both for testing.

NoahBuddy

Re: Signed applet loads for some, not for others
Reply #5 - May 27^th, 2009, 10:20pm

Firefox 3, Windows 2K SP4, Java version 1.6.0_11

After a moment loading, it worked. Took me a second to realize the arrows were for the keyboard.

One thing others may have trouble with is that Java asks for internet access when the applet starts (firewall). I allowed it, seemed to work fine.

Java console never did show...

PhiLho

Re: Signed applet loads for some, not for others
Reply #6 - May 28^th, 2009, 2:50am

NoahBuddy wrote on May 27^th, 2009, 10:20pm:

Java console never did show...

I have set it up to show anytime an applet (or a Java Web Start program) is run on the browser.
Beside, it should display an icon in the tray area, you can right-click on it to show it.

Note you can access the settings of this console by typing javaws -viewer which shows the Java cache but also the preferences dialog.
The cache viewer is useful too: when you test an applet, you should remove it from the cache each time you modify it, otherwise you might have trouble to see the changes... The applet might not appear in the Applications list but will appear (as a .jar, for example), in the Resource listing.

Scott Murray

Re: Signed applet loads for some, not for others
Reply #7 - May 28^th, 2009, 9:39am

NoahBuddy wrote on May 27^th, 2009, 10:20pm:

One thing others may have trouble with is that Java asks for internet access when the applet starts (firewall). I allowed it, seemed to work fine.

Great point, Noah. Thanks. I'm open to any ideas on how to better instruct users on how to overcome these usability obstacles (e.g. click "trust" and "allow network access"). Unfortunately, there's no skipping those steps (for a PApplet, anyway).

Scott Murray Full Member Offline Posts: 117 San Francisco	Re: Signed applet loads for some, not for others Reply #8 - May 28^th, 2009, 9:55am I clarified the instructions beneath the "launch project" link: http://alignedleft.com/projects/2009/QuestionsAnswers/ No one reads instructions, but at least now this clarification is there for the 1% of people who do.

PhiLho

Re: Signed applet loads for some, not for others
Reply #9 - May 29^th, 2009, 3:32am

Good, your instructions are general enough to be usable... On my French system, my choice is Exécuter or Annuler (Execute or Cancel).
I don't need to grant network access, having no picky firewall...

Note: just to see I clicked Cancel on the security notice, and was surprised to see the applet working OK. Well, almost: I can navigate but I see nothing, of course. Perhaps you can put a generic text in this case (like "Try again and trust us!"...

Scott Murray Full Member Offline Posts: 117 San Francisco	Re: Signed applet loads for some, not for others Reply #10 - May 29^th, 2009, 1:29pm Good call. I should include accommodations for when network access is not available or granted.

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