Verify or change the Java JRE / JDK version

Nico Chart_21517
Nico Chart_21517
Altair Employee
edited October 23 in Altair RapidMiner

Issue

Sometimes a customer does not wish to use the JRE (Java Runtime Environment) provided with Altair Analytics Workbench and Altair SLC. For example, there may be some widespread publicity about a bug in a version of Java, or a requirement to use one specific version that is approved by the customer's IT systems security team.

At Altair we also monitor Java security alerts and adopt the latest patched versions of Java, which is then used to upgrade our software products. Both Altair Analytics Workbench and Altair SLC are tested and delivered with our own choice of recent JRE version. We recommended using this embedded JRE. Bear in mind that our bug fixes and maintenance builds are tested with our own chosen JRE.

Can I use an alternative JRE or a JDK?

Yes, it is possible to run Workbench and Altair SLC with other compatible releases of the JRE, and a JDK can be used instead of a JRE, as would be typical in a development environment (the JDK folder contains a JRE folder).

The alternative JRE would be obtained and installed by the customer or end-user, without support from Altair. It should be installed on the same computer as our software but not within the same installation tree.

The 'jre' folder/directory in the Workbench or Altair SLC installation trees can optionally be harmlessly deleted when an alternative JRE is being used. (But if there is a problem with the alternative JRE then Altair would want you to replace our supplied jre folder for testing, so it is best to simply rename 'jre' to 'jre.orig'.)

When installing Workbench on Windows from the MSI installer, you can optionally choose to de-select installation of the embedded JRE.

JRE is used by both Altair Analytics Workbench and by Altair SLC.

(Altair SmartWorks Hub also uses a JRE but this is a separate installation and documented elsewhere.)

Which JRE is shipped with Workbench and Altair SLC?

The current Java version is 11.0.17 on all platforms except AIX and z/Linux; for these platforms the java version is 11.0.16.1. We may upgrade the Java version as/when new security patches are released by the Java vendors, so successive versions of Workbench and of Altair SLC may contain later versions of Java.

For AIX and z/OS platforms we use IBM's JRE under IBM's licensing. (Please see here for further information: https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/java-sdk-support-commercial-licensing-faq#:~:text=IBM%20has%20a%20comprehensive%20agreement,under%20the%20IBM%20product%20license.)

For Windows, Linux x86/x64 and MacOS platforms, we use an Azul Systems OpenJDK JRE with JavaFX support.

All other platforms of SLC ship with a version of OpenJDK from AdoptOpenJDK.

JRE in Altair Analytics Workbench

You can check which JRE is being used by the Workbench by visiting Help > About Analytics Workbench > Installation Details > Configuration. Look at the line:

java.home=C:\Program Files\Altair\SLC\2024\jre

To change the JRE that Analytics Workbench is using you must adjust the file workbench.ini found in the 'eclipse' folder. The relative path ../jre/bin (after the line -vm) can be replaced by an absolute path addressing your alternate JRE folder. For example:

Change:

-vm../jre/bin

to:

-vmC:/Program Files/OpenJDK/jre/bin

Note that this line refers to the bin folder inside the top level of your JRE installation.
NB On Windows use backslash instead of forward slash in this path.

Altair SLC

You can check which JRE the SLC compiler is using by running:

PROC JAVAINFO;

Look in the SLC Log to see the line:

java.home=C:\Program Files\Altair\SLC\2024\jre

To change the JRE that SLC is using, edit the file altairslc.cfg found at the top level in the SLC installation tree. The path beginning !wpshome in the "libjvm" setting can be changed to refer to your alternative JRE folder. For example:

Change:

-APPEND JREOPTIONS ('-Dwps.jre.libjvm=!wpshome/jre/lib/server/libjvm.so')

to:

-APPEND JREOPTIONS ('-Dwps.jre.libjvm=/opt/openjdk/jre/lib/amd64/server/libjvm.so')

Note that this path must refer to the exact libjvm.so shared object library file. On Windows this path uses backslashes and refers to the jvm.dll shared library file, e.g.:

-APPEND JREOPTIONS ('-Dwps.jre.libjvm=!wpshome\jre\bin\server\jvm.dll')
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