OpenRocket: packaged installers for Windows and Mac to solve all your Java problems

[neil_w]

UPDATE: This post now points to the installers hosted on Github. Same exact installers as before, but no need to deal with the Dropbox dialogs anymore.

Background
Skip over this section if you just want to get up and running as quickly as possible.

Normally when you download and run a Java program such as OpenRocket, it executes using the system JRE (Java Runtime Environment) installed on your machine. Unfortunately, different JRE versions (especially the newest ones starting with 1.9) do not always retain 100% compatibility. Or even if they're compatible in theory, various problems can crop up that cause your Java program to misbehave or crash. There are other annoyances as well, like you can't pin the OpenRocket JAR file to the dock on the Mac (at least, not in the app area where you'd want it), and on Windows OR doesn't behave well with high-DPI screens.

A solution to all these problems is to use packaged versions of the application. These install like regular applications, and include their own JRE built in. This bundled JRE will remain completely separate from your system JRE, and will only be used by OR. Therefore you do not need to have Java installed on your machine. Over the course of several months, these packaged installers have resolved every single instance of user having trouble running OR. At least that I've heard about.

The current version of OR is (still) 15.03; these packaged installers run the original OR code; nothing has been changed or modified here.

Windows
Click here to download the installer.

The application uses a standard installer, but it doesn't (at present) provide a shortcut on the desktop or the start menu. After installing, the actual executable file for the application is installed into your user/AppData/Local/OpenRocket folder. So you can go in there, right click the "OpenRocket.exe" file, and create a shortcut, pin it to the taskbar and/or pin it in the start menu, whatever.

Mac
Click here to download the .dmg file.

This behaves like a typical application image: double click the downloaded file, and it will open up a window showing the OR icon and an alias to the "Applications" folder. Drag the OR icon onto the Applications folder icon and the app is installed there. Then run it from that folder, or use Launchpad, Spotlight, or whatever other application launcher you favor.


Enjoy!

 

[qquake2k]

Does it import all of your files and settings from the Java OR?

 

[neil_w]

Yup.

[edit: let me rephrase that: I'm pretty sure it does. I've never noticed any difference in my personalizations regardless of which version I'm using (I tend to switch around quite a bit). If you try it (no reason not to) let me know if everything is in order.]

 

[qquake2k]

I installed it, everything seems to work fine. I now have a shortcut in my taskbar. Awesome!

 

[BEC]

Note that on the Mac you'll have to control-click to open it the first time in order to bypass the Gatekeeper - or at least i did just now (running Sierra).

 

[neil_w]

Note that on the Mac you'll have to control-click to open it the first time in order to bypass the Gatekeeper - or at least i did just now (running Sierra).

Yes, that is to be expected.

 

[manixFan]

Note that on the Mac you'll have to control-click to open it the first time in order to bypass the Gatekeeper - or at least i did just now (running Sierra).

I just upgraded to High Sierra on the Mac and could not get the normal version of OR to run but using the pagkage linked to above it worked fine. Under HS you now have to have admin rights (or name and password) to enter an exception to the security rules. You can't just right click and open it anymore. But I'm not complaining about a more secure environment, it's just a one time minor annoyance.

Thanks for taking the time to package it up, sure saved me a lot of grief trying to figure out why it won't launch.


Tony

 

[solid_fuel]

that's pretty awesome I've been having the darnedest time trying to get open rocket to work on this computer.
it wants me to install it every time I have tried to open it, is this normal?

 

[solid_fuel]

disregard the installing question. I'm a moron sometimes. I created a shortcut for the installer

 

[blackbrandt]

I can attest, this has solved every issue of OpenRocket that happened for everyone learning it in the UAH rocketry club. If you have a high DPI screen, this is the way to go.

 

[The_Lone_Beagle]

Mac user here....thanks so much! This is so helpful...

 

[McKinleyw]

AWESOME THANK YOU!!! I tried to get the java one working for a few weeks then gave up. I used the rocksim free trial and that is now used up cant wait to play around with this program.

 

[blackjack2564]

Thanks got new computer and it was giving me hell till I found this thread.

 

[Moon Knight]

Solved the problem I was having (getting a corrupt file message).
Thanks!

 

[MECO]

Thanks Neil! Well done!

John
TRA00047
NAR32473

 

[Moon Knight]

My club (SWARM NAR 752) would like to post these files on our website for members to use. Would you mind? We can make sure to give you credit if you like.
Thanks!

Mods, pretty please make this a sticky.

Background
Skip over this section if you just want to get up and running as quickly as possible.

Normally when you download and run a Java program such as OpenRocket, it executes using the system JRE (Java Runtime Environment) installed on your machine. Unfortunately, different JRE versions (especially the newest ones starting with 1.9) do not always retain 100% compatibility. Or even if they're compatible in theory, various problems can crop up that cause your Java program to misbehave or crash. There are other annoyances as well, like you can't pin the OpenRocket JAR file to the dock on the Mac (at least, not in the app area where you'd want it), and on Windows OR doesn't behave well with high-DPI screens.

A solution to all these problems is to use packaged versions of the application. These install like regular applications, and include their own JRE built in. This bundled JRE will remain completely separate from your system JRE, and will only be used by OR. Therefore you do not need to have Java installed on your machine. Over the course of several months, these packaged installers have resolved every single instance of user having trouble running OR. At least that I've heard about.

The current version of OR is (still) 15.03; these packaged installers run the original OR code; nothing has been changed or modified here.

Windows
Click here for the installer. The file is hosted on Dropbox, but you don't have to register or anything. If you see this dialog:

just click on "No thanks, continue to view" at the bottom and then click the "Download" button on the next screen.

The application uses a standard installer, but it doesn't (at present) provide a shortcut on the desktop or the start menu. After installing, the actual executable file for the application is installed into your user/AppData/Local/OpenRocket folder. So you can go in there, right click the "OpenRocket.exe" file, and create a shortcut, pin it to the taskbar and/or pin it in the start menu, whatever.

Mac
Click here for the .dmg file. Again, this is on Dropbox; see above instructions to bypass the "register" dialog if you get it. This behaves like a typical application image: double click the downloaded file, and it will open up a window showing the OR icon and an alias to the "Applications" folder. Drag the OR icon onto the Applications folder icon and the app is installed there. Then run it from that folder, or use Launchpad, Spotlight, or whatever other application launcher you favor.


Enjoy!

 

[neil_w]

My club (SWARM NAR 752) would like to post these files on our website for members to use. Would you mind? We can make sure to give you credit if you like.
Thanks!

Fine with me.

 

[mpitfield]

Thanks for your efforts neil_w. I am both a Mac and Windows user, and this solution is much slicker. Plus now I can put the application properly on my dock. I know such a little thing, on the dock or just to the right, still it did bug me.

Sent from my ONEPLUS A3000 using Rocketry Forum mobile app

 

[neil_w]

Plus now I can put the application properly on my dock. I know such a little thing, on the dock or just to the right, still it did bug me.

I don't think it's such a small thing. That's how you expect apps to work on your computer, not in the crazy non-standard way that Java apps behave.

 

[Cabernut]

What program did you use to create the installer?

 

[Moon Knight]

Fine with me.

Thank you so much! The SWARM guys will certainly appreciate this!

 

[neil_w]

What program did you use to create the installer?

I used the Oracle java packager tool. The whole process was perfectly satisfactory for the Mac, but I'm not really happy with the resulting Windows installer (it doesn't create shortcuts on desktop or task bar or start menu, which would really be helpful). Or maybe it's the fault of the 3rd-party component used to actually generate the Windows installer file, dunno. There are many available alternatives for packaging on Windows, I'd probably try a couple before settling on one.

 

[BlaineS]

Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU Neil!!!!
Though I use Mac, PC & Linux machines, all of my video work takes place on a Mac... now, during renders, I can just "tab" over to OR & work on what really matters!!!
Thanks again buddy!

 

[punkidd]

THANK YOU! Messing with the DPI settings on my Java executible everytime I wanted to use OR was getting really old. THANKS!

 

[GregGleason]

Mods, pretty please make this a sticky.

Background
Skip over this section if you just want to get up and running as quickly as possible.

Normally when you download and run a Java program such as OpenRocket, it executes using the system JRE (Java Runtime Environment) installed on your machine. Unfortunately, different JRE versions (especially the newest ones starting with 1.9) do not always retain 100% compatibility. Or even if they're compatible in theory, various problems can crop up that cause your Java program to misbehave or crash. There are other annoyances as well, like you can't pin the OpenRocket JAR file to the dock on the Mac (at least, not in the app area where you'd want it), and on Windows OR doesn't behave well with high-DPI screens.

A solution to all these problems is to use packaged versions of the application. These install like regular applications, and include their own JRE built in. This bundled JRE will remain completely separate from your system JRE, and will only be used by OR. Therefore you do not need to have Java installed on your machine. Over the course of several months, these packaged installers have resolved every single instance of user having trouble running OR. At least that I've heard about.

The current version of OR is (still) 15.03; these packaged installers run the original OR code; nothing has been changed or modified here.

Windows
Click here for the installer. The file is hosted on Dropbox, but you don't have to register or anything. If you see this dialog:

just click on "No thanks, continue to view" at the bottom and then click the "Download" button on the next screen.

The application uses a standard installer, but it doesn't (at present) provide a shortcut on the desktop or the start menu. After installing, the actual executable file for the application is installed into your user/AppData/Local/OpenRocket folder. So you can go in there, right click the "OpenRocket.exe" file, and create a shortcut, pin it to the taskbar and/or pin it in the start menu, whatever.

Mac
Click here for the .dmg file. Again, this is on Dropbox; see above instructions to bypass the "register" dialog if you get it. This behaves like a typical application image: double click the downloaded file, and it will open up a window showing the OR icon and an alias to the "Applications" folder. Drag the OR icon onto the Applications folder icon and the app is installed there. Then run it from that folder, or use Launchpad, Spotlight, or whatever other application launcher you favor.


Enjoy!

Thank You neil_w!

I had not run OpenRocket in a while and it kept crashing. So I was losing hope until I saw another post that referenced this post. I appreciate the effort.

Greg

 

[pendrin2020]

Soooooo. How do I get the app to run at my native resolution. everything is all big and slightly fuzzy.

 

[neil_w]

Soooooo. How do I get the app to run at my native resolution. everything is all big and slightly fuzzy.

Try asking this in a new thread, and provide some (any?) details about your configuration. Other folks have definitely dealt with resolution problems before, someone should know the answer.

 

[neil_w]

Time for a bump.

 

[Forever_Metal]

I just want a newer version of OR... I might win the lotto first...

Can't complain though; it's free.

Was hoping to hear some good stuff by the first of the year; but since my building has stopped indef, i'll just play rocket with it

fm

 

[mpitfield]

Soooooo. How do I get the app to run at my native resolution. everything is all big and slightly fuzzy.

When you say "my native resolution" is that the native resolution of the screen or what you set your resolution to, if other than the screen's native resolution?