I invite everybody running IB TWS to give this new build of JRE a try. http://java.sun.com/j2se/1.4.1/download.html http://java.sun.com/j2se/1.4.1/ReleaseNotes.html Quite a few bug fixes related to memory leaks and video drivers, and crashes. It may make your life a little easier.
Also, if you hate the Sun Java and you want to use MSFT Virtual Machine instead - this is a current version since MSFT now agreed to support Java again and it specifically supports WIN XP and older. http://www.krm.com/techsupport/tech-downloads_mvm.html Note: IB does not recommend this on their web page (in fact they don't mention it either way) - I have now been using it for several months and I find it to be more stable and flicker-free - it does take just a little bit longer to load/log-in to TWS (about 5 more seconds) but once you are there IMO this is better. I use mine for the hard-drive installed version, not the browser based TWS. Make sure to go to Windows Update and download any security patches your machine may need. Also you need to change the default Java browser settings in Internet Exlorer "advanced settings" - remove checkboxes from the Sun section and make sure the ones for VM are checked. Regards, Paul
Not sure why anyone would hate the Sun Java VM...I mean, the MS VM was great and all in Java v 1.1, 4 years ago, but Java 1.4 is a whole different beast and vastly superior. The new Sun VMs smoke the old MS VM too. If for some reason an applet you want to use is only doable with 1.1 or relies on old proprietary MS Java stuff, then in IE, go to tools->internet options->advanced and uncheck the Java (sun) check box there that says "Use Java 2 v1.4.1_01 for <applet>". All applets will run with the original MS VM and not the Sun one. Some Java chat programs have this problem (though not ET chat anymore!). Could be wrong about that thing you linked to there, but just because MS has agreed to include a Java VM doesn't mean they are including a new one they wrote for newer versions of Java. Also, use the standalone version of IB, not the browser based one...that's suicide.
Hello Corvus, Perhaps 'hate" was too strong of an adjective - "dislike would have been better. 1) I can tell you have not tried the new VM application - TWS runs with more stability on my computer with XP Pro (less menu-freeze, screen flicker, background colors more solid, etc.) than it does with the Sun applet. In fact, ALL my java-based programs run much better not using the Sun product. And this is on multiple computers with different applications. I think the Sun product is inferior. I merely offered it as an alternative for folks. 2) I can tell you skimmed my post - I stated that I DO NOT use the browser based TWS - I use standalone - this doesn't mean that you still don't have to change the IE default setting to get your programs to launch in whichever Java applet you want to use. 3) I can tell you didn't explore the link - this version of VM is written for XP and is a fairly recent release. Since VM integrates more cleanly with Windows and IE source code, it is not a surpise to me that it works a little better. Sun has to add a bunch of stuff in just to make it run - check the file sizes. 4) I also use J-Trader - another Java program - it won't even run right on the Sun Program and is not recommended for the reasons stated above - the people who wrote it and tested it know that the Sun product is buggier, albiet a tiny bit faster - But it is only faster to load, not faster for execution or quotes. Respecfully, Paul
Actually, I just did try it. It did nothing. My MS VM version is already 3809 and that version was older. Sorry, that comment wasn't directed entirely at you, just to the ET populace at large. But that made me think about your situation for a sec. You say that you downloaded this VM and that improved your standalone IB? Don't think so. Take a look at what the link for IB points to...you'll see that it actually calls the Sun JRE java VM somewhere on your machine...the cmd looks something like: ""C:\Program Files\Java\j2re1.4.1_01\bin\javaw.exe" -jar E:\PROGRA~1\Jts\jts.jar E:\PROGRA~1\Jts". If it doesn't , I'll eat crow on this one. I think you just need to download a new JRE version (1.4.1_02), and point TWS at that one instead. You 've probably been upgrading you JRE, but TWS was always pointing at the old one! I did explore the link...the MS VM version I have on my machine is later, 3809. In fact, that helpful file is everywhere out there now that MS can't distribute it. Trouble is, I believe that it is the simply the last VM MS produced...which is only a Java 1.1 VM. I would not suggest people use it unless they have unusual problems with the latest Sun VM or they are trying to access an applet that relies on MS proprietary APIs. I haven't seen too many people have trouble with the Sun VMs, but hey it happens. Check out this link: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;163637 I think this is a common misunderstanding BTW...Sun's early VMs for 1.0.2 and 1.1 were doggishly slow. MS came out with a VM for 1.0.2 that was terrible, but their 1.1 VM was top notch and beat the pants off of the Sun VM for stability and performance. Java stayed at 1.1 for some time, and then MS added a bunch of proprietary APIs to the VM, which upset Sun a great deal and (apparently) violated Sun's license of Java to MS. MS halted work on their Java VM and it froze at v1.1. In the meantime, Sun came out with 1.2 which was a significant enhancement of the Java language and especially the UI side. However, their 1.2 VM wasn't all that great. 1.3 improved the VM further, and 1.4 is better still. I still think the MS VM was a better all-round piece of code...but because the UI code is so different in post 1.1 VMs, alot of applications written post 1.1 are not backwards compatible any more. If the engineers at IB think you should use the latest VM, they probably have a reason for that comment. However, all things aside, I wish Sun would produce a post 1.1 VM with the same stability and performance of MS's now ancient 1.1 VM. Not sure about this comment. Yes JTrader is a java 1.1 app, so it will run on the older MS VM and the Sun VMs, perhaps better because MS's 1.1 VM is a great piece of work. However, I write apps for a living, and alot of Java applications, and in my experience and opinion, the Sun product is far superior to a 4 year old MS product that they are not allowed to even produce security fixes for anymore. Everybody's set up is different no doubt, but I haven't run across too many cases where someone would be better off using the older VM except with certain specific applications that weren't coded to the open standard, or in the odd case that someone only used 1.1-based applications.
I fully agree with corvus. MS is just about to discontinue their "Java efforts" anyway. Any software like J_Trader (based on MS Java VM) will have to do a migration to the MS .NET framework in the near future. Any software based on Sun Java JRE does not need such a migration.
Hi Corvus, Are you talking about the desktop link to TWS? I downloaded and installed the latest JRE from Sun last night. When I clicked properties (Tws desktop link) I noticed mine was still pointing to C:\Program Files\Java\j2re1.4.0_01\ so I changed it to the latest 1.4.1_02. I guess the link does not automatically get upgraded. Also, do you feel it would be better to remove all prior versions of JRE and do a clean install of the latest one? Thanks for your indepth posts, really appreciated. regards, Bruce Hawkins
No need to do a clean install other than to free up disk space. Just point to the JRE version you want. Some people keep a version of 1.3 hanging around as well as 1.4 for older java programs.
Corvus, Thanks for the patient explanation and clarification. I will defer to your technical expertise since it far exceeds my own. I had no awareness that I needed to point TWS to the latest version of Sun for it to work correctly. Mine was a much older version. Perhaps that contributed to my perception that the VM "works better" so I will adjust my settings and install the latest Sun version and give it a try. Also where did you get that version of VM 3809? I would still like to have it around. Sincerely, Paul