Express 2.4a: security update for "non-windows" installations

Frank Weyand on January 15, 2014

Dear community members,

as described in my post last month, due to a new JRE release (7, update 51), we were forced to update our Express version for "non-windows" systems. Due to increased security conditions in the the JRE, we needed to adjust Express.

So, the new of Express is online, version is 2.4a.

So what do you need to do?

Nothing, if you use the windows installation. The version for Windows is not affected.

Otherwise: nothing, if you do not have the new JRE yet. Just start Express, it will update from 2.4 to 2.4a.

But in the case, your JRE already has been updated, and you did not start Express before, Express is blocked from the JRE. Thus, since it is blocked, Express can not be updated automatically.

In that case, just delete the webstart cache (open the java panel, and on the first "general" page, in the "temporary internet files", you can delete the application).

Then, just click this link to download the new version, that's it.

By the way: there is still a dialog shown, that Express will be blocked in a future release of the java runtime environment. You can ignore that. Even if you pull the java security settings to the maximum, the new version will be started.

Bye,

Frank

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7 Replies

Axel Suppantschitsch on January 22, 2014 - 10:35

Dear Frank,

since the update to Aris Express 2.4a the PDF Export does not seem to work anymore and Aris Express throws the following error:

The error has also been reported by another user in the forum: Link. I have reproduced the error with several Aris Express files that have been successfully exported to PDF before.

My system specs:

Windows 7, 64-Bit, German

Java Version 7, Update 51, 64 Bit

Aris Express 2.4a

Please contact me in case of any questions.

Best regards,

Axel Suppantschitsch.

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Frank Weyand Author on January 22, 2014 - 13:11

Hi Axel.

this the real problem, which happens only in case of webstart:

java.lang.NullPointerException
	at com.sun.jnlp.JNLPClassLoader.getPermissions(Unknown Source)
	at java.security.SecureClassLoader.getProtectionDomain(Unknown Source)

This is introduces with JRE 7 update 21. It did not occur before.

We had another issue regarding that error (opening an existing file), and we were able to implement a workaround.

Currently, we were not able to find a workaround for that, and possibly, there is none.

Sorry, but it seems that there is nothing we can do. This functionality does not work in case of webstart.

Bye,

Frank

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Axel Suppantschitsch on January 22, 2014 - 15:46

Hi Frank,

what do you mean by "webstart"? Is there any possibility for me to avoid the issue e.g. by not using "webstart"?

Best regards,

Axel Suppantschitsch.

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Frank Weyand Author on January 23, 2014 - 08:21

Hi Axel,

some words for the explanation first: we deliver Express in 2 versions: as a installable windows product (standard executable java application) and as a Java "WebStart" application e.g. for linus etc.

In fact it is the same product, but the way of distribution differs. First, we completely relied on webstart. But we saw that changes in the JRE may cause problems for the user here and there. Therefore we started to deliver Express as "standard application" which you just install.

The problem that you see right now is a great example of the problems that can occur and why we started to provide the windows user with an own installation. There are quite some bug entries for the developers of the JRE since update 21 of the JRE. But the problem is not solved.

Currently I suppose that we won't find a workaround for this problem.

Now to your question:

The only way to avoid this error is just to use the windows installation.

Bye,

Frank

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Axel Suppantschitsch on January 23, 2014 - 10:49

Hi Frank,

thank you, you solved the problem. Actually I always used the "Webstart" version of Aris Express, but on Windows. That's why I received the automatic update. Now I downloaded the full install version for Windows, removed the "Webstart" version and the problem is gone.

Best regards,

Axel Suppantschitsch.

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Paudercley Cileno on April 25, 2014 - 16:19

Qual a soluçao para este erro? Uso Linux...

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Markus Pompejus on December 16, 2014 - 14:17

Dear Frank

since the update to ARIS Express 2.4b Windows Installation I have the problem too. PDF Export starts but crashes with the same Error at the moment i can only use the workaround with Print but thats no solution for more then 1 page.

System information:

Windows 7

ARIS Express 2.4b

JRE 1.8.0_25

Best regards,

Markus Pompejus

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