IBM releases new version of great Midlet runner J9; now, it’s Gmaps-compatible!

Menneisyys · 12-30-06, 06:43 AM

Ever wanted to run the same midlets (small Java applications) on your Pocket PC as on your mobile phone? Ever wanted to use the great alternative Web browser Opera Mini or the great mapping software Google Maps on your Pocket PC? Read on!

It was over half a year ago that IBM released the last, 6.1.0 version of their well-known Personal Java / Midlet environment J9 (read the tutorial here).

As with the previous version, the distribution isn’t available on major Pocket PC software resellers like Handango; only on IBM’s official download page. You will need to register yourself in there in order to be able to download the environment – Personal Profile (PP) if you need to run smaller, PP-compliant (!) stand-alone Java applications (NOT Java applets inside Pocket Internet Explorer / Internet Explorer Mobile – IBM J9 has never supported them!) and the MIDP 2.0 version if you want to run midlets like the above-mentioned two "killer" midlets, Opera Mini or Google Maps. Note that the Midlet version, as with the previous 6.1.0 version, comes in two flawors: a VGA and a QVGA one. If you have a VGA device, get the former.

After downloading (make sure you also get the installation instructions PDF file and don’t mistake Windows CE 5 for Window Mobile 5 – you’ll need the latter only), execute the file (it’s been downloaded to c:\DownloadDirector\) and extract c:\Program Files\IBM\WEME\runtimes\61\wm50-arm-vga-midp20\weme-wm50-arm-hires-midp20_6.1.1.20061110-161633.zip (VGA MIDP), c:\Program Files\IBM\WEME\runtimes\61\wm50-arm-midp20\weme-wm50-arm-midp20_6.1.1.20061110-161633.zip (QVGA MIDP) or c:\Program Files\IBM\WEME\runtimes\61\wm50-arm-ppro11\weme-wm50-arm-ppro11_6.1.1.20061110-161633.zip (Personal Profile). Transfer the contents of the (unpacked) bin and lib subdirectories anywhere on your Pocket PC (note that the installation instructions instruct you to copy these two directories under \J9\MIDP in the main storage. This isn’t needed: a storage card will do too) and, then, do what “Installing and running a demo MIDlet” (the MIDP version) or “Running a demo application” (the PP version) states. Note that you can (and, if you plan to install many midlets, should!) still use the registry import script I’ve provided (see the “My registry script” section in my previous tutorial) for 6.1.0 to greatly ease midlet deployment; as with the previous version, make sure you change all occurrences of “\\SD Card\\J9-MIDP” to the current path of your J9 home in it before importing.

Screenshots of the new version running Opera Mini 3.0.6540 Advanced (also see this article; the JAR file is available for download here; simply download it and click on it after transferring it onto your PDA and importing my above-mentioned registry import file if you don't want to deploy it by hand, in the very awkward way the official IBM documentation recommends) on my WM2003SE VGA Pocket Loox 720: 1 2; on my WM5 VGA Dell Axim x51v.

Note that, when I tested, neither the “mainstream” nor the “high-end” version of Google Maps worked with neither the latest Intent Midlet Manager (THE Midlet manager for Pocket PC Phone Edition users; do read the article if your current PPC PE device is not the latest one and has an old(er) ROM on it) nor J9 6.1.1 (screenshots: former; latter; another screenshot of Intent running Opera Mini 3.0). Other users, however, reported success and flawless execution with GMaps – with both J9 6.1.1 (as opposed to the very slow 6.1.0) and Intent (click the links for user reports).

Unfortunately, the new version still doesn’t make use of the WM5 softkeys, unlike the new version of Intent Midlet Manager, in which the whole interface, all yes/no questions etc. (and, of course, all apps like Opera Mini) work just great via the WM5 softkeys.

Please note that I haven’t tested the WM5 compliance of the new Personal Profile J9 version (its WM5 compliance was (still?) rather problematic with 6.1.0) – now that Toonel, the, for Pocket PC users, most important Personal Profile-based Java application, received a native Windows Mobile version, there’s no point any more in using the Java-based one on the WM platform.

**Rishad** · 12-30-06, 06:34 PM

I have to ask, what is the purpose of the personal profile?

6.1.1 QVGA is running opera mini nicely on my PPC. I wish it could run the jar files directly from storage card instead of installing them to main memory.

12-30-06, 06:47 PM

Cool deal. Thanks for the heads up.

Menneisyys · 12-30-06, 07:09 PM

Originally Posted by akheron

I have to ask, what is the purpose of the personal profile?

To run full Java apps - not midlets. If you only run midlets, you won't need it.

Originally Posted by akheron

6.1.1 QVGA is running opera mini nicely on my PPC. I wish it could run the jar files directly from storage card instead of installing them to main memory.

Unfortunately, by default, IBM J9 uses the main storage to deploy its stuff. There may be a tweak to avoid this, though - I haven't tried to hack it so far.

**Rishad** · 12-30-06, 07:39 PM

Thanks. Would it be possible for you to just upload the PPC version (without the desktop part) of "CDC1.1 Foundation1.1 PersonalProfile1.1 WM5 ARM"?

Menneisyys · 12-31-06, 05:16 AM

Originally Posted by akheron

Thanks. Would it be possible for you to just upload the PPC version (without the desktop part) of "CDC1.1 Foundation1.1 PersonalProfile1.1 WM5 ARM"?

Sorry, not really - I don't want to breach the IBM license agreement.

**Rishad** · 12-31-06, 08:11 AM

ah ok. I'll just install it on my PC and extract the PPC version then.

cravaus · 01-02-07, 03:43 PM

I did not notice your new review until after I posted a question on your last review of J9 here http://www.aximsite.com/boards/showt...56#post1269456. The issue is that I do not see emulator.exe in the bin folder. The example runs. I am not sure what I am missing. Is emulator called something else in this version? It matters to me because, I really do not know what I am doing, and all instructions for starting my application refer to emulator. I also want to set up my registry and I do not know what to put for the emulator path. Help would be appreciated here. Thanks.

**Rishad** · 01-02-07, 05:40 PM

The zipped file where emulator.exe is (under bin) is "weme-wm50-arm-midp20_6.1.1.20061110-161633". Make sure you you extract from the right zipped file.

cravaus · 01-02-07, 05:51 PM

I have been trying to load the Personal Profile rather than the Midlet version. I have. What I have in my extracted bin folder within weme-wm50-arm-ppro11_6.1.1.20061110-161633 file that I downloaded from IBM is the following:

\Exe\
\Include\
\Lib\
j9.exe
j9dbgserv.exe
j9w.exe
jar2jxe.exe
iveppro11.dll
j9dbg23.dll
j9fdm23.dll
j9gcchk23.dll
j9jar2jxe23.dll
j9jit23.dll
j9jitd23.dll
j9jpi23.dll
j9prf23.dll
j9rdbi23.dll
j9vmall23.dll
j9vrb23.dll
jclfoun11_23.dll
jnichk.dll
slprof.dll
java.properties

I am sure that this is probably sufficient, in that the demo works, but no emulator.exe is found in that menu. Also, emulator.exe is not listed in the documentation. That may be a typo but it is also not found in my bin folder. So, what now? I will try the midlet version but I think I will need the personal profile because I am trying to run a stand alone program. We will see.

**Rishad** · 01-02-07, 06:06 PM

Oh ok. I found the emulator.exe in the midlet version. Not sure if theres an emulator.exe in personal profile.

cravaus · 01-02-07, 07:06 PM

That's right it is not in the Personal Profile but it is in the Midlet version. All is well.

01-04-07, 03:11 AM

I just installed the new J9 over the old one. Now gmail and OperaMini works beautifully. Thanks for the update. Wish they have a separate download for the VM only though.

Menneisyys · 01-09-07, 11:08 AM

Originally Posted by akheron

Oh ok. I found the emulator.exe in the midlet version. Not sure if theres an emulator.exe in personal profile.

There isn't - they're completely different, with vastly different class libraries and such.

martinm1000 · 01-09-07, 01:49 PM

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