Installing SICS Java Clients on PC's

Some of the newer SICS clients are written in Java. Java is a platform independent system. This means the SICS client applications can be run as native PC applications as well. Both at home and at SINQ. In order to do this three things are required:

A Java Runtime system.
The SICS application.
The above two need to be married.

Installing SICS Java Clients on IBM compatible PC's

A prerequisite for the installation of the software is either the Windows 95 or Windows NT operating system. Pure DOS or Windows 3.* systems won't do.

Installing the java runtime on your computer is easy: On the laboratory Windows NT server, lns00, there exists a share called lnslib. Below lnslib there is a directory called java. In this directory there is a executable file called jdk115-win32. Simply double clicking that one will invoke an installer which installs java on your PC's harddisk. Answer questions as required and soon you will be done.

In the same directory: lns00//lnslib/java, the SICS client application files can be found as well. Currently available are:

sicsclient.jar or zip for the SICS Command Line Client
powderstatus.jar or zip for the powder diffractometer status display (DMC and HRPT).
sansstatus.jar or zip for the SANS status display.

Copy those files wherever you like on your harddisk. But remember where you put them. You may even consider to use the ones stored at lns00.

Now the java run time and the SICS application need to be married. This is done via batch files. Template batch files to be configured by you are stored at lns00//lnslib/java. Currently available are:

sics.bat for the Sics Command Line Client
powderstatus.bat for the Powder Diffractometer Status Display
sansstatus.bat for the SANS Status Display

Copy the required batch files to a place somewhere on your path. Copying alone does not do the job, the batch files need to be configured. Edit the batch file with notepad. Make the variable jheim point to the directory where you installed the java run time kit. Set the variable sheim to the directory to which you copied the SICS application jar file.

Then you should be done. You may start the application by invoking the batch file from the command line. You may also create a shortcut on your desktop to the batch file using standard windows procedures. If you start the application from the desktop you also get a DOS window each time. If you dislike this go into Properties/shortcut of the shortcut on the desktop and configure the textfield labelled Run to Minimized.