mac-java-launcher

Launcher for bundled java applications on Mac OS

Usage is simple:

$ git clone https://github.com/wonder-mice/mac-java-launcher.git mac-java-launcher.git
$ cd mac-java-launcher.git
$ ./use --apply "/Applications/IntelliJ IDEA 12 CE.app" --java-version "1.6+" 

This command will:

1. Backup original Info.plist to Info.plist.original

2. Copy launcher script to AppBundle.app/Contents/MacOS/mac-java-launcher

3. Remove "Java" (or "JVMOptions") section from Info.plist

4. Set "CFBundleExecutable" in Info.plist to mac-java-launcher

5. Set "JVMVersion" in Info.plist.original to 1.6+

Also, it is easy to restore original launcher:

$ ./use --undo "/Applications/IntelliJ IDEA 12 CE.app" --java-version "1.6*"

This command will revert previous one. "--java-version" is optional in both cases, however "--undo" doesn't revert java version change by itself.

Changing Only the JDK Version

Many newer .app bundles do not require the launcher script to work, such as IntelliJ IDEA 13.x. However, these applications may still require an earlier version of Java to be installed (e.g., JDK 1.6).

In such cases, the Info.plist needs to have its JVMVersion updated. IntelliJ IDEA 13.x has a value of 1.6*, which requires a release of JDK 1.6 to be installed. However, changing it to 1.6+ allows it to work with JDK 1.6 and newer.

$ ./use --java-version "1.6+" "/Applications/IntelliJ IDEA 13.app"

This command will:

1. Change the JVMVersion to 1.6+ from the default 1.6* and allow IntelliJ IDEA 13 to work JDK 1.6, JDK 1.7, or JDK 1.8.

About

Mac OS launcher for bundled java applications requires JDK 1.6 to be installed. And even if application itself requires only JDK 1.7 you will still need to install JDK 1.6 -- just to satisfy the application launcher. You can see this issue, for example, with IntelliJ IDEA or yEd after changing "JVMVersion" in Info.plist to 1.6+ (not the case for newer releases of IDEA).

If you would like to require a specific JDK release, such as JDK 1.7, then you can change the value to 1.7*. If you would like to allow for any release after a specific release, such as JDK 1.7, then you can specify the value with a +--like 1.7+--to allow any JDK to be used starting with that relase and up (e.g., JDK 1.8 would also work).

mac-java-launcher replaces the default launcher shipped with the application and mac-java-launcher requires no JDK by itself (it will replace launcher only for single application specified in command line argument). After that, only the JDK version actually required by application must be installed.

mac-java-launcher uses the "Java" section from Info.plist.original when launching application. If you want, for example, change "JVMVersion" from 1.6* to 1.6+ you can do it in Info.plist.original. Also, that can be done with "--java-version" option.