Ubuntu
openjdk-7 package

Default Java bin symlink points to specific version instead of default-java

Asked by Matt McCann

I am using Ubuntu 12.04. As per default, I had openjdk-6-jre installed. After installing openjdk-7-jre via Synaptic, I realized none of the symlinks updated to the new version (which in my humble opinion should happen automatically to improve usability for non-technical users, especially considering the different version are backwards compatible).

When going to manually update the symlinks, I discovered that /usr/bin/java points to /usr/lib/jvm/java-6-openjdk-amd64/jre/bin/java. It would seem to me that it would make more sense for it to point at /usr/lib/jvm/default-java/jre/bin/java instead.

I'm posting this as a question because this seems like such an obvious bug that there must be some logic behind the /usr/bin/java link not utilizing the version symlink structure in the /usr/lib/jvm folder. Please enlighten me regarding the logic.

Thanks!

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Matt McCann (mccann-matt) said : 		#1

I need to clarify something I missed about the symlink structure (thanks to Python being so useful and tracing symlinks for me). The actual structure is:

/usr/bin/java -> /etc/alternatives/java -> /usr/lib/jvm/java-6-openjdk-amd64/jre/bin/java

All this changes is the /etc/alternatives/java symlink is suspect now rather than /usr/bin/java symlink.

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actionparsnip (andrew-woodhead666) said : 		#2

I suggest you report a bug. If you have Oracle Java, why would it need to point to openjdk at all? Why not point it to the Oracle Java. There is a PPA for Oracle Java makes all Java point to itself (handy)

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