Incredibly simple problem: If I use mxj, Max crashes

JavaProgrammer's icon

Hi. I'm an experienced Java programmer who is looking at using Java with Max.

First problem: If I try to put an mxj object in my Max patcher, Max crashes. Properly. All max windows disappear, Max is no longer running. Same thing happens if I try "mxj quickie firsttime", same thing happens if I try to open one of the java examples, the .pat files in "C:Program FilesCycling '74MaxMSP 4.5java-docmxj~ examples"

I was guessing that Max wasn't finding Java. But looking through the menus and documentation, I cannot find a FAQ question or similar pointing me in the right direction.

I presume that I've overlooked something incredibly stupid. I've searched online, but have not found anyone with a similar problem. So, why can't I get anything to work? Anything at all?

JavaProgrammer's icon

If I move to another computer with Max 4.6, mxj works properly. At least, [mxj quickie firsttime] doesn't crash and brings up an editing window.

The two machines share the same networked java installation. It's unlikely that the 4.6 machine has had any special java setup. I seem, in one case at least, to be able to make things work. So I presume it's an incompatibility between Max 4.5 and the java we have installed. Is this a known issue?

topher lafata's icon

What os are you using?
/* FROM SIDEKICK LX*/

JavaProgrammer's icon

These are Windows XP machines.

topher lafata's icon

I do know that on windows that max uses the registry to bootstrap the
active vm for the machine. This all happens in C. So perhaps the problem
is with the shared java install. The machine might not be finding the
vm. I can't provide much more detail than this as I haven't seen that
code in a while.
Ciao
t

JavaProgrammer wrote:
> These are Windows XP machines.
>
>

Adam Murray's icon

I'd try reinstalling Java and rebooting.

JavaProgrammer's icon

Reboot, I can do. Reinstall Java, I can't. It's a laboratory machine not managed by me.

In the end, I went and used the machine in our electronics lab that works.

From what I've done so far, only a few hours, I think the mxj API is very well designed. Everything seemed sufficiently flexible and intuitively designed. Having to retype the name of the class to get it to reload is a bit odd though.

Are there any tutorials for MaxSystem and similar classes for controlling Max from Java?