BUG: VRML 2.0 Add-On Causes Problems With Classpath (193876)

SYMPTOMS

IMPORTANT: This article contains information about modifying the registry. Before you modify the registry, make sure to back it up and make sure that you understand how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For information about how to back up, restore, and edit the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

256986 Description of the Microsoft Windows Registry

After installing the VRML 2.0 add-on for Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0, Java applications and tools that require the use of the registry to look up the classpath may not work correctly.

Many of the tools that are included with Microsoft Visual J++ 1.0 and 1.1, and Microsoft SDK for Java versions prior to 3.0 use the previously mentioned registry key to find system classes in Classes.zip. Note that newer tools such as those included in SDK for Java 3.0 use the package manager to resolve system classes.

CAUSE

When the VRML viewer is installed on the machine, the install edits the following registry key (appending the %windir%\java\classes\msvrml.zip to the end of the classpath) and incorrectly inserts invalid character(s):

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Java VM]Classpath

RESOLUTION

A possible workaround for the problem is to manually edit the registry key using the Registry Editor.

WARNING: If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk. For information about how to edit the registry, view the "Changing Keys And Values" Help topic in Registry Editor (Regedit.exe) or the "Add and Delete Information in the Registry" and "Edit Registry Data" Help topics in Regedt32.exe. Note that you should back up the registry before you edit it. If you are running Windows NT, you should also update your Emergency Repair Disk (ERD).

It is possible to strip invalid characters in the classpath stored in the registry by exporting the classpath registry key to a .reg file, and then importing it again, as in the following steps:

Step-by-Step Procedure

Start Registry Editor, and navigate to the following path:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Java VM
In the right pane of the Registry Editor window, you should see a Classpath string value. Click the Java VM key in the left pane to make sure that it is selected. Click Export Registry File on the Registry menu, and then save the key to a file.

The .reg file that is created does not contain the invalid characters.
After the registry key is exported to a file, click Import Registry File on the Registry menu and re-import the key that was just exported. Close Registry Editor.

REFERENCES

For more information about the SDK for Java 3.2 and the Java package manager, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://www.microsoft.com/mscorp/java

For the latest Knowledge Base articles and other support information on Visual J++ and the SDK for Java, see the following pages on the Microsoft Technical Support site:

http://www.microsoft.com/mscorp/java/