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Installation under Windows

Starting with version 1.2.0, there is an installer available for Jabotics on Windows. The setup optionally includes the leJOS libraries for the support of Lego NXT or EV3 robots. You need administrator privileges for some of the following installation steps. The use of the installer requires a standard installation of BlueJ (version 4.1 or newer) including a Java Development Kit. Alternatively a zip file is being provided for a manual installation with a deviating configuration.

Using the installer

  1. Installing BlueJ together with a Java Development Kit: The BlueJ homepage offers an MSI installer for Windows with an integrated JDK. The setup can be started by a double click on the downloaded file (BlueJ-windows-412.msi or something similar, depending on the current version number). The installation tool will propose the installation path C:\Program Files (x86)\BlueJ (or C:\Program Files\BlueJ on 32-bit systems). Do not change this path. After executing the installer, it should be possible to start BlueJ.

  2. Preparing the installation of the leJOS libraries (optional): You only have to install the leJOS libraries, if you really intend to work with Lego robots. The installation is not a prerequisite for starting the robot simulation. Also, you can decide to install only one of the leJOS libraries (either for NXT or EV3 robots). These are the necessary steps:

    • If you intend to work with NXT robots, you have to install the corresponding Fantom driver, which (currently) can be download from this Lego page. The downloaded file (NXT Fantom Drivers v120.zip or similar) has to be unpacked, and the included Windows setup has to be started.

    • For EV3 robots, it is recommended to activate the RNDIS network adapter in the Windows Device Manager to be able to connect to the robot using a USB connection.

  3. Installing Jabotics: Get the current installer for Windows (like Jabotics-1.2.0-Setup.exe) from the download page. After starting the setup, the NXT and EV3 integrations can be selected for installation. Jabotics will be installed in the same folder as BlueJ, that is in C:\Program Files (x86) (or C:\Program Files on a 32-bit system). The installer will perform all completions in the BlueJ directories that are necessary for the Jabotics integration. When updating Jabotics at a later point in time, Jabotics should first be uninstalled via the Windows Control Panel before installing the new release.

  4. Customizing BlueJ: To integrate the Jabotics API documentation into BlueJ's help menu, the configuration file C:\Program Files (x86)\BlueJ\lib\bluej.defs has to be supplemented accordingly. Here we will simply replace the file with a sample configuration supplied by Jabotics. Before replacing the file, rename it to bluej.defs.original. In this way it can be restored later if desired. Then copy the file C:\Program Files (x86)\Jabotics\lib\bluej.defs.en to the directory C:\Program Files (x86)\BlueJ\lib and rename the copy to bluej.defs .

Jabotics should be fully functional by now. Otherwise go to the BlueJ customization page to check your installation.

Manual installation

If you have to change some of the default paths used in the following description, you might have to make use of environment variables to get the Jabotics integration up and running.

  1. Installing BlueJ together with a Java Development Kit: See the description above.

  2. Installing the leJOS libraries (optional): You only have to install the leJOS libraries, if you really intend to work with Lego robots. The installation is not a prerequisite for starting the robot simulation. Also, you can decide to install only one of the leJOS libraries (either for NXT or EV3 robots). These are the necessary steps:

    • If you intend to work with NXT robots, you have to install the corresponding Fantom driver, which (currently) can be download from this Lego page. The downloaded file (NXT Fantom Drivers v120.zip or similar) has to be unpacked, and the included Windows setup has to be started.

    • For EV3 robots, it is recommended to activate the RNDIS network adapter in the Windows Device Manager to be able to connect to the robot using a USB connection.

    • The current installers for the NXT and/or EV3 libraries (like leJOS_NXJ_0.9.1beta-3_win32_setup.exe and leJOS_EV3_0.9.1-beta_win32_setup.exe) have to be downloaded and started. These files are available via the leJOS homepage. The leJOS libraries should be installed on 64-bit systems in the directories C:\Program Files (x86)\leJOS NXJ and C:\Program Files (x86)\leJOS EV3 (on 32-bit systems accordingly). If you are asked to specify a JDK version, you should select the path C:\Program Files (x86)\BlueJ\jdk containing the JDK that has been installed with BlueJ.

  3. Installing Jabotics: Get the current archive file for Windows (like jabotics-win-1.2.0.zip) from the download page. Unpack the archive in C:\Program Files (x86) (or C:\Program Files on a 32-bit system). Additionally, some files have to be coppied (here for a 64-bit system; adjust the directories on 32-bit systems accordingly):

    • Copy all files from C:\Program Files (x86)\Jabotics\templates\en to the directory C:\Program Files (x86)\BlueJ\lib\english\templates\newclass.

    • Optionally copy all files from C:\Program Files (x86)\Jabotics\templates\de to the directory C:\Program Files (x86)\BlueJ\lib\german\templates\newclass.

    • Copy the file C:\Program Files (x86)\Jabotics\lib\jabotics-sim.jar to the directory C:\Program Files (x86)\BlueJ\lib\userlib.

    • Copy the file C:\Program Files (x86)\Jabotics\lib\jabotics-tools.jar to the directory C:\Program Files (x86)\BlueJ\lib\extensions.

    • If you have installed the NXT libraries, change to the directory C:\Program Files (x86)\leJOS NXJ\lib and create a new folder userlib. Copy the file C:\Program Files (x86)\Jabotics\lib\jabotics-nxt.jar to the newly created directory C:\Program Files (x86)\leJOS NXJ\lib\userlib.

    • If you have installed the EV3 libraries, change to the directory C:\Program Files (x86)\leJOS EV3\lib and create a new folder userlib. Copy the files C:\Program Files (x86)\Jabotics\lib\jabotics-ev3.jar and C:\Program Files (x86)\Jabotics\lib\manifest-ev3 to the newly created directory C:\Program Files (x86)\leJOS EV3\lib\userlib.

    In general all these files have to be replaced when updating to a new version of Jabotics at a later point in time.

  4. Customizing BlueJ: See the description above.

When using the default locations, Jabotics should be fully functional by now. Otherwise go to the BlueJ customization page to check your installation.

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