Instant JChem Installation and Upgrade

Instant JChem download

Installation

Instant JChem can now be installed in three different ways:

1. Traditional installer

Download the Instant JChem installer to install a new version of Instant JChem. If you are using this approach then uninstall any previously installed versions first.
Download Instant JChem

Since IJC 2.4 administrator mode is needed to install IJC on Windows, so as to be able to register the OLE server and to avoid re-installation problems on Vista.

Once you have installed don't forget to load any updates that might be available (Tools -> Plugins).

2. Java Web Start

Since version 2.2 Instant JChem can be launched using Java Web Start (JWS). This allows you to load it directly from a web-page rather than needing to install it first. The Java Web Start version should be fine for most users, but it is slightly less flexible, for instance should you wish to install your own or a third party's extension. For more information about the Java Web Start look here or you can launch it right now:
Instant JChem Java Web Start

3. Autoupdate

Autoupdate allows you to pick up the latest updates for Instant JChem without needing to re-install. Autoupdate only applies to the installer based versions of IJC, not the Java Web Start versions which are updated automatically. You access it by using Tools -> Plugins. Documentation on using autoupdate can be found here .

Important note for Windows Vista users

When running autoupdate, you must run IJC as an administrator to avoid problems when installing later versions.

About upgrading

When upgrading Instant JChem by any mechanism it is possible that significant changes to the JChem version and/or the organization your project information will occur. We try to make sure that these upgrades work transparently and smoothly, but if any of your projects contain important information that cannot be easily regenerated we do recommend that you backup your data prior to updating. To do this do one (or all!) of the following:

  • Export your data to a file (e.g. SD file)

  • Take a copy of the complete project. Use the file manager (e.g. Windows Explorer) to copy (or create a zip archive) of the complete directory containing your project(s). Note: this will only back up data in local databases.

  • If you are using a MySQL or Oracle database you should ensure that you have a database backup before you update. Backing up the IJC project directory will not backup the data in these databases.

Installation problems?

If you are having problems installing or running IJC then these notes might help

Userdir

IJC saves various settings and all updates it gets from the Update Center in a "userdir" which is usually found in:

  • Windows - c:\Users\<username>\AppData\Roaming\.instantjchem\<version number>

  • Mac OS X - $HOME/Library/Application Support/instantjchem/<version number>

  • Linux - $HOME/.instantjchem/<version number>

In case of Java Web Start installation, the <version number> changes to ws_<version number>

The exact location can be found in the Help -> About Instant JChem. If you are having problems installing or running IJC then make sure no IJC instance is running and try renaming this directory and start IJC again. This will create the userdir cleanly again. You will lose your current settings and will need to re-open your projects in case of update, but you will not lose any data.

One possible scenario that could need this action is if you have downloaded some updates from the Update Center, but that these updates have become corrupted for some unknown reason. In this case you must delete your userdir to clear out these files.

Windows Vista

Windows Vista has peculiar security settings that are know to cause problems with many different software. The Windows IJC installer must be run with administrator settings to avoid these problems and to be able to register the OLE server. If you do not have administrator privileges then you will not be able to install. See here for more information about installation issues on Vista.