Re: Reading xls(x)-files into Octave

[Philip Nienhuis]

Martin Helm wrote:
> Am Donnerstag, 26. Mai 2011, 23:28:28 schrieb Philip Nienhuis:
>
>  > But if you insist in going the hard way (no joking, I've done it myself
>
>  > several times), before attempting to install the Java pkg, be sure to
>
>  >
>
>  > 1. Have a Java JDK installed (a JRE is OK for working with a pre-compiled
>
>  > Java package, but insufficient for compiling it);
>
>  >
>
>  > 2. Let Octave know where to find the JDK, e.g.:
>
>  >
>
>  > Octave > setenv ("JAVA_HOME", "C:/Java/jdk1.6.0_20")
>
>  > ## (use FORWARD slashes, also on Windows)
>
>  >
>
> I was a bit short on words then I answered to the original post due to a
> lack of time. Sorry for that, usually I try to go more into detail.

Yep, that's why I jumped in.... :-)

> I am afraid even the two points above will not be enough (but are of
> course needed). Last time I tried on a windows machine I had to tweak
> something manually to succeed (I just forgot what, my main operating
> system is linux).

??

In a "plain vanilla" Octave installation the two points I mentioned 
(i.e., JDK presence & setenv() call) should really suffice.

But... the Java package's installation messages are not always helpful 
when problems occur.
E.g., on one of my own Windows boxes I could never get it installed (the 
only relevant "informative" message being: "Java support not compiled"), 
while installing the same package version went flawlessly on many other 
Windows & Linux boxes, even with the same Octave & Java versions.
Only after I had completely reinstalled (that is, uninstalled and 
updated) the Java JDK itself I could get past this problem.
I could never pinpoint the exact cause; but obviously registry 
corruption, hard disk read errors and/or fubarred Java dev tool files 
come to mind.

Nevertheless, having tried on my own boxes and in heavily regulated 
corporate IT settings as well, I can only say that the two prerequisites 
I mentioned always proved sufficient to get the Java pkg installed in 
Octave, at least on healthy systems.

Philip