Entry

How do you check if the Java 1.3 plugin is installed in IE?

Nov 5th, 2001 09:48
Ravi Krishna Golagani, Herb Savage,

Try following java script, it works on new browsers (NS 4+, IE5+). For 
IE you have to enable 'ActiveX objects creation' in security options.


var agt=navigator.userAgent.toLowerCase();
var is_major = parseInt(navigator.appVersion);


var is_nav = ((agt.indexOf('mozilla')!=-1) && (agt.indexOf('spoofer')==-
1)
&& (agt.indexOf('compatible') == -1) && (agt.indexOf('opera')==-1)
&& (agt.indexOf('webtv')==-1) && (agt.indexOf('hotjava')==-1));
var is_nav4up = (is_nav && (is_major >= 4)); 

var is_ie = ((agt.indexOf("msie") != -1) && (agt.indexOf("opera") == -
1)); 
var is_ie5 = (is_ie && (is_major == 4) && (agt.indexOf("msie 5.0")!=-
1) );
var is_ie5_5 = (is_ie && (is_major == 4) && (agt.indexOf("msie 5.5") !=-
1));
var is_ie6 = (is_ie && (is_major == 4) && (agt.indexOf("msie 6.0") !=-
1));
var is_ie5up = (is_ie && (is_major == 4) 
&& ( (agt.indexOf("msie 5.0")!=-1) 
|| (agt.indexOf("msie 5.5")!=-1) 
|| (agt.indexOf("msie 6.0")!=-1) ) );

var pluginDetected = false;
var activeXDisabled = false;

// we can check for plugin existence only when browser is 'is_ie5up' 
or 'is_nav4up'
if(is_nav4up) {
// Refresh 'navigator.plugins' to get newly installed plugins.
// Use 'navigator.plugins.refresh(false)' to refresh plugins 
// without refreshing open documents (browser windows)
if(navigator.plugins) { 
navigator.plugins.refresh(false);
}

// check for Java plugin in installed plugins
if(navigator.mimeTypes) {
for (i=0; i < navigator.mimeTypes.length; i++) {
if( (navigator.mimeTypes[ i].type != null)
&& (navigator.mimeTypes[ i].type.indexOf(
"application/x-java-applet;jpi-version=1.3") != -1) ) {
pluginDetected = true; 
break;
}

}
}
} else if (is_ie5up) {
var javaVersion;
var shell;
try {
// Create WSH(WindowsScriptHost) shell, available on Windows only
shell = new ActiveXObject("WScript.Shell");

if (shell != null) {
// Read JRE version from Window Registry
try {
javaVersion = shell.regRead
("HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\\Software\\JavaSoft\\Java Runtime 
Environment\\CurrentVersion");
} catch(e) {
// handle exceptions raised by 'shell.regRead(...)' here
// so that the outer try-catch block would receive only
// exceptions raised by 'shell = new ActiveXObject(...)'
}
} 
} catch(e) {
// Creating ActiveX controls thru script is disabled 
// in InternetExplorer security options 

// To enable it: 
// a. Go to the 'Tools --> Internet Options' menu
// b. Select the 'Security' tab
// c. Select zone (Internet/Intranet)
// d. Click the 'Custom Level..' button which will display the
// 'Security Settings' window.
// e. Enable the option 'Initialize and script ActiveX controls
// not marked as safe'

activeXDisabled = true;
} 

// Check whether we got required (1.3+) Java Plugin
if ( (javaVersion != null) && (javaVersion.indexOf("1.3") != -1) ) {
pluginDetected = true;
}
}


if (pluginDetected) {
// show applet page
} else if (confirm("Java Plugin 1.3+ not found, Do you want to download 
it?")) {
// show install page
} else {
// show error page
}