Java 7 doesn't work in Opera - workaround

  • 14 January 2013
  • 2 replies
  • 32 views

Userlevel 7
Hello all,
 
I know that Java is not so beloved solution due to dozens of security vulnerabilities, everybody noticed the latest exploit in Java 7 update 10 that BTW was already patched and update 11 is available for download at http://www.java.com/en/download/index.jsp However there are some cases where Java is a must like online banking etc. Therefore I decided to share the workaround for not working Java in Opera I had experienced recently.
 
I was having problems with Java in Opera. While Java worked fine in IE9 it didn't work in Opera at all. However  in IE9 Java is handled using Active X what is quite different than plugins. Today thanks to Remco from Opera with who I have been chatting via Opera IRC channel I was able to resolve my issue. Opera uses Java plugin that was primarily made for Firefox (Next Generation Java Plug-in 10.11.2 for Mozilla browsers).
 
We discovered that the problem was that because I don't have installed Firefox, Java during installation thinks that plugins are not needed and thus doesn't say to environment the path to plugins. Therefore Opera can't see Java plugin directory. We have to do that manually.
 
So you have to go to opera:config#UserPrefs|PluginPath and add path to Java plugin directory, in my case it is C:Program FilesJavajre7inplugin2 Don't forget to save changes.
 
After that Java will work in Opera flawlessly.
 
Hope to have helped a bit.
 
Thanks & regards,
pegas

2 replies

Userlevel 7
This information will undoubtedly help some people. Thanks for sharing!
Userlevel 7
Thanks Jim and your post reminded me to update my thread with the following information.
 
Oracle knows about this bug and it should be addressed in the upcoming update 13.
 
Please read http://bugs.sun.com/bugdatabase/view_bug.do?bug_id=8005410 
 
However, it's not clear whether the upcoming fix referred to in the link will ever solve the Opera issue, namely the curious dependence of Opera on FireFox for the correct path to java plug-in. Anyhow, adding the path manually, as I have described, should correct Java in Opera for good.

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