How to avoid Oracle's JAVA

[dufeu]

Recently, dev-java/oracle-jdk-bin-1.8.0.X and dev-java/oracle-jre-bin-1.8.0.X were marked stable. That makes Oracle's Java the only level of Java 1.8 which is also marked stable for virtual/jre-1.7.0(stable), virtual/jre-1.8.0(unstable), virtual/jre-1.7.0(stable) and virtual/jre-1.8.0(unstable). You may want to read Gentoo Bugzilla #506162 comment #2. What this means is that portage will want to 'upgrade' you from IcedTea's (OpenJDK) equvalent of Java 1.7 to Oracle's Java 1.8 regardless of whether you run stable or unstable.

There are arguments for and against holding up marking these as stable in order to wait until the equivalent versions of Icedtea-bin are ready. I have no interest in partipating in those discussions and frankly consider them to be wasteful of time since the solution is so easy if you, like me, prefer to not have Oracle's Java loaded onto your systems.

• Step 1) - We need to know what the actual minimum version of virtual/jdk and virtual/jre we really need. The reason for this is to determine which level of Java 1.X we need to have installed. To do this, we run 'equery'. 'equery' is a portage tool included in 'app-portage/gentoolkit'. If you have not already install 'gentoolkit', then execute:

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  emerge app-portage/gentoolkit

  Now execute:

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  equery d virtual/jre
   * These packages depend on virtual/jre:
  app-eselect/eselect-java-0.1.0 (>=virtual/jre-1.5)
  app-office/libreoffice-4.4.2.2 (java ? >=virtual/jre-1.6)
  dev-java/jgoodies-looks-1.2.2-r2 (>=virtual/jre-1.5)
  dev-java/swt-3.7.2-r1 (>=virtual/jre-1.4)
  dev-lang/R-3.1.2 (java ? >=virtual/jre-1.5)
  dev-libs/protobuf-2.6.1-r3 (java ? >=virtual/jre-1.5)
  dev-vcs/subversion-1.8.13 (java ? >=virtual/jre-1.5)
  games-board/domination-1.1.1.5 (>=virtual/jre-1.5)
  kde-base/poxml-4.14.3 (extras ? >=virtual/jre-1.5)
  media-gfx/aoi-2.7.2 (>=virtual/jre-1.5)
  media-gfx/opcion-1.1.1-r2 (>=virtual/jre-1.4)
  media-libs/libbluray-0.7.0 (java ? >=virtual/jre-1.6)
  media-libs/libcaca-0.99_beta19 (java ? >=virtual/jre-1.5)
  media-libs/libjpeg-turbo-1.4.0 (java ? >=virtual/jre-1.5)
  media-libs/opencv-2.4.10 (java ? >=virtual/jre-1.6)
  media-video/bdsup2sub-4.0.0-r1 (>=virtual/jre-1.6)
  net-dns/libidn-1.30 (java ? >=virtual/jre-1.5)
  net-print/cups-2.0.2-r1 (java ? >=virtual/jre-1.6)
  sys-devel/gettext-0.19.4 (java ? >=virtual/jre-1.4)
  sys-libs/db-5.3.28-r2 (java ? >=virtual/jre-1.5)
  sys-libs/db-6.0.30-r1 (java ? >=virtual/jre-1.5)

  and also execute:

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  equery d virtual/jdk
   * These packages depend on virtual/jdk:
  app-office/libreoffice-4.4.2.2 (java ? >=virtual/jdk-1.6)
  dev-java/ant-core-1.9.2 (>=virtual/jdk-1.5)
  dev-java/ant-owanttask-1.3.2 (>=virtual/jdk-1.4)
  dev-java/asm-2.0-r1 (>=virtual/jdk-1.3)
  dev-java/bcel-6.0_rc3 (>=virtual/jdk-1.5)
  dev-java/gnu-regexp-1.1.4-r2 (>=virtual/jdk-1.4)
  dev-java/jarjar-0.9 (>=virtual/jdk-1.4)
  dev-java/java-getopt-1.0.14 (>=virtual/jdk-1.4)
  dev-java/javacup-0.11a_beta20060608 (>=virtual/jdk-1.4)
  dev-java/jgoodies-looks-1.2.2-r2 (>=virtual/jdk-1.5)
  dev-java/junit-3.8.2-r1 (>=virtual/jdk-1.4)
  dev-java/relaxng-datatype-1.0-r1 (>=virtual/jdk-1.4)
  dev-java/saxpath-1.0-r2 (>=virtual/jdk-1.4)
  dev-java/swt-3.7.2-r1 (>=virtual/jdk-1.4)
  dev-java/xalan-2.7.1 (>=virtual/jdk-1.4)
  dev-java/xalan-serializer-2.7.1 (>=virtual/jdk-1.4)
  dev-java/xerces-2.11.0 (>=virtual/jdk-1.4)
  dev-java/xjavac-20110814 (>=virtual/jdk-1.4)
  dev-java/xml-commons-external-1.3.04 (>=virtual/jdk-1.3)
  dev-java/xml-commons-external-1.4.01 (>=virtual/jdk-1.3)
  dev-java/xml-commons-resolver-1.2 (>=virtual/jdk-1.3)
  dev-java/xom-1.2.10 (>=virtual/jdk-1.4)
  dev-java/xpp2-2.1.10-r1 (>=virtual/jdk-1.3)
  dev-java/xpp3-1.1.4c-r1 (>=virtual/jdk-1.4)
  dev-lang/erlang-17.5 (java ? >=virtual/jdk-1.2)
  dev-libs/cyrus-sasl-2.1.26-r9 (java ? >=virtual/jdk-1.4)
  dev-libs/protobuf-2.6.1-r3 (java ? >=virtual/jdk-1.5)
  dev-util/android-sdk-update-manager-23 (>=virtual/jdk-1.5)
  dev-vcs/subversion-1.8.13 (java ? >=virtual/jdk-1.5)
  games-board/domination-1.1.1.5 (>=virtual/jdk-1.5)
  kde-base/krossjava-4.14.3 (>=virtual/jdk-1.5)
  kde-base/poxml-4.14.3 (extras ? >=virtual/jdk-1.5)
  media-gfx/graphviz-2.38.0 (java ? >=virtual/jdk-1.5)
  media-gfx/opcion-1.1.1-r2 (>=virtual/jdk-1.4)
  media-libs/libbluray-0.7.0 (java ? >=virtual/jdk-1.6)
  media-libs/libcaca-0.99_beta19 (java ? >=virtual/jdk-1.5)
  media-libs/libjpeg-turbo-1.4.0 (java ? >=virtual/jdk-1.5)
  media-libs/opencv-2.4.10 (java ? >=virtual/jdk-1.6)
  media-video/bdsup2sub-4.0.0-r1 (>=virtual/jdk-1.6)
  net-dns/libidn-1.30 (java ? >=virtual/jdk-1.5)
  sys-devel/gettext-0.19.4 (java ? >=virtual/jdk-1.4)
  sys-libs/db-5.3.28-r2 (java ? >=virtual/jdk-1.5)
  sys-libs/db-6.0.30-r1 (java ? >=virtual/jdk-1.5)

  What 'equery' is doing here is listing all the packages that are already installed on your system which might require java and what the oldest version of java is that will work.
  
  What you're looking for is the latest (highest numbered) version of virtual/jdk-jre. As you can see from this system, 1.6 Java is the oldest version of Java I can install which will work with all of my currently installed packages which list Java as a(n) (optional) dependency.
  
  When checking what level of Java you need to have installed, ignore lines like these:

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  virtual/jre-1.7.0 (=virtual/jdk-1.7.0*)
  virtual/jre-1.8.0 (=virtual/jdk-1.8.0*)

  Because how 'virtual' works, these packages are self-referential as dependencies.
• Step 2) - Once we determine what our oldest version of Java can be (which will work with all of our packages which need Java!), we're ready to inform portage that we don't want Oracle's Java to be considered.
  
  I take advantage of portage's capability to have a directory of portage package mask files. My example here reflects that. Execute the following:

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  nano -w /etc/portage/package.mask/oracle

  Add the following lines:

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  dev-java/oracle-jdk-bin
  dev-java/oracle-jre-bin
  =virtual/jdk-1.8.0
  =virtual/jre-1.8.0

  If you have only the /etc/portage/package.mask file instead of the directory, then execute the following instead of my previous example:

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  echo "dev-java/oracle-jdk-bin" >> /etc/portage/package.mask
  echo "dev-java/oracle-jre-bin" >> /etc/portage/package.mask
  echo "=virtual/jdk-1.8.0" >> /etc/portage/package.mask
  echo "=virtual/jre-1.8.0" >> /etc/portage/package.mask

  The first two lines mask all of Oracle's jdk and jre packages. For those of us running 'unstable', the second two lines block the virtual/jdk(jre) 1.8 versions which can only be sastisfied by Oracle's Java 1.8 at this time. This way, the Oracle Java packages are blocked and portage won't complain about not being able to upgrade the virtual packages until you/they are ready for the equivalent 1.8 Icedtea packages.
• Step 3) - If you're here because Oracle's Java is already installed as happened to me, we need to do a little cleanup. To get rid of any newly installed packages we don't want, execute the following:

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  emerge -C dev-java/oracle-jdk-bin =virtual/jdk-1.8.0 =virtual/jre-1.8.0

  Now perform an @world emerge to let portage re-install the latest version of Icedtea (stable or unstable) which is suitable for your system. I use this command because I like to be sure the packages are pre-downloaded first:

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  date && time emerge -fuND --with-bdeps=y --keep-going @world && time emerge -uND --with-bdeps=y --keep-going @world && date

  Be sure that the correct Java VM is selected for your environment:

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  pyrodyno ~ # java-config -L
  The following VMs are available for generation-2:
  1)      IcedTea JDK 7.2.5.3 [icedtea-bin-7]
  pyrodyno ~ # java-config -S 1
  Now using icedtea-bin-7 as your generation-2 system JVM
  pyrodyno ~ # java-config -L
  The following VMs are available for generation-2:
  *)      IcedTea JDK 7.2.5.3 [icedtea-bin-7]

All done. Now, you'll only need to keep an eye open for future messages complaining that an upgrade to IcedTea JDK 8.X has unmet depencies because 'virtual/jdk(jre)-1.8.0' is masked. You'll also need to keep alert for a possible revision to these virtuals as well since we chose to only mask version 1.8.0. Personally, I'm hoping that a revision of the 1.8.0 virtuals means that IcedTea 8.X has been unmasked. This is why I chose to mask only the specific 1.8.0 versions. Ideally, if the IcedTea upgrade and the virtual revisions come at the same time, then you won't need to do anything.

edited to clarify what was actually happening. It was Oracle's version of Java 1.8 which was marked stable.

[user118696]

Great HOWTO !

Here's a little helper. What about using this :

$ equery d virtual/jre | cut -c 2- | sort -n | tail -n 1

AND

$ equery d virtual/jdk | cut -c 2- | sort -n | tail -n 1

to get the highest version numbers directly !

Might help if someone has a lot of things depending on the JRE/JDK.

[charles17]

If you have only the /etc/portage/package.mask file instead of the directory, then execute the following instead of my previous example:

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echo "dev-java/oracle-jdk-bin" >> /etc/portage/package.mask
echo "dev-java/oracle-jre-bin" >> /etc/portage/package.mask
echo "=virtual/jdk-1.8.0" >> /etc/portage/package.mask
echo "=virtual/jre-1.8.0" >> /etc/portage/package.mask

On a stable system there s no need for masking as virtual/jre:1.8 and virtual/jdk:1.8 are unstable and will not get pulled in at all.
And for the 1.7, it's sufficient to have [bug=544308]dev-java/icedtea[/bug] ~<your arch> in package.keywords.

[dufeu]

Great HOWTO !

Here's a little helper. What about using this :

$ equery d virtual/jre | cut -c 2- | sort -n | tail -n 1

AND

$ equery d virtual/jdk | cut -c 2- | sort -n | tail -n 1

to get the highest version numbers directly !

Might help if someone has a lot of things depending on the JRE/JDK.

This is a great suggestion and I appreciate it. I won't be incorporating it in my OP as it comes under what I consider 'advanced usage'.

When I write one of these kinds of 'How-tos', I'm usually targeting people savy but not yet experienced. I therefore write taking the clearest to understand, somewhat bruteforce approach. In particular, I want my target readers to actually see what packages on their systems require which levels of Java. Most people get and understand direct dependencies. Because of the interaction of the 'virtual' packages, you can't run 'equery d java' or 'equery d icedtea-bin'. The first is meaningless and the second only points you back to the virtuals. So I considered it a Good Thing to have people see how to find all the packages depending on a virtual instead of directly on the immediate dependency.

On the other hand, your suggestion is a great follow on to more efficient advanced usage.

Thanks!

[dufeu]

On a stable system there s no need for masking as virtual/jre:1.8 and virtual/jdk:1.8 are unstable and will not get pulled in at all.
And for the 1.7, it's sufficient to have [bug=544308]dev-java/icedtea[/bug] ~<your arch> in package.keywords.

Thank you for pointing this out. I had read some earlier posts too quickly.

I adjusted the OP to reflect that it's Oracle's Java 1.8 which was marked 'stable' and not the corresponding virtual/jdk(jre) 1.8 packages. People running stable only need to mask Oracle's Java. People running unstable need to block both Oracle's Java and the 1.8 virtuals. It does no harm to also have people running stable block the 1.8 virtuals.

The steps I listed work and should be clear to the target readers without confusing them.

Again - Thanks!

[pilla]

Moved from Portage & Programming to Documentation, Tips & Tricks.

[miroR]

Thanks! This tip saved my day.

I recommended it in my quest:

Air-Gapped Gentoo Install, Tentative
https://forums.gentoo.org/viewtopic-t-9 ... ml#7741684

[miroR]

I was thinking... Lots of people, from newbies to somewhat advanced like me, would like to get to this information.

I'm somewhat experienced, but it would have taken me longer to figure this issue without this guide! I actually searched the web, without going in depth on the results (I duck for info, meaning I use DuckDuckGo.com), and after first not too long search (but I use dillo --which is safe but rudimental, features missing--, as the unsafe --surveilling-- Firefox is in bed with my enemy Google (

Really? The Surveillance Engine Terminated All My Videos
http://forums.debian.net/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=113059

), and in that first search I even made a few steps in wrong direction before I decided to seek advice/help on Gentoo Forums.

It's not obvious, and it looks like it was made not to obvious. Just accept the freaking license and all is well...

Similar to the issue of:

Libav (Avconv) Imposition on Users who want FFmpeg
https://forums.gentoo.org/viewtopic-t-989196.html

Yeah, this looks similar way of imposing things, to me. I'm not claiming it. I'm only suspecting it.

And I am hoping for lots of Gentoo users seeing through it, and figuring out they need to rid themselves of impositions and proprietary programs... So I hope Larry's own JDK goes the way the Libav went, who were very aggressive in taking over the FOSS market... Gentoo is back to FFmpeg default.

I'm preparing a program for an incomplete release:
http://www.croatiafidelis.hr/gnu/Flowstamp/
( only old stuff there though, new stuff to be on http://github.com/miroR if I make it to prepare it right so I'm speaking as a, very minor, but still a contributor )

Maybe the users needy of this tip need to know how it looks like, this imposition:

I was doing a:

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# emerge -avtuDN world

and after the list of programs there was the "urge" to go to Larry:

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The following license changes are necessary to proceed:
 (see "package.license" in the portage(5) man page for more details)
# required by virtual/jdk-1.8.0::gentoo
# required by virtual/jre-1.8.0::gentoo
# required by dev-java/log4j-1.2.17::gentoo
# required by dev-java/fec-1.0.4-r1::gentoo
# required by net-p2p/freenet-0.7.5_p1467::gentoo
# required by @selected
# required by @world (argument)
>=dev-java/oracle-jdk-bin-1.8.0.45 Oracle-BCLA-JavaSE

Autounmask changes successfully written.

Would you like to add these changes to your config files? [Yes/No] 
 * IMPORTANT: config file '/etc/portage/package.license' needs updating.
 * See the CONFIGURATION FILES section of the emerge
 * man page to learn how to update config files.

And that I didn't like, struggle in vain on my own a little, but eventually understood what I needed to do from this guide.

Thanks again!

[tmgoblin]

I ran into the problem that both Iceadtea and Oracle were installed with nsplugin. Firefox would always load the oracle plugin, and disabling or setting start to "always" or "ask first" on either plugin through the about:plugins panel effected both plusings.

Going through the masking and removing oracle is the leaner option in most situations.

I am not particularly opposed to having Oracle jdk installed, but the plugin crashed on apps I use.

Before reading this post , I added a "-nsplugin" use flag to oracle jdk and updated to the most current oracle. Firefox now loads only the desired Iceadtea plugin. Another option for someone who needs both.

[TechwoIf]

I've done the above earler this year and had no problems untill now:

!!! All ebuilds that could satisfy ">=virtual/jre-1.8" have been masked.
!!! One of the following masked packages is required to complete your request:
- virtual/jre-1.8.0::gentoo (masked by: package.mask)


(dependency required by "dev-java/xstream-1.4.8-r1::gentoo" [ebuild])
(dependency required by "dev-java/groovy-2.4.5::gentoo" [ebuild])
(dependency required by "@selected" [set])
(dependency required by "@world" [argument])
For more information, see the MASKED PACKAGES section in the emerge
man page or refer to the Gentoo Handbook.

I even did a globe -jave useflag to no avail.

Update: Figure it out when I did a equery g xstream. dev-java/xstream-1.4.8-r1 requires virtual/jre-1.8.0 (>=virtual/jre-1. M[package.mask]

[P.Kosunen]

How do i know what package is trying to pull Oracle java with world upgrade?

[szatox]

Run emerge with additional -t option. (for tree). It will show you some dependencies.
Or, you can hard mask it and try running update. Emerge will tell you where it fails.

[Syl20]

Funny, I personnally had the opposite problem : by default, portage always wants to install icedtea and virtual/j??-1.7.x, when I absolutely need java >= 1.8.
For now, sadly, the lonely jdk >= 1.8 I found in portage tree is Oracle's one.

[charles17]

For now, sadly, the lonely jdk >= 1.8 I found in portage tree is Oracle's one.

Try virtual/jdk:1.8::java from java overlay instead of from the main repository.

[Syl20]

I didn't want to add an overlay, but I'll try even though. Thank you for the tip.

[P.Kosunen]

Funny, I personnally had the opposite problem : by default, portage always wants to install icedtea and virtual/j??-1.7.x, when I absolutely need java >= 1.8.
For now, sadly, the lonely jdk >= 1.8 I found in portage tree is Oracle's one.

I think this was reason for Oracle java, adding java overlay fixed it.

[hunky]

I came looking here because I was trying to install Freecad and a dependency - VTK - fails because it can't find a java VM. It seems installing icedtea should fix that problem. But oracle-jdk-bin blocks icedtea. If I uninstall oracle, then I get a "failed to determine VM for building" error on icedtea-web. I went through the OP steps and when doing

Code: Select all

date && time emerge -fuND --with-bdeps=y --keep-going @world && time emerge -uND --with-bdeps=y --keep-going @world && date

it stops with a message about needing to unmask oracle.

If I do a

Code: Select all

java-config -L
The following VMs are available for generation-2:
*)      GCJ 4.9.3 [gcj-jdk]
2)      Sun JRE 1.6.0.45 [sun-jre-bin-1.6]

and I've tried setting either with same results.

So doesn't appear with my limited knowledge I can install icedtea without some help. cheers, JD

[charles17]

So doesn't appear with my limited knowledge I can install icedtea without some help. cheers, JD

Try from java overlay

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# emerge -avt virtual/jdk:1.8::java dev-java/icedtea:8::java

Then

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$ eselect java-vm list

[hunky]

Code: Select all

emerge -avt virtual/jdk:1.8::java dev-java/icedtea:8::java

These are the packages that would be merged, in reverse order:

Calculating dependencies... done!

emerge: there are no ebuilds to satisfy "virtual/jdk:1.8::java".

going to bed now... try again tomorrow. thanks for reply! /jd

[charles17]

Code: Select all

emerge -avt virtual/jdk:1.8::java dev-java/icedtea:8::java

These are the packages that would be merged, in reverse order:

Calculating dependencies... done!

emerge: there are no ebuilds to satisfy "virtual/jdk:1.8::java".

Create a file java.conf within /etc/portage/repos.conf

[java]
location = /usr/local/portage/java
sync-type = git
sync-uri = https://github.com/gentoo/java-overlay
auto-sync = yes
priority = -2000

then run # emaint sync -r java and try again.

[hunky]

thanks again for the help. Still no go. I am running unstable, fwiw.

Code: Select all

nano /etc/portage/repos.conf/java.conf
jamd ~ # emaint sync -r java
>>> Syncing repository 'java' into '/usr/local/portage/java'...
/usr/bin/git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/gentoo/java-overlay .
Cloning into '.'...
remote: Counting objects: 637, done.
remote: Compressing objects: 100% (588/588), done.
remote: Total 637 (delta 33), reused 294 (delta 16), pack-reused 0
Receiving objects: 100% (637/637), 428.85 KiB | 555.00 KiB/s, done.
Resolving deltas: 100% (33/33), done.
Checking connectivity... done.
=== Sync completed for java

Performing Global Updates
(Could take a couple of minutes if you have a lot of binary packages.)
  .='update pass'  *='binary update'  #='/var/db update'  @='/var/db move'
  s='/var/db SLOT move'  %='binary move'  S='binary SLOT move'
  p='update /etc/portage/package.*'
/usr/local/portage/java/profiles/updates/4Q-2011.



Action: sync for repo: java, returned code = 0


jamd ~ # emerge -avt virtual/jdk-1.8::java dev-java/icedtea:8::java
!!! 'virtual/jdk-1.8::java' is not a valid package atom.
!!! Please check ebuild(5) for full details.

[hunky]

I think all is well with my setup. Played around on a bunch of stuff so not sure what fixed it, but the OP steps were able to complete, I think. Still emerging libreoffice (takes forever) so not sure but only have about 30 more packages to go and icedtea did install fine. thx, JD

[Syl20]

Another funny thing : I decided to add the java overlay on my server... today.

[charles17]

Another funny thing : I decided to add the java overlay on my server... today.

But icedtea:8 is still only in java overlay.

[Syl20]

Indeed. I just noticed the coincidence. At the time, I didn't understand why emerge wanted to install icedtea-bin, while only icedtea is on the java overlay.