Published by Rolf on 18 Mar 2009 at 03:45 pm
Fixing Flash CS3 and Java error, on a PC
So I saw this ugly message when trying to compile a SWF from an FLA: “Error initializing Java Runtime Environment”
Flash CS3 (and CS4 I’m sure) apparently uses a Java compiler during the publish process, and perhaps other times too. Unfortunately in CS3 it looks like it is hardcoded to a certain VM version as described here. That guy’s directions apparently work on a mac, but I’m stuck on a PC, and symlinking isn’t an option there.
I had 1.6 (pretty much the latest version), so tried installing 1.5.0 (i.e., Java SE 5.0) side-by-side and renaming the folder in C:\Program Files\Java. That had no luck so I uninstalled Flash, uninstalled all JRE’s, reinstalled 1.5.0, and reinstalled Flash CS3. Still no luck. Doesn’t appear that CS3 even installs Java after all that!
Very weird.
daniel on 26 Apr 2009 at 2:17 pm #
I’m having the same problem, but it only seems to affect a certain project I’m working on. I also work with Flex so that requires JRE1.6 as a minimum…
By the way, you can get the same effect as symlinks in windows with NTFS Junction Points. Its very useful, the best tool I’ve found can be installed from the link below.
http://schinagl.priv.at/nt/hardlinkshellext/hardlinkshellext.html
ciao.
Rolf on 28 Apr 2009 at 4:59 pm #
Daniel-
Well I had a similar situation (where it only seemed to affect one Flash project) but unfortunately I never got to the bottom of it. I even went so far as to add 1GB more RAM, thinking it was a Java out-of-memory error, but it made no difference.
Eventually I upgraded to Flash CS4 on that box and the problem went away but that’s a pretty expensive workaround. I think it’s just a CS3 problem that will probably never get fixed by Adobe.
Good idea on the Junction Points; I had never taken them seriously because I thought they were a hack but interesting to hear you’ve had good luck with them.
-Rolf
Kaz on 26 May 2009 at 1:20 pm #
I had the same issue, and fixed it when offloading some of the bigger pictures in the project.
The message could’ve left me looking for an answer for weeks, but I was fortunate.