Installing Java applications on a native platform is still too difficult: each platform Java runs on has its own peculiar configuration and integration requirements. Platform-specific Java installers provide a user experience that make Java applications a natural part of an OS's software ecosystem.

A new Java-specific installation tool is Caphyon Ltd. Advanced Installer. Advanced installer enables developers to easily build native launchers, installers, patches and on-line updates for Java applications, integrating them fully into the operating system and making them look and feel just like native applications. Advanced Installer currently targets the Windows and OS X platforms.

Advanced Installer ensures that a Java application appears just like a regular, Windows native program: with its own process name, icon, version, splash screen, digital signature, shortcuts, file associations and so on. It also ensures the smallest possible footprint by producing zero-overhead install packages which contain only native Windows Installer data with no additional runtime requirements. Together with strong LZMA compression and Pack200 packing this results in tiny installers.

On Windows, Advanced Installer creates Windows Installer (MSI) packages for Java applications, enabling them to take advantage of all MSI's standard features: detailed Add/Remove Programs entry, Repair and Modify options, on line installs, Group Policy deployment, Patch generation and many more. A required Java Runtime Environment can be bundled or downloaded and installed on demand. Additional applications and components are supported as prerequisites, merge modules, or through repackaging and importing.

Starting with the 6.0 version you can import third party MSI packages into your own Advanced Installer Projects for further editing and customization. Updating XML files is now fully supported: Insert, replace or remove elements and attributes. Register your application in XML driven frameworks, patch XML configuration files and update XML formatted information.

Additional features in the latest version include:

• Faster builds by caching and reusing unmodified archives
• Importing COM+ installation MSIs into existing Advanced Installer projects
• Support for Driver Install Frameworks for Applications (DIFxApp) version 2.1
• Storing encrypted digital signature password in project (only for PFX certificates)
• Support for Unicode SQL Scripts (UTF8 with BOM, UTF16 little or big endian)

How do you manage installation and upgrade issues for your Java applications?