Thread: Will newest Java update mess up my delicate vintage game launch

Hi all. Though I used to be a programmer I no longer code. Someone I know in Czech Republic wrote a little strategy game that I like (though it is rudimentary and the creator never finished the concoction). Back in those days, about 15 or more years ago, the game would launch from any browser but now there are so many security measures in place and despite my very lengthy efforts to somehow conform with those measures, I am unable to launch the game that way. But wait, I found a workaround! I have JDK 1.8.0_301 and it includes the appletviewer.exe application. I put the needed files, namely the developer's "classes" folder plus a tiny HTML launcher containing the line <APPLET codebase="classes" code="papalot.class" width=1440 height=900></APPLET> into the \bin folder where appletviewer.exe itself is situated. My shortcut to the launcher specifies that very same directory to "start in" and voila, the game works okay! It's a delicate arrangement but it is what works.

I believe that newer versions of Java JDK don't include appletviewer.exe. Yesterday I got a notice that a new Java update is ready to be installed. But I am holding off for fear that my existing strategy game's delicate launch/run arrangement will be foiled.

Any advice about that? Thank you!

Originally Posted by Ken_of_WV

My shortcut to the launcher specifies that very same directory to "start in" and voila, the game works okay!

Unh, permit me to clarify/emend that. The shortcut doesn't invoke the launcher -- it invokes appletviewer.exe with the tiny HTML-coded launcher being its sole argument.