Re: [OctDev] xlread in 3.6.1: Still stuck with something very basic

[Philip Nienhuis]

Hi Ted,

Sorry to hear about these continuing troubles.

1. OctDev mailing list is no more. It is superseded by the common "core" 
Octave and Octave-Forge mailing lists. I've adjusted the cc address.

2. Read on:

Swift, address@hidden wrote:
> Philip,
> Sorry in advance for a long dump, but I want to put as many pertinent (I hope) cards on 
> the table. I'm convinced this is some "newbie" problem with the basic steps of 
> installing any typical open source software, but it's very frustrating.
>
> I'm still stuck with an error in "chk_spreadsheet_support"
> Pre_install now returns with no errors:
>
> > octave:1>  pre_install
> > octave:2>

The pre_install.m I sent you (? can't remember) is needed before you 
*install* or *reinstall* the Java package. It has nothing to do with the 
io package, let alone chk_spreadsheet_support.m

> But when I run " chk_spreadsheet_support", it still apparently can't find what 
> it needs:
>
> > octave:3>  chk_spreadsheet_support ('', 3)
> >
> > Checking Excel/ActiveX/COM... not working.
> >
> > Checking Java support...
> >    1. Checking Java JRE presence.... OK, found one.
> >    2. Checking Octave Java support... error: No Java support found: 
> > `java_invoke'
> >   undefined near line 49 column 16.
> > error: called from:
> > error:   
> > C:\Octave\Octave3.6.1_gcc4.6.2\share\octave\packages\io-1.0.18\chk_spreadsheet_support.m
> >  at line 176, column 3

This just says that the Java package doesn't work properly. It appears 
that the function java_invoke simply hasn't been compiled.

> I've reinstalled the 3.6.1 distribution following the instructions at 
> http://wiki.octave.org/Octave_for_Windows#Manual_installation_instructions.

That's odd as the 3.6.1 distribution is self-contained & complete.

Why didn't you try the 3.6.2-MSVC2010 binary? It is newer and contains 
newer versions of the io and Java package.

> Here is my octaverc, with some very basic changes, following the instructions 
> in the comments:
>
> > ## System-wide startup file for Octave.
> > ##
> > ## This file should contain any commands that should be executed each
> > ## time Octave starts for every user at this site.
> > ## This version is in the rebuilt install folder 
> > C:\Octave\Octave3.6.1_gcc4.6.2\share\octave\site\m\startup
> > more off
> > PS1('octave:\#>  ')
> > ## Uncomment and change following line for your preferred editor
> > EDITOR('C:\\Program Files\\Notepad++\\notepad++.exe');
> > prefix=octave_config_info('prefix');
> > EXEC_PATH([EXEC_PATH,';',prefix,'\gnuplot\binary']);
> > EXEC_PATH([EXEC_PATH,';',prefix,'\mingw32\bin;',prefix,'\msys\bin']);
> > EXEC_PATH([EXEC_PATH,';',prefix,'\gs\gs9.04\bin']);
> > graphics_toolkit('fltk');
> > EXEC_PATH([EXEC_PATH,';',prefix,'\pstoedit']);
> > EXEC_PATH([EXEC_PATH,';',prefix,'\fig2dev']);
> > ## Uncomment following 4 lines in order to set env vars for building oct files 
> > and pkgs
> >     regexprep(prefix,'\\','/'); % change backslash to slash
> >     prefix_e=['/',regexprep(regexprep(prefix,'\\','/'),':','')]; % remove disk 
> > double colon
> >     setenv('LDFLAGS',['-L',prefix_e,'/lib -Wl,--allow-multiple-definition 
> > -Wl,--enable-auto-import 
> > -Wl,--enable-runtime-pseudo-reloc-v2-Wl,--stack,10485760']);
> >     setenv('CPPFLAGS',['-I',prefix_e,'/include']);
> > ## Uncomment following line and set respective JDK location in order to install 
> > java pkg
> > ## setenv('JAVA_HOME','/c/Octave/jdk1.7.0');
> > ## Was: setenv('JAVA_HOME','C:/Program Files (x86)/Java/jdk1.7.0_09');
> > setenv('JAVA_HOME','C:\Octave\Octave3.6.1_gcc4.6.2\jdk1.7.0_09');

???? Did you check that that directory "jdk1.7.0_09" really exists in 
C:\Octave\Octave3.6.1_gcc4.6.2 ?
That surely doesn't appear to be a "normal" location for the Java JDK.

Please tell us the contents of
  C:\Program Files\Java
or if that doesn't exist,
  C:\Program Files (X86)\Java
Do you have a subdirectory there whose name starts with "jdk" ? And one 
whose name starts with "jre" ?

<snip>
> Here are the basic paths:
>
> > octave:4>  path
> > Octave's search path contains the following directories:
> > C:\Octave\Octave3.6.1_gcc4.6.2\lib\octave\packages\miscellaneous-1.1.0\i686-pc-mingw32-api-v48+
> > C:\Octave\Octave3.6.1_gcc4.6.2\share\octave\packages\miscellaneous-1.1.0
> > C:\Octave\Octave3.6.1_gcc4.6.2\lib\octave\packages\io-1.0.18\i686-pc-mingw32-api-v48+
> > C:\Octave\Octave3.6.1_gcc4.6.2\share\octave\packages\io-1.0.18
> > C:\Octave\Octave3.6.1_gcc4.6.2\lib\octave\packages\image-1.0.15\i686-pc-mingw32-api-v48+
> > C:\Octave\Octave3.6.1_gcc4.6.2\share\octave\packages\image-1.0.15
> > C:\Octave\Octave3.6.1_gcc4.6.2\share\octave\packages\gnuplot-1.0.1
> > C:\Octave\Octave3.6.1_gcc4.6.2\lib\octave\packages\general-1.3.1\i686-pc-mingw32-api-v48+
> > C:\Octave\Octave3.6.1_gcc4.6.2\share\octave\packages\general-1.3.1
> > C:\Octave\Octave3.6.1_gcc4.6.2\share\octave\packages\java-1.2.8
> > C:\Octave\Octave3.6.1_gcc4.6.2\lib\octave\3.6.1\site\oct\i686-pc-mingw32
> > C:\Octave\Octave3.6.1_gcc4.6.2\lib\octave\site\oct\api-v48+\i686-pc-mingw32
> > C:\Octave\Octave3.6.1_gcc4.6.2\lib\octave\site\oct\i686-pc-mingw32
> > C:\Octave\Octave3.6.1_gcc4.6.2\share\octave\3.6.1\site\m
> > C:\Octave\Octave3.6.1_gcc4.6.2\share\octave\site\api-v48+\m
> > C:\Octave\Octave3.6.1_gcc4.6.2\share\octave\site\m
> > C:\Octave\Octave3.6.1_gcc4.6.2\share\octave\site\m\startup
> > C:\Octave\Octave3.6.1_gcc4.6.2\lib\octave\3.6.1\oct\i686-pc-mingw32
> > C:\Octave\Octave3.6.1_gcc4.6.2\share\octave\3.6.1\m
> > C:\Octave\Octave3.6.1_gcc4.6.2\share\octave\3.6.1\m\audio
> > C:\Octave\Octave3.6.1_gcc4.6.2\share\octave\3.6.1\m\deprecated
> > C:\Octave\Octave3.6.1_gcc4.6.2\share\octave\3.6.1\m\elfun
> > C:\Octave\Octave3.6.1_gcc4.6.2\share\octave\3.6.1\m\general
> > C:\Octave\Octave3.6.1_gcc4.6.2\share\octave\3.6.1\m\geometry
> > C:\Octave\Octave3.6.1_gcc4.6.2\share\octave\3.6.1\m\help
> > C:\Octave\Octave3.6.1_gcc4.6.2\share\octave\3.6.1\m\image
> > C:\Octave\Octave3.6.1_gcc4.6.2\share\octave\3.6.1\m\io
> > C:\Octave\Octave3.6.1_gcc4.6.2\share\octave\3.6.1\m\linear-algebra
> > C:\Octave\Octave3.6.1_gcc4.6.2\share\octave\3.6.1\m\miscellaneous
> > C:\Octave\Octave3.6.1_gcc4.6.2\share\octave\3.6.1\m\optimization
> > C:\Octave\Octave3.6.1_gcc4.6.2\share\octave\3.6.1\m\path
> > C:\Octave\Octave3.6.1_gcc4.6.2\share\octave\3.6.1\m\pkg
> > C:\Octave\Octave3.6.1_gcc4.6.2\share\octave\3.6.1\m\plot
> > C:\Octave\Octave3.6.1_gcc4.6.2\share\octave\3.6.1\m\polynomial
> > C:\Octave\Octave3.6.1_gcc4.6.2\share\octave\3.6.1\m\prefs
> > C:\Octave\Octave3.6.1_gcc4.6.2\share\octave\3.6.1\m\set
> > C:\Octave\Octave3.6.1_gcc4.6.2\share\octave\3.6.1\m\signal
> > C:\Octave\Octave3.6.1_gcc4.6.2\share\octave\3.6.1\m\sparse
> > C:\Octave\Octave3.6.1_gcc4.6.2\share\octave\3.6.1\m\specfun
> > C:\Octave\Octave3.6.1_gcc4.6.2\share\octave\3.6.1\m\special-matrix
> > C:\Octave\Octave3.6.1_gcc4.6.2\share\octave\3.6.1\m\startup
> > C:\Octave\Octave3.6.1_gcc4.6.2\share\octave\3.6.1\m\statistics
> > C:\Octave\Octave3.6.1_gcc4.6.2\share\octave\3.6.1\m\statistics\base
> > C:\Octave\Octave3.6.1_gcc4.6.2\share\octave\3.6.1\m\statistics\distributions
> > C:\Octave\Octave3.6.1_gcc4.6.2\share\octave\3.6.1\m\statistics\models
> > C:\Octave\Octave3.6.1_gcc4.6.2\share\octave\3.6.1\m\statistics\tests
> > C:\Octave\Octave3.6.1_gcc4.6.2\share\octave\3.6.1\m\strings
> > C:\Octave\Octave3.6.1_gcc4.6.2\share\octave\3.6.1\m\testfun
> > C:\Octave\Octave3.6.1_gcc4.6.2\share\octave\3.6.1\m\time

What is lacking here is a directory:
C:\Octave\Octave3.6.1_gcc4.6.2\lib\octave\packages\java-1.2.8\i686-pc-mingw32-api-v48+
(watch out for line wrap!)
That is the directory that is supposed to contain the compiled Java 
functions. Little wonder that chk_spreadsheet_support.m cannot find 
java_invoke().
In my experience the usual cause of that directory not being created is 
that the Java package installation scripts can't find the Java JDK. 
Usually that is caused by a faulty or no JAVA_HOME setting or the Java 
executables not being in the Windows search PATH.

So, do you have a directory
 C:\Octave\Octave3.6.1_gcc4.6.2\lib\octave\packages\java-1.2.8
?
And if yes, what files does it contain?

> Thinking that maybe chk_spreadsheet_support wasn't finding the Java JRE, I put 
> its path in explicitely:
>
> > octave:5>  chk_spreadsheet_support 
> > ('C:\Octave\Octave3.6.1_gcc4.6.2\jdk1.7.0_09', 3)

chk_spreadsheet_support does find the JRE (see above), as it finds 
java.exe. No problem so far.
What it *doesn't* find are the compiled Java package functions (which 
reside in the directory I mentioned a few lines up, the one that doesn't 
seem to be in the path)

<snip>
> The Octave java package is there and installed:
>
> > octave:2>  pkg list
> > Package Name   | Version | Installation directory
> > ---------------+---------+-----------------------
> >        general *|   1.3.1 | ...\share\octave\packages\general-1.3.1
> >        gnuplot *|   1.0.1 | ...\share\octave\packages\gnuplot-1.0.1
> >          image *|  1.0.15 | ...\share\octave\packages\image-1.0.15
> >             io *|  1.0.18 | ...\share\octave\packages\io-1.0.18
> >           java *|   1.2.8 | ...\share\octave\packages\java-1.2.8
> > miscellaneous *|   1.1.0 | ...\share\octave\packages\miscellaneous-1.1.0

Yeah, Java package *looks* good but: - it can be deceiving. Very 
probably it has been silently miscompiled. That is one of the biggest 
frustrations with Octave / Java package users.

Once again, better try the 3.6.2 MSVC2010 Octave version. It is much 
easier for you and has all stuff precompiled. You can also find it on 
SourceForge / Octave-Forge, at the same place where you got Octave-3.6.1
IIRC there are some update packages for it, you can find those at the 
same location.

Before I can continue trying to help you with Octave-3.6.1, please 
answer all the questions I asked above.

Philip


======== Left in for completeness: =============
 __________________________________________
> Ted Swift, Ph.D.
> Staff Environmental Scientist, DWR Municipal Water Quality Investigations Branch
> 916-376-9718, address@hidden
> Mailing: P.O. Box 942836 Sacramento, CA 94236-0001
> Physical: 3500 Industrial Blvd., West Sacramento, CA  95691-6521
> "Reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be 
> fooled." -Richard Feynman
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Philip Nienhuis [mailto:address@hidden
> Sent: Friday, October 05, 2012 3:50 AM
> To: Swift, Ted J.
> Cc: address@hidden
> Subject: Re: [OctDev] xlread in 3.6.1
>
> Swift, Ted J. wrote:
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Philip Nienhuis [mailto:address@hidden
> > Sent: Thursday, October 04, 2012 8:23 AM
> > To: Swift, Ted J.; address@hidden
> > Subject: Re: [OctDev] xlread in 3.6.1
> :
> > <Big snip>
> :
> > > Ted Swift wrote 3 Oct 2012:
> > > >     --------
> > > > Hello again, Philip,
> > > > I'm going back to the basics and taking a close look at
> :
> <snip>
> :
> > > > > Checking Java support...
> > > > >      1. Checking Java JRE presence.... OK, found one.
> > > > >      2. Checking Octave Java support... error: No Java support found: 
> > > > > `java_invoke' undefined near line 49 column 16.
> > > > > error: called from:
> > > > > error:   
> > > > > C:/Octave/Octave3.6.1_gcc4.6.2/share/octave/packages\io-1.0.18\chk_spreadsheet_support.m
> > > > >  at line 176, column 3
> > > > > octave:3>    system ('javac -version 2>    nul') ans =  1 octave:4>
> > > > > system ('javac -version 2>    null') ans =  1 octave:5>
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > In the file 'null' is the message:
> > > > > 'javac' is not recognized as an internal or external command,
> > > > > operable program or batch file.
> > > >
> > > > There is a javac in the /bin subdirectory, however.
> > > > Any thoughts? Thank you.
> > >
> > > Please keep list cc'd
> > >
> > > Yes; clearly javac isn't in the PATH. Which makes sense as on Windows
> > > systems, the<JDK>/bin directory is usually not in the PATH, unlike
> > > *nix systems where there are usually symlinks to java, javac and jar
> > > in /usr/bin
> > >
> > > Apparently the relevant statements in preinstall.m that should fix this don't 
> > > work properly.
> > > So what you can do, in Octave, is (after setting JAVA_HOME):
> > >
> > >     setenv ("PATH", [getenv('PATH') pathsep '/full/path/to/JDK/bin'])
> > >
> > > (single quotes) where I suppose (but please check) that '/full/path/to/JDK/bin' 
> > > boils down to 'C:/Program Files (x86)/Java/jdk1.7.0_05/bin'
> > > and then again try to install the Java package.
> > > If it doesn't work, try again with backslashes instead of forward slashes.
> > >
> > > If none of this works I'm out of ideas.
>
> Too soon... I forgot the very obvious options:
>
> - Are you sure the Java package is loaded at all?
> If you do (in Octave)
>     pkg list
>
> do you see in the output (possibly after scrolling down) a line like:
>
> :
>                  java *|   1.2.8 |
> ...\Octave\Octave-3.6.2\share\octave\packages\java-1.2.8
> :
>
> (line wrap!)
> i.e., with the asterisk after the package name?
> If not (when you don't see the asterisk) you should do (in Octave)
>     pkg load java
>
> and try again.
>
> Philip