Exception encountered using v1.4 on UNIX

Follow-up

To follow-up on this issue, I ran the "check-java.bat" and this is its output:

• '\\sassysdev.bmrn.com\ace\aceapp\acelib\utility\opencdisc\v1.4\opencdisc-validator'
• CMD.EXE was started with the above path as the current directory.
• UNC paths are not supported.  Defaulting to Windows directory.
• java version "1.6.0_18"
• Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.6.0_18-b07)
• Java HotSpot(TM) Client VM (build 16.0-b13, mixed mode, sharing)
•  
• If you see java version "1.5" or above then your Java
• version is compatible with the OpenCDISC Validator.
•  
• If not, you will need to upgrade your Java Runtime Environment (JRE).
• For instructions, please visit http://www.opencdisc.org/download
•  
• You may close this window now.
• Press any key to continue . . .

Java version

With 1.4, we do require Java 1.6  / JRE 6 now.  

Can you run the validator with that version of Java ?

It appears on UNIX Solaris box, you have 1.5.    

I assume you ran the check-java.bat from a windows env

You're absolutely correct. 

You're absolutely correct.  Thanks for pointing that out. 

I checked the version of Java at the command prompt on our UNIX system and here's what it came back with:

• java version "1.5.0_20"
• Java(TM) 2 Runtime Environment, Standard Edition (build 1.5.0_20-b02)
• Java HotSpot(TM) Server VM (build 1.5.0_20-b02, mixed mode)

At least I know what my next step is.

Thanks again!

ps

As an FYI, someone should update the "Installing OpenCDISC" page as it still states that version 1.5 is needed.

• System Requirements
• OpenCDISC Validator requires Java Runtime Environment (JRE) version 1.5 (or higher) and a system with 2GB of RAM.

Good point

I just updated the link to say OpenCDISC Validator 1.4 requires Java Runtime Environment (JRE) version 1.6 (or higher) 

One more edit

In the "How to Get OpenCDISC Validator" section on the same page, bullet #2:

• Make sure you have the correct version of Java (JRE 1.5 or higher). To do that, open the folder you just unzipped. Double-click the file called "check-java.bat". You will see a message in Command Prompt. If you have the correct version, proceed to step 3. Otherwise, skip to the section titled "How to get Java Runtime Environment

I don't know whether or not you would feel it would add value to instructions to have a section for Windows vs. Unix/Linux environment, I use the "java -version" command to obtain the info I posted earlier - just a thought, no worries if not.

Anyway, it's good that you guys are making these editorial edits quickly once identified!

Thanks

I updated here too.  BTW, this does somewhat mention differences for Windows/Mac/Linux, but nothing too extensive.   

http://www.opencdisc.org/using-opencdisc-validator-cli

We could maintain a table like this for posterity, but really you should always be using the latest version of OpenCDISC validator.

* 1.4.1 coming soon...

Good link!

I didn't visit/see that page until you pointed it out - we actually use the GUI interface within in our Unix environment in Exceed, so it didn't occur to me to check the CDL page.

With respect to the versions, we're actually maintaining several versions of OpenCDISC Validator to be able to deal w/ ongoing vs. new projects - now whether that's good practice or not, that is a different story, but that's what our user community wanted...

Given that historical versions of the Validator are on the website, I think it would add value to have the information contained in the table you have above available somewhere/somehow on the site.

Now I feel like I'm being PITA nitpicker, but reading thru the "Installing OpenCDISC Validator" page once again and the following is not correct (BTW I do a lot of user's doc myself and I'm usually at the receiving end of such comments so I appreciate how painstaking it is to maintain doc...)

How to Get OpenCDISC Validator

1. Download from the link above and unzip to a directory of your choice. If upgrading from a previous version unzip to the same location and overwrite the existing files.
"Download from the link above" - there is no link.

No problem, we encourage feedback and QA

Honestly, if you want to QA the whole site, i'll update the findings we feel are appropriate :).  I fixed the section you referred to here:

http://www.opencdisc.org/projects/validator/installing-opencdisc-validator

Because we are an open source community, we don't have dedicated resources to maintain the site.  Just the developers of the application.    

More importantly...with respect to "maintaining several versions of OpenCDISC Validator to be able to deal w/ ongoing vs. new projects"....  I would argue that is not a good practice and encourage your user community to always use the latest.  Here's why:

1. there should be no "version" of data quality and compliance in the real world per say.  The combo of your submission data with a particular version of SDTM IG is fixed.  But if you get n issues in OpenCDISC 1.3 but n+m issues in 1.4....Your data  still has the same n+m issues even if you use v1.0.   You just didn't know about it.
2. The FDA has a project called DataFit (a blurb can be found here) which is their implementation of OpenCDISC Enterprise, which uses the latest OpenCDISC version.    Let's say you submit an SDTM 3.1.2 Study with OpenCDISC 1.2.1.   the FDA isn't going to run 1.2.1.   They will run enterprise which will have the latest version of the validator, in some cases even later than what's publicly available to the community.   Therefore even if you explain in reviewers guide all of your 1.2.1 issues, they will see more issues for which aren't explained.   So it's really in each company's best interest to use the latest engine.   
3. There's  a hosted version of OpenCDISC enterprise which makes this extremely easy for clients, but that's another story