Big changes have been happening in Java lately; the most notable change being Java’s new 6-month release cycle for major versions. In the past year, we’ve seen the release of Java 9, Java 10, and Java 11. Support for Java Web Start was dropped in Java 11 and some garbage collectors were dropped in Java 9. Obviously, this can quickly get confusing for Ignition users, so one of the main focuses of Ignition v7.9.10 is to make these changes easier for you.
Native Client Launchers
We capitalized on the end of Java Web Start by embedding a minimized version of Java in the Native Client Launchers, which then checks with the Gateway and downloads a local copy of Java for the client if needed. This means the client does not need to have Java installed before you launch a client, and you won’t have a problem if there is a version of Java installed that’s not compatible with Ignition. Plus, your clients and designers will always have the correct version of Java, one which we’ve tested with Ignition. This should make using Ignition a smoother experience both for your users and your IT department.
Garbage Collection
Java 9 has started throwing errors if a deprecated garbage collection configuration is used, and now uses G1GC garbage collection by default. If you are using a deprecated configuration, we are making some automatic changes to the ignition.conf file upon upgrade to simplify the process. If you had been using the default garbage collector (parallel) or CMS, you will be using the new default, G1GC, which does smaller garbage collections more frequently, leading to better performance for most users. If you have a custom garbage collector defined that is not CMS, nothing will change.
See the Changes for Yourself
This update includes additional, smaller changes that support improved functionality in 7.9.10; see the list of updates in its entirety in the release notes. You can try out the updated version of Ignition by downloading it here. Have an idea for improving Ignition? Add it to our ideas portal. We can’t wait for you to try this newest update; it’s one step closer to the release of Ignition 8!
