FR-8X PC Editor – Problem Installing & Communicating to My FR-8X

[John M]

I am having problems installing the FR-8X Editor and having it communicate to my FR-8X.
I started with the post by Jerry PH in the thread, ”FR-4X Sound Set” and went to the link from that post:
http://syner-g.no-ip.biz/mymusic/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/FR-8XEditor.-1.mp4
I installed JAVA, but could not get the install for Windows 10 to work from the Roland site.

These are the files I got when using the Microsoft Edge Browser:
. . .Edit: "Click" on attached file below:

When I double click the "Executable Jar File" I get this error message:
. . .Edit: "Click" on attached file below:

I contacted Roland in California. They said they thought I had a corrupted file and suggested I uninstall and try again. I have done this many times with no results. The download, from the Roland site, I am doing is: "Roland Arranger Driver Ver.1.0.0 for Windows 10". What’s interesting is, I have done 3 downloads with 3 different browsers (Chrome, Internet Explorer, and Microsoft Edge). With each download, I get a different set of files. The only one that I got the Executable Jar File was from Edge. As you can see, the files I got from the download were from 2017. The files from the link to the video above, from Jerry PH, were from 2019. Do I need these later files? I don’t know how to get them.

In the documentation from Roland, in addition to installing JAVA, they say to download the USB driver from their website. I tried, but the latest version of USB drivers they have is for Windows 7. I tried one of them. It up locked my computer that has Windows 10. Do I need to download a “special” USB driver? All my USB ports work fine on everything. Maybe it doesn’t work with the Roland Arranger Driver.

Any help you can give me would be appreciated.

John M.

. . .Edit: The attachments below are the two "screen shots" that I couldn't get in the text above.

 

[Gonk]

I don't know if it's an issue on my end, but I don't see the content (images?) for the files you got from Edge, or the Jar executable error.

A stab in the dark here: one common culprit with Java is permissions. I couldn't be on a more different set of systems (Linux, and steel/leather/wax reeds) but I was a Java programmer in a past life. I would recommend investigating that .jar file (check right click/"Properties") for permissions settings and check 'em all, and I would also try right-click / "Run as administrator."

Also, try this method (running java -jar [myfile.jar] through command prompt):

Executable jar not running? Windows 10

I am having various .jar files in my system. I have the JDK and JRE installed. Most of jar files run on double clicking, but there are 2 - 3 jar files which do nothing on clicking. Help me. By the ...

stackoverflow.com

 

[John M]

I have tried many paths, to get Java to work, through the Command Prompt line--but no luck.

This was my last attempt:
C:\ProgramFiles(x86)\Java\jre1.8.0_281\javaw.exe-jar\C:\Scratch\FR-8X_Editor

The “reply” to that line was (and many others that I tried):
'C:\ProgramFiles' is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file.

I was thinking that C:\ProgramFiles(x86)\Java\jre1.8.0_281\ would get the program started
. . .And:
\javaw.exe-jar\C:\Scratch\FR-8X_Editor would be the path to the executable file.
--but no luck

In the Java program that I loaded there is a “Java Control Panel” which has many options. I just left them at the defaults that came with the Download--maybe there is a problem there with the setup.

Any suggestions appreciated.

John M.

 

[Gonk]

That's a path error. I think the folder's name actually has a space ("Program Files") so it's likely failing on that account.
You shouldn't need the path, though. Once the JRE (or JDK) is installed, the command 'java' should be enough to run it. A quick test is the command:
java -version
This should output the version of the JRE you have installed, then quit.
Here's a page that shows how this should look, with pictures:

How to Run a JAR File on Windows: 5 Easy Methods

Unsure on how to run .Jar files (Java) on Windows 10? In this short article, we explain in detail five methods that you can use.

windowsreport.com

 

[Gonk]

Oh, I just saw your new screenshot in the top post. The first one, with the column labeled "compressed size," suggests that while you have downloaded the .jar file, it's still in a compressed format - in an archive, like a .zip file, together with some instructional .pdf files. So the first thing you will need to to is decompress, or extract it. I believe Windows refers to .zip files as "Compressed Folders," and gives them a little zipper on the manila folder icon. Right click that folder, and select "Extract all." This should give you the .jar file.

Then it should be possible to use the command:
java -jar path/to/myfile.jar
If you're running it by command prompt like this, you can make your life a little easier by putting the .jar file in its own folder at the top directory of the C: drive, so that the path is something simple, like C:/Roland/myfile.jar

BUT:
The .jar file is an "executable jar file," so once you extract it from the archive, you should actually be able to avoid all of these headaches and simply run it by double-clicking it.

 

[John M]

GOT IT!!

I put the executable jar file in --> C:\Scratch\FR-8X_Editor
I tried the command path you have above and the DOS message came back as "couldn't find the jar file".
Then I went to the file in the "Scratch" folder and "double clicked" on the FR-8X_Editor file.
This time it worked and I got the FR-8X Editing screen!!
It's the same file that is in my original post (FR-8X_Editor), the difference is I copied that file, from the download folder, to the "Scratch" folder on the C: drive and it worked.
I guess it makes sense; the JAVA program is on C: and now the executable file is in a path on the C: drive.

Thanks so much Gonk!!

John M.

 

[Gonk]

Most excellent! Happy it helped.

 

[JerryPH]

I had the answer all on my website in a a small video:

http://syner-g.no-ip.biz/mymusic/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/FR-8XEditor.-1.mp4

 

[John M]

That's what I used. The video went through the actual download of JAVA. But for the the FR-8X editor he said to go to the Roland website and download the Editor. He then showed the files including the executable Fr-8X_Editor.jar file. I did that and got the exact same files he had. When I "double clicked" the file, I would get "Error, file not valid ". With Gonk's help, I found the problem to be that the file I was using was still in the "Download" folder. When I moved the file to the C: drive, everything worked fine. I didn't know to do that. I don't work with PC software much other than the applications.

John M.

 

[Marc Leenders]

I don't know if it's an issue on my end, but I don't see the content (images?) for the files you got from Edge, or the Jar executable error.

A stab in the dark here: one common culprit with Java is permissions. I couldn't be on a more different set of systems (Linux, and steel/leather/wax reeds) but I was a Java programmer in a past life. I would recommend investigating that .jar file (check right click/"Properties") for permissions settings and check 'em all, and I would also try right-click / "Run as administrator."

Also, try this method (running java -jar [myfile.jar] through command prompt):

Executable jar not running? Windows 10

I am having various .jar files in my system. I have the JDK and JRE installed. Most of jar files run on double clicking, but there are 2 - 3 jar files which do nothing on clicking. Help me. By the ...

stackoverflow.com

After having read this, I checked the properties of my jar file. It turned out that it supposed to be opened by some program other than Java itself. After having appointed Java to open/execute the jar file, my Editor was started properly. Thanks for your reply, Gonk!

 

[JerryPH]

Thats the wonderful thing about Microsoft, its not 100% consistent. When I installed JAVA, it removed the association with .JAR files, and after installing it, it created an association that any file with a .JAR extention gets opened with Java.

If that doesn't happen, an easy way to make sure is the following:

Right click the .JAR file, select OPEN WITH, select JAVA. If JAVA is not there, select Choose another app:


On this screen click ALWAYS USE THIS APP and click on JAVA(TM) as shown...

If that is not there, click on MORE APPS, then scroll all the way down and click on


"Always use this app to open .jar files" and "Look for another app on this PC"... that opens a final screen as shown below:



The path you want to enter here is:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Oracle\Java\javapath and hit ENTER
and click on the JAVA.EXE file and click OPEN
Click OK... and you are DONE!

After that, any file ANYWHERE on your PC that has an extention of .JAR is opened with JAVA.