# Intermittent Java problem with Safari & OSX



## Solsticesprite (Feb 13, 2010)

I have a Mac mini 3.1 with OSX 10.6.2 and Safari 4.0.4. I have tested my Java on javatest.org it says it is working and that I have 1.6.0_17 from Apple, Inc.

I find that randomly, every six or so pages, all Javascripts on a page simply do not function. A picture may or may not resolve, but there is no animation or button function. A refresh will resolve the problem. This problem is most acute on subeta.net and subeta.ws, (which are virtual pets gaming sites), but it does occur on other pages. I may seem to be noticing it there more than it actually is occurring because playing on those sites requires a gazillion refreshes.

Is it possible my java is corrupted somewhere? Is uninstalling it and reinstalling it a viable option for a Macintosh? I am not seeing it as a separate app, is it "wired into" some other app Macs need in order to function? I have the add-on NoScript installed on Firefox 3.6, is there some way it could influence how Safari works if they are both up and running?


----------



## tomdkat (May 6, 2006)

Java and JavaScript aren't the same thing. Do you experience the JavaScript issues on the sites you mention in both Firefox *and* Safari or just one of the two browsers? If in just one of the two, which one?

Peace...


----------



## Solsticesprite (Feb 13, 2010)

Thank you for your reply, and kindly considering my case in the face of not enough information from me, Tomdkat. My natural way of speaking is rather formal, and when there are as many warnings as this site has about impoliteness, I err way on the side of politeness. I hope you are not bothered by this, or you will please allow that I can be something of a stuffed-shirt.

I apologize for my imprecision. I didn't realize there were two different things named Java. Since I am a beginner and do not know enough to distinguish between Java and JavaScript, and since you chose not to distinguish them for me, I'm afraid I cannot tell you just what is not working using those words.

There is a Firefox Add-on called NoScript. Whatever it is that this particular thing is that the Add-on called NoScript blocks, is a common thing that many webpages that have mini-animations and interactive features that require user input use. This is what I strongly suspect my problem is with.

In Safari 4.0.4, the problem is and remains as described. Even though the NoScript add-on does not apply to Safari, the same sort of things that NoScript blocks are exactly the things that I am having trouble with in Safari, I infer from looking at the exact same webpage with Firefox. Pages that do not have these sorts of things on them or that I do not interact with are very unlikely to go suddenly blank or resolve as a blank page, and pages that do have lots of them do tend to do those things.

In Firefox 3.6 I had? a separate problem that started at the same time as this. I did not start a thread on TechGuys for it because I didn't know how many threads I might need to solve the Safari problem and this Sites Rules have a flooding thread limit. (and this problem *seems* to have gone away. NoScript has been updated since I started this thread as I can no longer *reliably* duplicate this error). In FF, this other problem, was that either 1) the page would be not allowed by me (through the add-on) to run those items that NoScript blocks, and all images would resolve, but no interaction was possible, or 2) the page was allowed by me (through the add-on) and simply would not load at all or if it loaded the resultant page would be blank. That is not a typing error on my part, even though it seems like it. If there was a programming garble and there was a way to for me to press a button on a webpage that I cannot see I don't know of it, so I didn't test the blank pages.


----------



## tomdkat (May 6, 2006)

Solsticesprite said:


> Thank you for your reply, and kindly considering my case in the face of not enough information from me, Tomdkat. My natural way of speaking is rather formal, and when there are as many warnings as this site has about impoliteness, I err way on the side of politeness. I hope you are not bothered by this, or you will please allow that I can be something of a stuffed-shirt.


Thanks for the disclaimer and I've got no problem with your natural way of communicating. 



> I apologize for my imprecision. I didn't realize there were two different things named Java. Since I am a beginner and do not know enough to distinguish between Java and JavaScript, and since you chose not to distinguish them for me, I'm afraid I cannot tell you just what is not working using those words.


That's fine. Many people don't realize Java and JavaScript are two different things but it's important to understand this since troubleshooting problems with the Java plug-in won't relate to JavaScript problems, which you seem to be having. This kind of knowledge and understanding comes with experience so don't feel bad about not knowing the difference between the two. 



> There is a Firefox Add-on called NoScript. Whatever it is that this particular thing is that the Add-on called NoScript blocks, is a common thing that many webpages that have mini-animations and interactive features that require user input use. This is what I strongly suspect my problem is with.


According to the NoScript website, this Firefox extension blocks JavaScript, Java applets, Flash applets and other browser plugins from running unless you authorize them to run. Since we're not 100% sure if your problem is related to Java or JavaScript, the best thing you can do is post a link or two to websites on which you encounter the problems you describe. Then we can look at the page and determine if it's a JavaScript problem or a Java applet problem. Chances are it's a JavaScript problem and this can be confirmed if we can check out the site samples you provide, if you would be willing to do so. 



> In Safari 4.0.4, the problem is and remains as described. Even though the NoScript add-on does not apply to Safari, the same sort of things that NoScript blocks are exactly the things that I am having trouble with in Safari, I infer from looking at the exact same webpage with Firefox. Pages that do not have these sorts of things on them or that I do not interact with are very unlikely to go suddenly blank or resolve as a blank page, and pages that do have lots of them do tend to do those things.
> 
> In Firefox 3.6 I had? a separate problem that started at the same time as this. I did not start a thread on TechGuys for it because I didn't know how many threads I might need to solve the Safari problem and this Sites Rules have a flooding thread limit. (and this problem *seems* to have gone away. NoScript has been updated since I started this thread as I can no longer *reliably* duplicate this error). In FF, this other problem, was that either 1) the page would be not allowed by me (through the add-on) to run those items that NoScript blocks, and all images would resolve, but no interaction was possible, or 2) the page was allowed by me (through the add-on) and simply would not load at all or if it loaded the resultant page would be blank. That is not a typing error on my part, even though it seems like it. If there was a programming garble and there was a way to for me to press a button on a webpage that I cannot see I don't know of it, so I didn't test the blank pages.


Ok, thanks for the description of the problem you're encountering. Since the behavior is common to Firefox *and* Safari, there has got to be a common element between both browsers. That could be poorly written JavaScript code or it could be something else. If you could post a link or two to some sites that exhibit this behavior in EITHER browser, that would help a LOT since we can get more clues to hopefully help us better identify, diagnose, and ultimately resolve the problem. 

Thanks!

Peace...


----------

