Novice: JNLP app won't run (Unable to Load Resources)

Question

Forgive me, but I'm very new to this. I have a JNLP file on my work computer, and have access to work at home. I set up my VPN, and copy/pasted the JNLP file to my home computer. However, when I launch it (I upgraded to Java 7 using Windows 7 Home Premium), I get the Unable to Launch Application issue.

It shows Unable to Load Resources and then

com.sun.deploy.net.FailedDownloadException: Unable to load resource: http: //pbs-sj1/pbs/jnlp/tnp/msgr/alt.jnlp
    at com.sun.deploy.net.DownloadEngine.actionDownload(Unknown Source)
    at com.sun.deploy.net.DownloadEngine.downloadResource(Unknown Source)
    at com.sun.deploy.cache.ResourceProviderImpl.getResource(Unknown Source)
    at com.sun.deploy.cache.ResourceProviderImpl.getResource(Unknown Source)
    at com.sun.javaws.Launcher.updateFinalLaunchDesc(Unknown Source)
    at com.sun.javaws.Launcher.prepareToLaunch(Unknown Source)
    at com.sun.javaws.Launcher.prepareToLaunch(Unknown Source)
    at com.sun.javaws.Launcher.launch(Unknown Source)
    at com.sun.javaws.Main.launchApp(Unknown Source)
    at com.sun.javaws.Main.continueInSecureThread(Unknown Source)
    at com.sun.javaws.Main.access$000(Unknown Source)
    at com.sun.javaws.Main$1.run(Unknown Source)
    at java.lang.Thread.run(Unknown Source)

This is under the wrapped section

java.net.UnknownHostException: pbs-sj1
    at java.net.AbstractPlainSocketImpl.connect(Unknown Source)
    at java.net.PlainSocketImpl.connect(Unknown Source)
    at java.net.SocksSocketImpl.connect(Unknown Source)
    at java.net.Socket.connect(Unknown Source)
    at java.net.Socket.connect(Unknown Source)
    at sun.net.NetworkClient.doConnect(Unknown Source)
    at sun.net.www.http.HttpClient.openServer(Unknown Source)
    at sun.net.www.http.HttpClient.openServer(Unknown Source)
    at sun.net.www.http.HttpClient.<init>(Unknown Source)
    at sun.net.www.http.HttpClient.New(Unknown Source)
    at sun.net.www.http.HttpClient.New(Unknown Source)
    at sun.net.www.protocol.http.HttpURLConnection.getNewHttpClient(Unknown Source)
    at sun.net.www.protocol.http.HttpURLConnection.plainConnect(Unknown Source)
    at sun.net.www.protocol.http.HttpURLConnection.connect(Unknown Source)
    at sun.net.www.protocol.http.HttpURLConnection.getInputStream(Unknown Source)
    at com.sun.deploy.net.HttpUtils.followRedirects(Unknown Source)
    at com.sun.deploy.net.BasicHttpRequest.doRequest(Unknown Source)
    at com.sun.deploy.net.BasicHttpRequest.doRequest(Unknown Source)
    at com.sun.deploy.net.BasicHttpRequest.doGetRequest(Unknown Source)
    at com.sun.deploy.net.DownloadEngine.actionDownload(Unknown Source)
    at com.sun.deploy.net.DownloadEngine.downloadResource(Unknown Source)
    at com.sun.deploy.cache.ResourceProviderImpl.getResource(Unknown Source)
    at com.sun.deploy.cache.ResourceProviderImpl.getResource(Unknown Source)
    at com.sun.javaws.Launcher.updateFinalLaunchDesc(Unknown Source)
    at com.sun.javaws.Launcher.prepareToLaunch(Unknown Source)
    at com.sun.javaws.Launcher.prepareToLaunch(Unknown Source)
    at com.sun.javaws.Launcher.launch(Unknown Source)
    at com.sun.javaws.Main.launchApp(Unknown Source)
    at com.sun.javaws.Main.continueInSecureThread(Unknown Source)
    at com.sun.javaws.Main.access$000(Unknown Source)
    at com.sun.javaws.Main$1.run(Unknown Source)
    at java.lang.Thread.run(Unknown Source)

I've researched online quite a bit but to be honest, most of it seems to be on a developer level. I'm just trying to get the JNLP file to launch.

Any ideas?

Answer 1

The error message is telling you that it can't figure out what host you are trying to reach:

java.net.UnknownHostException: pbs-sj1

Probably the easiest thing to do is to edit your hosts file on the box you have this .jnlp file and add:

127.0.0.1 pbs-sj1

Then make sure your actual .jnlp file location lines up with the rest of the path you specified (/pbs/jnlp/tnp/msgr/alt.jnlp). Here's a howto on editing your hosts file on Win7.

-OR-

Rather than mess with the Hosts file, just make use of a file URL to specify where to find the .JNLP file on Windows--e.g.,

file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/your_login/alt.jnlp

(I'm assuming you know to paste/type either of these addresses into your Java-enabled browser's address bar)