To open “Eclipse” you need to install the legacy Java SE 6 runtime

Question

I just encountered this in another Eclipse-based app on Yosemite and figured out (with help from the references below) how to get the app running without installing the legacy Java SE 6 JRE. Here are the steps in case it helps other devs get Eclipse working.

PRECONDITIONS

$ sw_vers -productVersion 
10.10.1
$ java -version
java version "1.8.0_25"
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.8.0_25-b17)
Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM (build 25.25-b02, mixed mode)

Other configurations might work; this is my environment.

STEPS

Edit the info.plist for the JDK after installing:

$ sudo nano `/usr/libexec/java_home -V`/../info.plist

Change the following section:

<key>JVMCapabilities</key>
 <array>
  <string>CommandLine</string>
 </array>

to

<key>JVMCapabilities</key>
 <array>
  <string>JNI</string>
  <string>BundledApp</string>
  <string>WebStart</string>
  <string>Applets</string>
  <string>CommandLine</string>
 </array>

Try to open the app from the command-line (not sure if this is strictly necessary, but what I did)

You should get an error “(app) can’t be opened because it is from an unidentified developer.”
Go to System Preferences: Security Settings (General) and you should see the recent app next to a button “Open Anyway” — click this button to open the app.

This opens Eclipse without requiring the separate download of the legacy Java SE 6 files.

NOTES

When I was solving this on MTGBrowser (below) I also followed advice to change the info.plist of the app by adding the following section to the ‘Eclipse’ key:

<string>-vm</string><string>/Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/jdk1.8.0_25.jdk/Contents/Home/bin/java</string>

However, I’m not sure that’s strictly required. In any case, that wasn’t sufficient — I also had to change the JDK info.plist and security as described above for a complete solution.

REFERENCES

https://sourceforge.net/p/mtgbrowser/bugs/402/#c78c
http://crunchify.com/os-x-mavericks-eclipse-java-issue/
http://mac-how-to.wonderhowto.com/how-to/open-third-party-apps-from-unidentified-developers-mac-os-x-0158095/

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