Ye Olde Inn

So I've downloaded Heroscribe and have been raring to use it to create some cool looking custom quest maps, but every time I try to install it on my system, it tells me I need to install

"Java Runtime Environment 1.4.2" .

However, I am running Windows 7 (professional) and have tried installing java 11.02 and I get the pop-up warning (which then doesn't let me install). I also tried downgrading JRE to 8u202 but still no luck.
I've even tried locating the old version but it appears like it will cause problems if I try to install it...

I tried running the HS executable in administrator mode, or in compatibility mode for XP or 2000 but no luck. Any helpful suggestions?

Hmmm... I'm not familiar with the "windows version", but it just plain works in Linux. And since Java is platform independent, you should not be having any trouble.

I have not run it recently, but there is no reason to believe that 8u201 suddenly broke it.

As a Java .jar file, there is technically nothing to install. Just unzip the folder structure and run it from the command line (grab the zip instead of the exe from the website) from its folder using:

java -jar HeroScribe.jar

You may need to add java to your PATH variable if java is not a recognized command.

Kurgan wrote:However, I am running Windows 7 (professional) and have tried installing java 11.02 and I get the pop-up warning (which then doesn't let me install). I also tried downgrading JRE to 8u202 but still no luck.

Where did you get those versions? The currently available Java download on the Java website is v8, build 201. Did you download it from this link? That's the version I have currently installed on my Windows 7 machine (which is also the Pro version).

Normally, you don't even have to install Heroscribe


If you have Java, it should work.
Then you need a 32 bit version of Ghostscript to export PDF if you want to do that....
Heroscribe itself can be in any folder you like.
I have it in a subfolder of my HQ area, that way I have easier access to all the symbols inside.

Yeah, I pretty much am a complete clueless noob when it comes to Java on any platform. I just know that the HeroScribe windows installer continually prompts me for an ancient version of Java and failing as a result... and apparently I foolishingly installed the "development kit" which has now completely broken Java to the point where it thinks its not even installed on my system!

Once I remove that I'll install the link you gave and I see this now:

Do I need older versions of Java?

The latest available version is compatible with the older versions. However, some Java applications (or applets) can indicate that they are dependent on a particular version, and may not run if you do not have that version installed. If an application or web page you access requires an older version of Java, you should report this to the provider/developer and request that they update the application to be compatible with all Java versions.

So no need to downgrade, I hope!

Kurgan wrote:Yeah, I pretty much am a complete clueless noob when it comes to Java on any platform. I just know that the HeroScribe windows installer continually prompts me for an ancient version of Java and failing as a result... and apparently I foolishingly installed the "development kit" which has now completely broken Java to the point where it thinks its not even installed on my system!

Once I remove that I'll install the link you gave and I see this now:

Do I need older versions of Java?

The latest available version is compatible with the older versions. However, some Java applications (or applets) can indicate that they are dependent on a particular version, and may not run if you do not have that version installed. If an application or web page you access requires an older version of Java, you should report this to the provider/developer and request that they update the application to be compatible with all Java versions.

So no need to downgrade, I hope!

Nobody is maintaining the HeroScribe installer. Do not use it. Grab the zip file instead. The zip file is right below the installer.

Un zip it.

Open a terminal (command prompt console) in that new folder.

Run "java -jar HeroScribe.jar" from the command line. You can make this an icon you click on later.

Please verify that this works.

It worked! So the problem was the dang installer...

thanks for the help

Now that I've caught up to 15 years ago... really cool. I've started converting over some quests I had on paper. What I am wondering now, is how people like Phoenix create those nice, clean looking pages for those re-vamped quest books? Do you just open something in word and insert the image, type it up and export as PDF (I have installed ghostscript now) or is there more to it than that?

Most people use PhotoShop to import it in and make it pretty. I have decent success just using MS Paint but it is more painstaking.

If you don't want to buy PhotoShop, you can use Gimp. It's a free PhotoShop tool.