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Rebuilding the Java module

This article applies to Informer 2025.2 and later. For a Java rebuild on an earlier version, contact Support.

Informer requires the Java 8 JDK, and the offline installer ships with a specific version of it. If the server runs a different Java version than the one the installer delivered, Informer fails at startup with an error like:

Terminating startup due to error: The specified module could not be found.
\\?\C:\Entrinsik\Informer5\node_modules\java\build\Release\nodejavabridge_bindings.node

To use a different Java 8 JDK than the one shipped (for example, a more current release), the Java module bundled with Informer must be recompiled against the installed Java. This article covers the requirements and steps.

Requirements​

If you have done this before, some requirements may already be met.

Java: the installed Java 8 JDK must be on the C drive.

Python: Python 3.10.x must be installed and on the server's PATH. Modern Informer ships with Python 3.10.4, which may already be present. To verify, open an elevated PowerShell and type python; if it is missing or not 3.10.x, uninstall other Python versions via Control Panel, remove any lingering environment variables, then continue. To install Python 3.10.x, run the Informer offline installer, remove all components except Python, and accept the defaults, making sure Add Python 3.10 to PATH is checked.

Visual Studio Build Tools: for servers with external network access, install the Visual Studio Build Tools (18.1.1) on the Informer server, accepting the defaults and selecting Desktop development with C++. This can take a while. The installer is available from Support. (An offline option for servers without external network access is in progress.)

node-gyp: download the npm.zip file and extract it to %AppData%\Roaming\ on the server. Verify with node-gyp --version, which should return v12.1.0. Then unblock the pm2 script (substitute your %AppData% user, for example Administrator):

Unblock-File -Path "C:\Users\Administrator\AppData\Roaming\npm\pm2.ps1"

Rebuild the Java module​

Rebuild during an upgrade

If your deployment already meets the requirements and the Java version does not match the one delivered with the offline installer, select Rebuild Java module during the upgrade. This upgrades Informer and rebuilds the Java module in one step.

With the requirements in place, run the Informer offline installer and remove all components except Rebuild Java module. Click Next at the install-location prompt (change it only if Informer is not in the default location), click Next, and click OK at the Python and Visual Studio Build Tools message. A PowerShell security warning prompts for R to run once, then two shell scripts run in the background. Click Finish.

If the rebuild succeeds, Informer starts without error. If not, contact Support at i5support@entrinsik.com.

Common reasons a rebuild fails​

  • The Python version on the server is incorrect, or multiple versions are installed and the environment variables give the wrong one higher priority.
  • The Visual Studio Build Tools version is too low. Informer 2025.2.x and higher requires Build Tools 2017 or higher.