Provide an update-in-place installer

[dougbreaux]

Discussed with @pshipton

Please consider providing installers (I'm on Windows) that can update an existing JDK in place so that we don't have to manually install a new fix level, point applications at that new location, and manually uninstall the prior fix level.

For instance, I just installed jdk-8.0.212.03-openj9, pointed my Eclipse to use it, and then manually uninstalled jdk-8.0.202.08 (which also didn't even have the "-openj9" in the name either).

Further, having some way to even know there is an updated version available would be nice too. But I could see that being an entirely different feature.

[karianna]

@douph1 My understanding is that the very latest installers now do this, is that correct?

@dougbreaux And yes the update notification will need to be an opt-in feature that we develop :-).

[douph1]

@dougbreaux

Please consider providing installers (I'm on Windows) that can update an existing JDK in place so that we don't have to manually install a new fix level, point applications at that new location, and manually uninstall the prior fix level.

New installer produce since 19 mars handle this ( #74 )
New Windows installer remove old (same java-version/arch/jvm) if newer is installed.
If you rely on PATH for pointing to java.exe or JAVA_HOME it will be transparent.
If you rely on folder, you must update your config as each install use a versionned folder name.
It was not the case for installer 8u202.
Starting with April installer (8u212 and 11.0.3 ) handle it properly, so the next installer in 3 month will replace 8u212 or 11.0.3 (for same arch/jvm)

which also didn't even have the "-openj9" in the name either

Yes it was not the case in the past but the jvm name hotspot/openj9 will always be included in the folder name
see #73

Further, having some way to even know there is an updated version available would be nice too. But I could see that being an entirely different feature.

This would be probably handled by #4

[karianna]

@dougbreaux Given we have a separate issue for the update notification are you OK for this to be closed?

[dougbreaux]

Yeah, sounds like it's the next version where I'll see the old uninstalled and JAVA_HOME updated, so that sounds good. Thanks.