Setting Java path on Windows for Ant

Question

Just downloaded the latest version of Ant and installed at:

C:\apache-ant-1.8.4

I added the following to the Env Path variable:

...;C:\apache-ant-1.8.4\bin

When I open a terminal window and type:

ant -version

I get:

Files\Java\jdk1.7.0_07"" was unexpected at this time.

In System variables I have the variable JAVA_HOME set to:

"C:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.7.0_07"

so it appears that "ant -version" is struggling to read the space in JAVA_HOME even though it is in quotes.

I see an alternative post on this topic:

Ant and Eclipse

but it doesn't tackle this specific point.

Has anyone else encountered this problem and know the answer?

Answer 1

My guess is current definition of JAVA_HOME has unwanted double quotes. Show output of set JAVA_HOME on command window. It should not have any double quotes.

Please start command prompt. Set the JAVA_HOME again

set JAVA_HOME=C:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.7.0_07

Answer 2

Hmmm, it should be fine with quotes. Could be something else in your path. If all else fails you could revert to dos 8.3 notation.

dir /x

Which gives

13/01/2013  03:57 PM    <DIR>          PROGRA~1     Program Files
13/01/2013  03:57 PM    <DIR>          PROGRA~2     Program Files (x86)

Answer 3

In case anyone else is still encountering this problem, I am on Windows 7 and was experiencing the same. I was using the GUI provided by right-clicking the "computer" icon to attempt to set the JAVA_HOME path to the relevant program files folder (C:\Program Files (x86)\Java\jdk1.7.0_45). This will not work! The GUI doesn't accept spaces in paths. Command line however, does. Use set JAVA_HOME= C:\Program Files... to get it working, filling out the rest of the path with the location of your jdk installation.