I don't think it's possible to switch JRE (runtime environments) see here:
http://docs.oracle.com/javase/7/docs/webnotes/install/mac/mac-jre.html
which states:
Only one JRE can be installed. Installing a JRE removes the previously
installed JRE. The JRE version used by the system can be determined
in one of two ways:
Workaround:
I had a similar problem like you have with Minecraft with Wuala.
Where I needed to run Wuala using Java 1.6 whilst I needed to develop with JDK 1.7 and I managed this by opening the Wuala.app package and changing its startup script in:
/Applications/Wuala.app/Contents/MacOS/wuala
from:
exec java ${VMARGS} -cp "${JAR_DIR}/loader3.jar":/System/Library/Java/ com.wuala.loader3.Loader3 -alternateprogrampath "${JAR_DIR}" -installed $*
to:
/usr/libexec/java_home -v 1.6.0 --exec java ${VMARGS} -cp "${JAR_DIR}/loader3.jar":/System/Library/Java/ com.wuala.loader3.Loader3 -alternateprogrampath "${JAR_DIR}" -installed $*
I.e simply replacing: exec
with: /usr/libexec/java_home -v 1.6.0 --exec
This is of course rather involved and will get broken every time wuala autoupdates but otherwise it works.
To use another JDK see here:
http://docs.oracle.com/javase/7/docs/webnotes/install/mac/mac-jdk.html
which states:
To run a different version of Java, either specify the full path, or use the java_home tool:
/usr/libexec/java_home -v 1.7.0_06 --exec javac -version
Here is an illustration and examples from my setup:
Oracle JDK installs:
odin:~ geff$ ls -al /Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines
total 0
21058660 0 drwxr-xr-x 3 root wheel - 102 24 Oct 18:04:33 2012 jdk1.7.0_09.jdk/
21061692 0 drwxr-xr-x 3 root wheel - 102 24 Oct 18:06:08 2012 jdk1.7.0_07.jdk/
21042328 0 drwxrwxr-x 3 root wheel - 102 20 Apr 06:58:53 2012 1.7.0.jdk/
21031664 0 drwxrwxr-x 7 root admin - 238 24 Oct 18:04:16 2012 ../
21042327 0 drwxr-xr-x 5 root wheel - 170 24 Oct 18:06:13 2012 ./
Apple supplied JDK:
odin:~ geff$ ls -al /System/Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines
total 0
21026468 0 drwxr-xr-x 3 root wheel - 102 1 Nov 17:49:02 2011 1.6.0.jdk/
21026436 0 drwxr-xr-x 6 root wheel - 204 24 Mar 23:04:06 2012 ../
21026467 0 drwxr-xr-x 3 root wheel - 102 1 Nov 17:49:02 2011 ./
This works for me also to use the Apple supplied 1.6 JDK
odin:~ geff$ /usr/libexec/java_home -v 1.6.0_37 --exec java -version
java version "1.6.0_37"
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.6.0_37-b06-434-11M3909)
Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM (build 20.12-b01-434, mixed mode)
Choose between the 1.7 Oracle versions:
Selecting the first Oracle JDK 1.7.0_04
odin:~ geff$ /usr/libexec/java_home -v 1.7.0_04 --exec java -version
java version "1.7.0_04"
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.7.0_04-b21)
Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM (build 23.0-b21, mixed mode)
Selecting JDK 1.7.0_07
odin:~ geff$ /usr/libexec/java_home -v 1.7.0_07 --exec java -version
java version "1.7.0_07"
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.7.0_07-b10)
Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM (build 23.3-b01, mixed mode)
The default JDK is the highest one:
odin:~ geff$ java -version
java version "1.7.0_09"
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.7.0_09-b05)
Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM (build 23.5-b02, mixed mode)
Defaults to the highest "patch level when using only minor version number:
odin:~ geff$ /usr/libexec/java_home -v 1.7.0 --exec java -version
java version "1.7.0_09"
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.7.0_09-b05)
Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM (build 23.5-b02, mixed mode)
3You are correct, the Java Preferences is now removed with the last update. Some various shell methods I've tried are not working out, but there must be some mechanism to facilitate this when you're running the most recent 7 as well. – ylluminate – 2012-10-21T20:50:40.923