HowTo > JOSM-under-Linux

Getting the ALT key working

If your window manager use the Alt key as modifier key some combination within JOSM do not work.

• You need to change the modifier key in your window manager preferences to some other key
  • For KDE you may want to modify the Alt key behaviour:

Open Control Center --> Desktop --> Window Behaviour --> Actions

• Otherwise you can use right alt key Alt Gr only.

Java Virtual Machine

When using Debian or a Debian-based Linux like Ubuntu you could install JOSM from the repository. The package should install all its dependencies including java. Then you could start JOSM in the shell with the command josm or use the item in the application menu. Sometimes there is an error like this:

  No valid JVM found to run JOSM.
  Please install one of those mentioned in README.Debian
  or set the JAVACMD environment variable prior running josm.

You have to make a symbolic link in the folder /usr/local/bin/ like this:

sudo ln -s /usr/bin/java /usr/local/bin/jamvm

Now you should be able to start JOSM.

If you use Ubuntu older than 12.10, consider the possibility that you are experiencing the bug ​#1186377. A workaround is described on ticket #8279.

---

Back to Howto
Back to Install notes