[TechNote] Install GUI may not display if libXft.i386 fileset is not installed on Linux 5.0.

Install GUI may not display if libXft.i386 fileset is not installed on Linux 5.0.

Problem(Abstract)

Your installation of WebSphere® Application Server, initiated through the launchpad, fails to start the installation GUI for WebSphere Application Server.

Symptom

After clicking exit on the launchpad GUI, you see a message on the screen:
No supported Web browser was detected An error occurred while starting the launchpad.
No supported Web browser was detected.
The following messages were shown in the log.txt:

(Mar 16, 2009 8:32:50 PM), Process,
com.installshield.wizard.StandardWizardListener, err, could not initialize interface swing
(Mar 16, 2009 8:32:57 PM), Process,
com.installshield.wizard.StandardWizardListener, dbg,
java.lang.UnsatisfiedLinkError: java/awt/Insets.initIDs()V
STACK_TRACE: 20
java.lang.UnsatisfiedLinkError: java/awt/Insets.initIDs()V
at java.awt.Insets.<clinit>(Insets.java:105)
at java.lang.J9VMInternals.initializeImpl(Native Method)
at java.lang.J9VMInternals.initialize(J9VMInternals.java:177)
at java.lang.J9VMInternals.initialize(J9VMInternals.java:144)
at
javax.swing.plaf.basic.BasicLookAndFeel.initComponentDefaults

Cause

The system was missing the libXft.i386 fileset. The Information Centers document that you should "Select packages for hardware platforms that are capable of running both 32-bit and 64-bit applications." when installing on 64-bit platforms. This is documented in the following link: Preparing Red Hat Enterprise Linux® 5 for installation.

Resolving the problem

Install the libXft.i386 fileset to allow for the GUI installation to start-up and complete successfully. Installation of libXft.i386 also installed the dependent packages; freetype, fontconfig, libXrender and libXft. This would include the following:
libXft.so
libXft.so.1
libXft.so.2.
libXft.so.1.1
libXft.so.2.1.2
libXft.a
lly.