ubuntu: change the path from openjdk to oracle jdk

By default, the jvm is installed here:/usr/lib/jvm; when you change to another jvm and configure the path correctly, sometimes, it doesn't work as expected, as you type: java -version, it consoles the old version of java. echo $PATH, you will see that usr/bin directory has several java files like: java, javac, javadoc, javap, javaws.

There are 4 important update-alternatives commands to help fix it.

update-alternatives --list <name> : like update-alternatives --list java, it will list all alternatives for java.

update-alternatives --config <name> : like update-alternatives --config java, it will list all the alternatives it has, choose the one as the default one.

update-alternatives --install <directory_of_name> <name> <new_alternative_directory>: like update-alternatives --install /usr/bin/java java /opt/java/jdk1.7_59/bin/java, add a new one

update-alternatives --remove <name> <directory_of_alternative>: like update-alternatives java /opt/jdk1.7_59/bin/java, remove the alternative.

reference: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/21115133/ubuntu-change-the-path-from-openjdk-6-to-oracle-jdk-7