I have multiple jvm versions installed (1.1, 1.3.1, 1.4.2, 1.5, 1.6). When
I double-click processing.exe (version 124 without java), it pops up a
dialog requiring I install java 1.4.

If I type 'java -version' at the command line the system finds 1.6.0_01-b06.

Where is it looking for the java runtime?

Is there a command-line param to make it look elsewhere?

it's using the PATH. what version of java is first in the PATH environment
variable?

better yet, to track down which version is in use..

1) copy the 'jre' folder from your java 1.4.2 install to the processing
folder. rename it 'java'. try running processing (it should work at that
point). the 'java' folder should be next to processing.exe, and inside
'java' should be 'bin', and inside that 'java.exe'.

2) create a sketch that contains the following:
size(200, 200);
PFont font = createFont("SansSerif", 12);
textFont(font);
text(javaVersion, 5, height/2);

3) export to application and run the application and see what it says.

Re my PATH:

The first entry on my PATH is "\Windows\system32" which contains the 1.6 jre.

I created the sketch you described. After exporting to an application it
prints out "1.300".

so something is screwed up with your java install (obviously).. things to
look into:

1) did you install 1.3 last? or 1.6?

2) have you checked the various versions of the java control panel you have
installed?

3) do you have a HOME environment variable for your user account?

4) what do you get when you write "echo %HOME%" at a command prompt?

5) do you have a JAVA_HOME environment variable or CLASSPATH or anything
like that?

1) jvm's were installed in order of their release 1.6 was most recent. It's
a new machine and I was careful about that.

2) 2 versions of the java control panel are available in the windows
control panel: 1.3 and 1.6.

3) No, there isn't a HOME variable set

4) "%HOME%"

5) No JAVA_HOME
CLASSPATH= .;C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.6.0_01\lib\ext\QTJava.zip

A colleague had the same problem (on XP, I'm on Vista) and could only solve
it by uninstalling 1.3.

fixed for release 0149.