Start Policy Tool

To start Policy Tool, simply type
    policytool
at the command line.
This brings up the "Policy Tool" window.
Whenever Policy Tool is started, it tries to fill in this window with policy information from what is sometimes referred to as the "user policy file". The user policy file is by default a file named .java.policy in your home directory. If Policy Tool cannot find the user policy file, it reports the situation and displays a blank "Policy Tool" window (that is, a window with headings and buttons but no data in it):

You can then proceed to either (1) open whatever policy file you want to work on or (2) create a new policy file.
The first time you run the Policy Tool, you will see the blank "Policy Tool" window, since a user policy file does not yet exist. You can immediately proceed to create a new policy file, as described in the next step.

Quick Tour of Controlling Applets