Hi all, I am crossposting this because I think this could affects all GUI development (mainly AWT and J2D, but also a little Swing) in some way or another. There really should be a gui-dev mailing list for things like this.
I am plannig to implement the missing pieces to make the AWT/Java2D implementation 'pluggable', thus separating the abstract stuff in java.awt from the actual implementation. The goal is to be able to provide alternative implementations for the AWT widgets and the Java2D stack. This is actually for a significant part already finished in java.awt.peer (and some classes in java.awt). This works pretty well now for the widgets and important parts of Java2D with OpenJDK and external GTK peers [1]. Also, the AWT implementation of GNU Classpath can serve as a proof-of-concept and source of inspiration. There we already support 3 different AWT/J2D implementations (GTK, Qt and plain X) all of which have their own native widgets, fonts, graphics and images. The JamaicaVM has a some more implementations for a couple of embedded systems. Another example is the newly approved fbtoolkit implementation which basically plugs into the java.awt.peer interfaces too. The biggest road block to this right now seems to be the font implementation which is (afaics) the only area in J2D which isn't abstracted out nicely. The other areas should require little to no work, as it is already provided by the peer interfaces and the GraphicsEnvironment and friends classes. Note also that I don't intent to touch the public API. I consider this fine as it is and we shouldn't spoil it more than it is now (java.awt.Toolkit, ugh). Also note that I don't intent to introduce another toolkit/j2d implementation, but 'only' refactor what is there now so that it is _possible_ to do. There seems to be some serious scepticism about this [2][3] which might be a good thing. So I'm pondering whether it is worth the effort doing this inside OpenJDK or if I should rather do it in an external project (avoiding the f-word here), with the option to merge the changes in later down the road. I'd think that this is better done inside OpenJDK, especially with the valuable input of you all. IMO this would result in a better archtictured AWT for everybody. On the other hand, if I do this externally you wouldn't be bothered so much with stuff that you have no interest in anyway and I could probably progress faster. I'd like to hear your opinions on that issue with the goal to reach a decision whether we should try to develop that inside OpenJDK or if I should better do it separately. I'd also like to keep the technical considerations low (let's do that if we decide for yes). I know it's possible to do and I am going to do this anyway, the question is as part of OpenJDK or not. [1] http://kennke.org/blog/2007/06/21/gtk-peers-on-openjdk/ [2] http://mail.openjdk.java.net/pipermail/awt-dev/2007-June/000050.html [3] http://mail.openjdk.java.net/pipermail/awt-dev/2007-June/000040.html Cheers, Roman -- Dipl.-Inform. (FH) Roman Kennke, Software Engineer, http://kennke.org aicas Allerton Interworks Computer Automated Systems GmbH Haid-und-Neu-Straße 18 * D-76131 Karlsruhe * Germany http://www.aicas.com * Tel: +49-721-663 968-0 USt-Id: DE216375633, Handelsregister HRB 109481, AG Karlsruhe Geschäftsführer: Dr. James J. Hunt
