Noel J. Bergman wrote:
I have not yet gotten to the point where we declare dependencies of jars; this metadata is a further step, since we currently only download a specified jar with a specified version constraint to a local repository and set it in the classpath.Nicola,You see, the version info *has* to be somewhere, and if it's in the jars it simply doesn't scale. How can a system scan a remote DB looking in all the jars till it finds the right one? I don't see practical means of getting the info fast without externalizing the data, no?Have you looked at how http://java.sun.com/products/javawebstart/ (and JNLP) work? It seems to me that anything that does similar things and doesn't re-use JNLP ought to at least be able say why it differs, and perhaps extends, JNLP.
JNPL is, as the name says, a Network Launching Protocol; it was not designed as a simple resource download system, since it's quite extensive about the way the app should run, and it was made to run in a GUI client.
From the FAQ:
"
Is JavaTM Web Start a software distribution mechanism like Marimba and MS SMS?
JavaTM Web Start is an application launcher for JavaTM 2 technology-based applications. It allows easy distribution of full-featured applications based on the Java platform from a Web server to a client machine with minimal user interaction.
The software distribution technology is only one aspect of JavaTM Web Start. It also provides security, updates to the applications, ease-of-use for end users, and flexibility for developers when they create the applications. back to top
"
That said, there is no reason why this format cannot be used in other systems too, for example in the server world, and have added mirroring capabilities underneath.
It cannot be used as-is though. It has no way of defining a jar repository, and it gets resources like this:
<resources>
<j2se version="1.3"/>
<jar href="lib/SwingSet2.jar"/>
</resources>
As you see there is no version info, the version info is about the whole JNPL descriptor. A resource system is needed, and that is what I was talking about.
There was a bit of misunderstanding here because IIUC you were talking about getting the releases, I was talking about getting the jars for the developers.
Will I try to use JNPL as an app deployment tool for server software? You bet I will :-)
--
Nicola Ken Barozzi [EMAIL PROTECTED]
- verba volant, scripta manent -
(discussions get forgotten, just code remains)
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