I think deploying a Windows application on Window's often isn't that easy :o) Once you get into deploying data access stuff and so on you wind up nearly having to upgrade the users PC. At least a java app is (almost) an unzip the files and go thing (once that pesky JRE is installed).
Eclipse RCP goes along way towards giving a native experience with lots of value add services, but its a pretty hefty elephant to tackle. JavaFX isn't going to help you, not for doing a traditional desktop app, it has little in the way of layout managers, data entry controls (they are just wrapped Swing controls - and even then, not all of them), and is mainly aimed at graphical stuff (I know, I've been building a Twitter client in JavaFX for the past 5 weeks). For doing alot of the plumbing on installation, check out Advanced Installer by Caphyon(?), it will turn a java app into a .exe, create shorts cuts, install services, and deploy a JRE. It also has a command line executable you can script into your builds. And its relatively inexpensive (for a company to purchase). On Jan 20, 3:18 pm, Alan Kent <[email protected]> wrote: > While no Java 7, there has been lots of new stuff like Java update 10, > the new applet plug-in, the new deployment options, JavaFX and so on. > From what I understand is available, I think I still cannot do a good > native Windows application easily in Java alone. For example: > > * I want some part of the code to start up when the machine reboots > (a background service - no UI) > * I want to access some C/C++ APIs exposed via DLLs (is JNI still > the solution of choice here? Do signed DLLs help with deployment > options?) > * I want to use Java - do I need to supply a JRE or is there a > standard way to find (and require) a locally installed one of a > particular release level? > > I think the real challenge is doing all of the above at the same time. > > My understanding is I can (probably): > > * Use the new deployment stuff (JNLP?) to get my Java code onto the > desktop, requiring a certain JRE level be available and in my path > * Use JNI to talk to native platform DLLs, then sign a JNI packaged > bundle to allow it to be downloaded and run via the above > deployment option > * Use something like 'Wrapper' to allow my program to start up at > machine reboot > > It just is not yet clear I can easily develop and write an entire > Windows application purely in Java without having to worry about lots of > plumbing. I want some code running at machine reboot in the background, > and some code when the user runs a program (with a pretty UI on the > front). Does JavaFX enable complete desktop Java applications to be > developed and deployed in practice? (I think the need to talk to some > DLLs adds a real problem here - and yes, it is mandatory to the > application I am looking at.) > > Currently I am thinking I probably need a EXE to wrap the Java program, > with a standard Windows installer as a result. So if you want to write > a Windows application integrating with the OS reasonably well, you > cannot just write Java code - you have to do more. I am hoping I am wrong! > > Thanks! > Alan --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "The Java Posse" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/javaposse?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
