Java is great for the cross platform experience, but you often run into something you can't do in Java. Example: Just the other day, someone asked about doing a NetBeans plugin to record screencasts. I started a project like this in the past, but after realizing the java.awt.Robot is horribly slow (it allocates a new buffer for each grab) and has no way to record with the cursor (and even no way to uptain the cursor such as to draw it on during post-processing), inevitably you are going to need some JNI and that's a worse experience than having a root canal. Perhaps that's why there is a ratio of 100:1 between web frameworks and actual useful stand-alone application in Java.
/Casper On Jan 20, 7:56 pm, <[email protected]> wrote: > I would actually reverse the question. Why do you want to lock yourself > into one operating system only when you can run on a whole bunch provided > all the stuff you needs exists in Java (quite likely unless you have some > Windows legacy that pin you down to Windows). > > If you are stuck with Windows but want to use Java there are a couple of > integrations with COM and friends possible but you are putting yourself > into a land of pain.. > > manfred > > On Tue, 20 Jan 2009 05:07:00 -0800 (PST), "[email protected]" > > <[email protected]> wrote: > > > Hi Alan, > > > It sounds like you are targeting the Windows platform only and you > > need tight integration into that platform, so I guess the obvious > > question no-one has asked yet is why do you want to create a Java > > application and not a native one? Understanding your motives for using > > Java would help ensure you get the right advice (right tool for the > > job and all that)! > > > Cheers, > > > Craig. > > > On Jan 20, 8:34 am, Steven Herod <[email protected]> wrote: > >> 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. 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