How to Simplify Building

Rich Clients in the Java™

Programming Language [Link]/javaone/sf

Jaroslav Tulach, Sun Microsystems

Rich Unger, Nuance
André Eickler, Nokia

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1 | 2004 JavaOne Conference | Session TS-1694
 Write Rich Desktop Apps
While Saving Time and Money

Learn how to write and assemble rich

client Java™ technology-based desktop
applications while reusing many
developer-years invested in development
of the NetBeans™ platform

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2 | 2004 JavaOne Conference | Session TS-1694
 Agenda

• The need for rich desktop clients

• Benefits of modular architecture
• Branding and customization
• Case Study—V-Builder
─ Reusing existing components
• Case Study—NetAct desktop
─ NetBeans platform as an ideal
J2EE™ platform client

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3 | 2004 JavaOne Conference | Session TS-1694
 The Need for Rich Desktop Clients

• Web will not

do it all
─ Real-time
interaction
(dealing, monitoring)
─ Integration with
OS (sound, etc.)
• 100% Java technology counts
─ Ease of administration and distribution
─ Plain JFC/Swing may be too plain
• NetBeans Platform
─ The engine behind NetBeans IDE
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4 | 2004 JavaOne Conference | Session TS-1694
 Demo
Small Introduction to NetBeans
IDE and Platform
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5 | 2004 JavaOne Conference | Session TS-1694
 Costs Savings
The advantages of reusing NetBeans platform
• Avoid reinventing the wheel
─ Windowing, Menu, Toolbars, etc.
─ Modularization, Branding, Localization
• Concentrate on guts only
─ Write business logic, reuse the framework
• Assemble Applications from Components
─ A lot of existing components on [Link]
─ Designed in modular way

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6 | 2004 JavaOne Conference | Session TS-1694
 Modularity of Components
Its importance for good UI application
• Discipline: Developers write cleaner code
• Final assembly of application is independent
• Solutions tailored to customer needs
• Much tighter UI tasks flow

Module
Module

Module

Module

Module
Application

Application

Application

Platform

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= UI task flow
7 | 2004 JavaOne Conference | Session TS-1694
 Modularity in NetBeans
Modify your application to be NetBeans IDE module
• Module is any JAR file with enhanced manifest
Manifest-Version: 1.0
OpenIDE-Module: [Link]/1
OpenIDE-Module-Specification-Version: 1.13

• What is this good for?

─ Identification of each library
─ Version specification
─ Dependencies

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8 | 2004 JavaOne Conference | Session TS-1694
 Modularity in NetBeans
Dependencies between modules
OpenIDE-Module-Specification-Version: 1.13
OpenIDE-Module-Provides: EditorImpl
OpenIDE-Module-Module-Dependencies:
[Link]/1 > 1.3,
[Link] > 4.32
OpenIDE-Module-Requires: SpellImpl

• Types of modules
─ Regular
─ Autoload
─ Eager

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9 | 2004 JavaOne Conference | Session TS-1694
 Modularity in NetBeans
Module Enablement and ClassLoader Hierarchy
• Dependencies influence runtime classpath
• A module can turn other modules on

[Link]/1
Provides: EditorImpl [Link]
Requires: SpellImpl Provides: SpellImpl
Autoload

[Link]/1

[Link]
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10 | 2004 JavaOne Conference | Session TS-1694
 Cooperation of Modules
Composition of UI Elements
• Menu, toolbar elements
─ Get merged together by the NetBeans framework
• Windows layout
• Registration solved by Layers
<folder name="Menu" >
<folder name="File" >
<file name="[Link]" >
<attr instanceCreate=
"[Link]" />
</file>
</folder>
</folder>

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11 | 2004 JavaOne Conference | Session TS-1694
 Cooperation of Modules
Composition of Menu <folder name="Menu/File">
<file name="[Link]" />
<file name="[Link]" />
<file name="[Link]" />
<file name="[Link]" />
<file name="[Link]" />
<file name="[Link]" />
</folder>

<folder name="Menu/File">
<file name="[Link]" />
<file name="[Link]" />
</folder>

<folder name="Menu/File">
<attr name="[Link]/[Link]" boolvalue="true" />
<attr name="[Link]/[Link]" boolvalue="true" />
<attr name="[Link]/[Link]" />
<attr name="[Link]/[Link]" />
</folder>

Windows, Toolbars, etc. work in the same way

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12 | 2004 JavaOne Conference | Session TS-1694
 Cooperation of Modules
Exposing module state
• A module owns a Window, another an action
• Windows can have associated Context
• Selected window defines the global context
• UI Elements update its state according to it
• What is inside context?
─ Anything important ([Link], etc.)
• What operations context need to support?
─ Changes of its content
─ Observability

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13 | 2004 JavaOne Conference | Session TS-1694
 Cooperation of Modules
Exposing Window State
class MyWindow
extends [Link] {
private JEditorPane pane;

public [Link] getLookup () {

return [Link]([Link]())
}
}

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14 | 2004 JavaOne Conference | Session TS-1694
 Cooperation of Modules
Querying and Listening to State
import [Link];

class MyInsertAction extends AbstractAction {

public void actionPerformed (ActionEvent ev) {
Lookup lkp = [Link]();
Document doc = [Link] ([Link]);
if (doc != null) {
[Link] (0, null, "Hello world!");
}
}
}

In similar way one can listen to changes in Lookup

using LookupListener.

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15 | 2004 JavaOne Conference | Session TS-1694
 Cooperation of Modules
Generic Viewer—Explorer
• Presentation of tree hierarchies
─ Not only tree view, but many others
• Each Node has its own context
─ Can be queried and observed
• Modules can contribute to the hierarchy

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16 | 2004 JavaOne Conference | Session TS-1694
 Branding and Customization

• Sun products are branded, L10N and A11Y

• Customization by selection of modules
• Overriding or masking resources
─ <file name="[Link]" />
─ <file name="Open.instance_hidden" />

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17 | 2004 JavaOne Conference | Session TS-1694
 Rich Unger

The Need for Rich Desktop Clients

Benefits of Modular Architecture
Branding and Customization
Case Study—V-Builder
Case Study—NetAct Desktop

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18 | 2004 JavaOne Conference | Session TS-1694
 What Is V-Builder?
Voice User Interface (VUI) IDE
• Design telephone conversations
between a human and a computer
• Edit many file types
─ Call-flow design
─ Prompt (.wav)
─ Grammar (linguistic regular expression)
─ VoiceXML
• Run the application using vocal or
textual interactions

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 What Is V-Builder?

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20 | 2004 JavaOne Conference | Session TS-1694
 Challenges

• 5 developers
• IDEs not our core competency
─ VUI experts, not GUI experts
• High customer expectations
─ Source control
─ Syntax coloring/completion
─ Easy enough for non-programmers (and yet, speech
recognition is very complicated)

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21 | 2004 JavaOne Conference | Session TS-1694
 Solution:

Netbeans Platform
Gives You

Free Stuff

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22 | 2004 JavaOne Conference | Session TS-1694
 Source Control (VCS)

• Use [Link]
instead of [Link]
─ Similar API
─ Wraps access in redirection layer
• Free support for multiple source
control systems
─ CVS
─ Subversion
─ SourceSafe
─ ClearCase
─ PVCS

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23 | 2004 JavaOne Conference | Session TS-1694
 XML Editor
Declare a new MIME type
[Link]:

protected MultiDataObject createMultiObject

(FileObject primaryFile) {
return new XMLDataObject(primaryFile, this);
}

protected FileObject findPrimaryFile(FileObject fo) {

if ([Link]())
return null;
if ([Link]().equals(
"application/voicexml+xml"))
return fo;

return null;
}
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 XML Editor

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25 | 2004 JavaOne Conference | Session TS-1694
 Source Editor
GSL Files—a text file with a unique syntax
• Declare an [Link] subclass
(for completion and coloring)
• Add an EditorSupport cookie

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26 | 2004 JavaOne Conference | Session TS-1694
 Context-Sensitive Help
Uses JavaHelpTM API
public HelpCtx getHelpCtx() {
return new HelpCtx([Link]);
}

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27 | 2004 JavaOne Conference | Session TS-1694
 Other Stuff...

• Update Center
• Templates
• Wizards
• Task list
• ANSI terminal
• ... And on, and on...

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28 | 2004 JavaOne Conference | Session TS-1694
 Demo
Nuance V-Builder

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29 | 2004 JavaOne Conference | Session TS-1694
 André Eickler

The Need for Rich Desktop Clients

Benefits of Modular Architecture
Branding and Customization
Case Study—V-Builder
Case Study—NetAct Desktop

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30 | 2004 JavaOne Conference | Session TS-1694
 What Is NetAct?
Nokia’s product for managing mobile networks
• Manages thousands of network elements,
tens of network element types, tens of vendors
• Contains configuration, monitoring,
reporting, planning, ...

BTS BSC
HLR/AuC
MSC/VLR EIR/SMSC

SS7 Mobile ISP

Network Operator Services Application
SGSN Servers
CC&B router/firewall
Charging
GPRS Gateway NMS
Border Gateway backbone Corporate
Customer
Application
Servers
Inter-PLMN GGSN router/firewall
network
Lawful Interception Internet
Gateway (LIG)

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31 | 2004 JavaOne Conference | Session TS-1694
 What Are NetAct’s UI Challenges?
Seamless integration of large numbers
of management tools
• More than 70 user interface applications
in Nokia’s product (plus other vendor’s
applications)
• Daily management procedures easily
involve ten or more graphical tools
• Procedures vary largely between
network operators

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32 | 2004 JavaOne Conference | Session TS-1694
 What Is NetAct’s Solution?
NetAct Desktop = NetBeans + J2EE + Navigation
• NetBeans Platform
─ Module concept, window system, ...
─ JFC/Swing compatibility (porting existing
Uis, third-party software)
• J2EE platform client support
─ Java Web Start software support
─ ...
• Navigation goodies
─ ExtensibleNode
─ Bookmarks

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33 | 2004 JavaOne Conference | Session TS-1694
 Screenshot

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34 | 2004 JavaOne Conference | Session TS-1694
 Java Web Start Software Support
Integration with NetBeans module system
• Module discovery servlet
─ Find all deployed NetBeans modules on a server
─ Dynamically generate JNLP file
• Classpath workaround
─ Java Web Start breaks NetBeans’ module system
by making all downloaded classes visible
─ All files in module jars get prefixed by a directory
to make them “invisible”
─ E.g., class "[Link]"
becomes
"enode/org/netbeans/api/enode/[Link]"
─ Special classloader resolves access to classes
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35 | 2004 JavaOne Conference | Session TS-1694
[Link]
 Extensible Node
Simple pluggable navigation feature
• Modules declare actions offered for
particular nodes as part of their Layer file:
<folder name="ExtensibleNode" >
<folder name="Actions" >
<folder name="Network Element">
<file name=
"[Link]"/>
</folder>
</folder>
</folder>

• Other modules can use ExtensibleNode to

display popup menus with all declared actions
─ E.g., network elements displayed in
any module will offer the “reset” action
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36 | 2004 JavaOne Conference | Session TS-1694
[Link]
 Bookmarks
Web-style navigation for NetBeans platform
• Forward/backward navigation between
tool states
public interface NavigationEvent {
public void restoreState();
public TopComponent getTopComponent();
}

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37 | 2004 JavaOne Conference | Session TS-1694
[Link]
 Bookmarks

• Bookmarking tool states as keyboard

shortcut, “Bookmarks” menu, toolbar entries

public interface BookmarkProvider {

public Bookmark createBookmark();
}

public interface Bookmark

extends [Link], [Link] {
public String getName();
public void invoke();
}

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38 | 2004 JavaOne Conference | Session TS-1694
 Demo
NetAct Desktop

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39 | 2004 JavaOne Conference | Session TS-1694
 NetBeans Has All You Need to Efficiently
Develop Integrated Rich Clients

Visit [Link]
Visit [Link]
Visit [Link]

The NetBeans Day

Tuesday in Yerba Buena Theater
Meet NetBeans on BOFs and sessions
Building Great Looking Swing Apps, 1237
Wednesday 11:00 AM
What’s New With NetBeans IDE?, 3204
Wednesday 9:45 AM
Integrating Ant and NetBeans, 1598
Wednesday 8:30 PM
Meet the NetBeans™ Development Team, 2730
Wednesday 7:30 PM

40
Get free stuff from the Nokia booth, 1415
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| 2004 JavaOne Conference | Session TS-1694
 Q&A
André Eickler, Nokia
Jaroslav Tulach, Sun Microsystems
Rich Unger, Nuance
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41 | 2004 JavaOne Conference | Session TS-1694
 How to Simplify Building
Rich Clients in the Java™
Programming Language [Link]/javaone/sf

Jaroslav Tulach, Sun Microsystems

Rich Unger, Nuance
André Eickler, Nokia

SM
42 | 2004 JavaOne Conference | Session TS-1694