bluemarine or why you should really ship swing applications

blueMarineOr Why You Should Really Ship Swing Applications

Fabrizio Giudici, Senior Java Architect, Tidalwave s.a.s.

TS-5483

2008 JavaOneSM Conference | java.sun.com/javaone | 2

Talk about issues with Java™ platform's Rich Client Applications; enumerate and introduce solutions from the perspective of a real project.

“Java is mature for Rich Desktop Applications.Just look beyond Swing.”


Agenda

Introduction

NetBeans™ Software RCP

Visual Library

GeoSpatial Components

Java Platform Imaging APIs

Conclusion


blueMarine introductory video


Speaker’s Qualifications

Senior Java Architect with 12 years of Java platform experience

Project leading, mentoring, teaching

Member of JUG Milano, NetBeans Software Dream Team

Speaker at JavaPolis, Jazoon, JavaOneSM Event, JiniSM Meeting

Writer for NetBeans Software Magazine, Mokabyte

Blogger at Java.Net


Java Platform on the Desktop: Readiness Phases

Phase -1: prior 2005• Slow, poorly integrated, ugly L&F

Phase 0: 2005• JDK™ release 5 spreads, “Extreme GUI Makeover” starts

Phase +1: 2006-2007• JDK™ release 6, Aerith, SwingLabs matures

• TimingFramework, Nimbus, Filthy Rich Clients

Phase +2: 2008• Add NetBeans Software RCP: Filthy Rich Platform Clients

• Ready for complex applications - anyone?









blueMarine 0.8died here









blueMarine 0.8died here

blueMarine 0.9reborn here


Problems


Solutions


If you can just remember four points

NetBeans Software RCP

NetBeans Visual Library

SwingLabs

NASA World Wind for Java Platform


OpenBlueSky

Where generic stuff spins off blueMarine

Can be used for other applications

Consolidated stuff going to PlatformX


Agenda

Introduction


Visual Library



Conclusion


Question

What do you expect from a (desktop) framework?


Desktop Frameworks

Solid foundation to base your application on

APIs working together, well tested

Service discovery and provider

Plugin support

Messaging infrastructure (via events)

Integrated help system

And more


Swing is not a framework

Missing sophisticated components• e.g.: date picker, tree+table, etc...

Neither service discovery nor providers

No plugins

No messaging (only simple listeners)

Threading issues

JSR-296 (Java Specification Request Swing Application Framework) not good for large applications


What is NetBeans Software RCP?

NetBeansNetBeans IDE

NetBeans RCP{




NetBeans RCP{




NetBeans RCP{Your Desktop Application



You start with a skeleton application

You populate it• panels, views

• actions, menus, toolbars

• etc..

Often declaratively

Based on Swing• You can integrate third parties' components

• You can control the Look&Feel


Most important NetBeans RCP APIs

ActionsDataObjects

Dialogs

Explorer

FileSystem

Lookup

ModulesNodes

Options

Progress

Visual Library

Windowing/docking


Explorers, Viewers, Actions


Lookup API

Plays a fundamental role in many APIs

Repository for a bag of objects

Locator for services

Fires events

“Global” lookup can be used as a simple “event bus”

Service service = Lookup.getDefault().lookup(Service.class);


DataObject represents a file-based entity


You can extend DataObject

Creating a new DataObjectlayer.xml:<filesystem> <folder name="Services"> <folder name="MIMEResolver"> <file name="PhotoResolver.xml" url="PhotoResolver.xml"> </file> </folder> </folder></filesystem>

PhotoResolver.xml:<MIME-resolver> <file> <ext name="TIF"/> <ext name="TIFF"/> <resolver mime="image/tiff"/> </file> </MIME-resolver>


Creating a new DataObjectpublic class PhotoDataObject extends MultiDataObject { ... }

public class PhotoDataLoader extends UniFileLoader { public PhotoDataLoader() { // contains “image/jpg”, “image/tiff”, etc... String[] mimeTypes = ImageIO.getReaderMIMETypes(); for (final String mimeType : mimeTypes) { getExtensions().addMimeType(mimeType); } }

protected MultiDataObject createMultiObject(FileObject file) { return new PhotoDataObject(file, this); }

//... }


Lookup holds “capabilities”


Node “represents” DataObject


Node has “capabilities” too


Managing basic objects

File file = new File("photo.jpg");FileObject fileObject = FileUtil.toFileObject(file);DataObject dataObject = DataObject.find(fileObject);// Note: static type is DataObject,// not PhotoDataObject Node node = dataObject.getNodeDelegate();

// Retrieve capabilities// They have been set by PhotoDataObject constructor

Metadata metadata = dataObject.getLookup(). lookup(Metadata.class);// orMetadata metadata = node.getLookup(). lookup(Metadata.class);


Representing sets of Nodes

\


View renders Nodes


Actions can be automatically enabled

Declaring Actions<filesystem> <folder name="Actions"> <folder name="Window"> <file name="mypkg-CalendarExplorerAction.instance"/> </folder> </folder>  <folder name="Menu"> <folder name="Window"> <file name="CalendarExplorerAction.shadow"> <attr name="originalFile" stringvalue="Actions/Window/mypkg-CalendarExplorerAction.instance"/> <attr name="position" intvalue="120"/> </file> </folder> </folder>

Declaring Actions  <folder name="Toolbars"> <folder name="Explorer"> <file name="mypkg-CalendarExplorerAction.shadow"> <attr name="originalFile" stringvalue="Actions/Window/mypkg-CalendarExplorerAction.instance"/> <attr name="position" intvalue="120"/> </file> </folder> </folder>  <folder name="Shortcuts"> <file name="A-D-L.shadow"> <attr name="originalFile" stringvalue="Actions/Window/mypkg-CalendarExplorerAction.instance"/> </file> </folder>

</filesystem>


Example of context-sensitive Actionpublic class ShowPhotoAction extends CookieAction { protected void performAction(Node[] nodes) { PhotoDataObject dataObject = nodes[0].getLookup(). lookup(PhotoDataObject.class); // use dataObject } protected int mode() { return CookieAction.MODE_EXACTLY_ONE; } public String getName() { return "Show Photo"; } protected Class[] cookieClasses() { return new Class[] { PhotoDataObject.class }; } protected String iconResource() { return ".../show_photo.png"; } ...}


Some points

You don't need to always use everything• E.g. just Nodes, no DataObjects

• Can use them “incrementally”

NetBeans Software RCP keeps objects in sync• E.g. updating a DataObject bound Nodes→• E.g. Nodes bound to the same DataObject

• By means of PropertyChangeListener


NetBeans Software RCP stuff can be extended

What about a “cover flow” view?

Use JOGL (Java Bindings for OpenGL) for fast 3D API

Just extend and create a new View

TimingFramework for animating stuff


CoverFlowView


Update Centers

NetBeans software components (.nbm)• can be added / removed on the fly

• can declare dependencies

• can be versioned

• can add actions, menus, toolbars

Pretty good for plugins


Update Centers


Agenda

Introduction


Visual Library



Conclusion


Visual Library

Support for graph-oriented modeling• Nodes

• Arcs

• Routing

• Interaction

Can be creatively used• Whiteboard paradigm

• Use interactivity: touch, drag, change objects

PS Can be used with plain Swing apps


LightTable


Agenda

Introduction


Visual Library



Conclusion


JXMapViewer

A generic 2D, tile-based map renderer• See Joshua Marinacci's blog

• Retrieves tiles from the web (or locally)

• Part of Swing-WS (SwingLabs)

• Can stick objects to the map

Hint: integrate it with the Visual Library


GeoViewer


NASA World Wind for Java Platform

Java platform version of NASA World Wind • 3D software that renders the Earth

• NASA terrain imagery

• Other data sets can be plugged in• if legal stuff is ok...

Based on JOGL


GeoViewer 3D


Agenda

Introduction


Visual Library



Conclusion



Many options (and dispersive?)• Java 2D™ API, JAI, ImageJ, JMagick, JHLabs, ...

Some too difficult

Wild behaviour and performance differences

Parallel Computing is a must • Multi Core

• Small, local mini-grids

• Massive Grid Computing

There's not a global community


Mistral: fix 'em up

Imaging meta-framework

Multiple APIs can be used together

Simplifies APIs

Supports multicore,Jini services, Sun™ Grid


Some Mistral examplesFile file = new File(...);EditableImage image = EditableImage.create(new ReadOp(file, 0));image.execute(new ResizeOp(600, 400));EXIF exif = image.getMetadata(EXIF.class);

public class MyTask extends ImagingTask { private File file; public MyImagingTask (File file) { this.file = file; } public void run() { EditableImage image = read(file, 0); execute(image, new CropOp(10, 10, 600, 400), "crop"); Histogram histogram = execute(image, new HistogramOp(), "histogram").getHistogram();

// etc... } }

for (int i = 0; i < n; i++) { ImagingTaskProcessor.getInstance().post(new MyTask(file[i])); }


Agenda

Introduction


Visual Library



Conclusion


Open Problems for blueMarine

Java platform still misses something on the desktop• e.g. video streaming, USB support

• Can be worked around with JNI/JNA

• Java platform 7 is not too far

Some NB RCP stuff not fully customizable

Better integration NB RCP SwingLabs↔Compliance to Apple HIG

Linux + JOGL issues

No JAI native support for Mac OS X


Be efficient with innovation

“Cool stuff„ often means complexity • Go quickly from idea to prototype

• Integrate easily others' stuff

• NIH isn't a killer-idea, but an idea-killer

Build cool demonstrators• ...and cool applications soon after

(stay tuned for some new cool stuff)


Summary

Most Swing showstoppers are history now


Summary


You CAN ship desktop apps


Summary



There's a world beyond Swing• SwingLabs, NetBeans Software RCP, etc...


Summary




Be creative. Mix 'em up.

NetBeans: the only IDE I need...


Summary




Be creative. Mix 'em up.

NetBeans: the only IDE I need...

... but for some tasks related to digital photo management Eclipse is just the best tool


Eclipse Optic Cleaning System


For More Information

Links to projects, blogs and documentation• weblogs.java.net/blog/fabriziogiudici

• bluemarine.tidalwave.it

• openbluesky.dev.java.net

• mistral.tidalwave.it

• forceten.tidalwave.it

• www.netbeans.org/features/platform

• graph.netbeans.org

• platformx.netbeans.org

• www.swinglabs.org

• worldwind.arc.nasa.gov/java

• quaqua.dev.java.net

blueMarineOr Why You Should Really Ship Swing ApplicationsFabrizio Giudici

TS-5483. Speaker’s logo here (optional)

bluemarine or why you should really ship swing applications

Technology

javaonesm event

rich desktop applications

jdk release

filthy rich clientsphase

netbeans software magazine

complex applications

readiness phases phase

ugly lfphase