Using Java Web Start in NetBeans IDE

Obtaining and Installing NetBeans IDE

• Download NetBeans Integrated Development Environment (IDE) Release 5.0 from the NetBeans download site: http://www.netbeans.info/downloads/index.php

Use the instructions provided at the above download site to install NetBeans IDE. Choose jdk_home to be the location of your JDK 1.5.0 installation when installing NetBeans IDE.

Starting the IDE

To start the NetBeans IDE:

• On Microsoft Windows:
  Choose Start > Programs > NetBeans 5.0 > NetBeans IDE.
• On Solaris, UNIX, or Linux environments:
  Navigate to the bin subdirectory of your installation. Execute the launcher script by typing./netbeans.

Downloading and Installing Netbeans Module for Java Web Start

1. Open Netbeans IDE 5.0 and connect to the internet.
2. Inside NetBeans IDE choose Tools > Update Center.
3. In the Update Center, make sure the checkbox for the NetBeans Update Center Beta is checked. If you are using a development build, choose Development Update Center. Click the Next button to access the Update Center.
4. After a few moments, the list of available modules comes up. Select the Netbeans Module for Java Web Start from the list as shown below and click the Add button to add the components.

   

5. Click Next. The Update Wizard asks you to accept the necessary licenses. Read them and click Agree to start downloading the module.
6. After the download is done, click Next. The Update Wizard shows you an overview of the new module to be installed. Click Finish to complete the installation.
7. After the module has finished loading, you can use the Java Web Start plugin in your IDE. Congratulations!

To reinstall the plugin to NetBeans IDE, you may need to remove the user directory of NetBeans IDE (it' ilocated at %USER_HOME%/.netbeans/) and restart NetBeans IDE to install.

Browsing in the Logical View

If the Projects window is closed, open it by choosing Window > Projects (Ctrl+1). The Projects window shows a logical view of important project contents, such as Source packages. You can right-click any project node to access a contextual menu of commands for building, running, and debugging the project, as well as opening the Project Properties dialog box.

Browsing in the Physical View

Open the Files window by choosing Window > Files (Ctrl+2). It shows a directory-based view of your projects, including files and folders that are not displayed in the Projects window. From the Files window, you can open and edit your project configuration files, like the project build script and properties file. You can also view build outputs like compiled classes, JAR files, WAR files, and the generated Javadoc documentation.

Defining the JAR Resource

Since the GUI forms were created with Matisse, the program needs the swing-layout-1.0.jar file in order to run. You can see that this JAR file is on the project's classpath by expanding the Libraries node in the Projects window. You have to configure the JNLP file to make this JAR file available when the project is run with Java Web Start.

1. Open GUIFormExamples.jnlp, if it is not already opened.
2. In the Resources tab of the visual editor, expand JAR Resources and click Add.
3. Type dist/lib/swing-layout-1.0.jar in the Href field and eager in the Download field, as shown below.

   

   Note: If you changed the name of the project from the default GUIFormExamples, the IDE normally names the JAR file for the project accordingly to match the project name. In this Matisse sample example, however, the JAR file name is static (in this case, GUIFormExamples.jar) and doesn't change to match the name of the project. In this case, you need to modify the JAR file name in the JNLP file through the visual editor. Under JAR Resources, make sure that the JAR file name for the project is dist/GUIFormExamples.jar.

JNLP Visual Editor: General

The General tab of the Visual Editor is used to edit information specific to the JNLP file itself, the information about the application, and the application descriptor. It includes several sections:

1. General
   This is the root JNLP element. It has a set of attributes that are used to specify information that is specific to the JNLP file itself. Edit the content in the textfield as necessary.
   • Codebase
     The codebase attribute of the jnlp element. It specifies the codebase for the application.

   • Href
     The href attribute of the jnlp element. It contains the location of the JNLP file as an URL.

2. Information
   This is the information element. It contains information intended to be consumed by the JNLP client to integrate the application into the desktop, provide user feedback, and etc. Edit the content in the tex tfield or check the checkbox as necessary.
   • Title
     Title element (the name of the application).

   • Vendor
     Vendor element (the name of the vendor of the application).

   • Homepage
     Homepage element (the URL locating the home page for the application).

   • Description
     Description element (a short statement about the application).

   • Icon
     Icon element (Optional). The icon can be used by a JNLP client to identify the application to the user.

   • Start Menu Shortcut
     Menu element (Optional). It is used to indicate an application's preference for putting a menu item in the users
     start menus.

   • Create Desktop Shortcut
     Desktop element (Optional). It is used to indicate an application's preference for putting a shortcut on the users desktop.

   • Run Online
     offline-allowed element (Optional). It indicates if the application can be launched offline.

3. Application Description
   This application-desc element gives description of the application.
   • Main-class
     main-class attribute of the application-desc element. It describes the main class of an applicaion.

   • Argument
     argument elements. It describe an ordered set of arguments to the application.

JNLP Visual Editor: Resources

The Resources tab of the Visual Editor is used to edit The resources element that used to specify all the resources, such as Java class files, native libraries,and system properties that are part of an application.

• To add a resource: Multiple resources can be added by clicking the Add button on any resource section and filling in the necessary information for that kind of resource.

• To delete a resource: Select the target resource in the resource table, then click the Remove button in that section

• To edit a resource: Select the target resource in the resource table, click the Edit button in that section. This will pop-up the resource detail information dialog. Edit the content as necessary.

1. Java Run Time Requirement
   The j2se element (sub-element of resources) specifies what Java 2 SE Runtime Environment (JRE)
   versions an application is supported on, as well as standard parameters to the Java Virtual Machine. Several JREs can be specified.

2. Jar Resources
   The Jar element describes a jar file resource.

3. Library
   The nativelib element describes a resource containing native files.

4. System Properties
   The property element describes a name/value pair that is available to the launched application as a system property.

Setting the Project Main Class

1. Right-click the project and choose Properties.
2. Click Run in the left pane of the properties dialog box and type examples.ContactEditor in the Main Class field.
3. Click OK.

Deploying the Application

1. Right-click the GUIFormExamples project node in the Projects window.

2. Choose Java Web Start > Deploy with Java Web Start from the contextural menu.

   The IDE deploys the application to the registered server, starts the server, and opens the default index page. The application can then be launched by clicking the "Click me!" link on that page.

Running as a Java Application

Choose Run > Run Main Project or right-click on the project node in the Projects window and choose Run Project. All other runtime settings are the same as for a regular Java project.

Running with Java Web Start

1. Right-click the GUIFormExamples project node in the Projects window.

2. Choose Java Web Start > Run with Java Web Start from the contextural menu. The application is launched by Java Web Start, as shown below.