Enterprise Client Community

Hello Community,

we are currently discussing the future of our client components that are written in Java. Currently, since we use the Swing client, there is no real problem because we already have Java on the client.

But if we want to update to the RISC client, we only have HTML/JavaScript on the client, and integrating applet is not an option because it will not be supported any more from Java 9 on.

I read about an approach to use a webstart way instead of integrating the applet into the HTML page. Did anyone try that out already? Do you have other approaches to solve that?

Thanks for your input. I would be happy to start a vital discussion here.

Tobias

Hi Tobias,

>> ...I would be happy to start a vital discussion here...<<
Same on my side. And I know exactly 2 companies/users having exactly the same discussion internally.

May I add the following information to "wake up" others: we are talking about components that go beyond the sandbox that is provided by JavaScript - e.g. talking to the file system, to other devices via USB/serial interface.

It would be a pity to come up with a lightweight UI client strategy, and just because of some "stupid" technical components having to install some heavy weight environment.

I am not sure what you mean with your Webstart way? Can you give more details?

What do you think about some complete independent component ("a mini .exe"), which is talking to the browser through the server. I.e. both the local component (.exe) and the browser-UI-client are connected to the server via http. And they exchange messages.
E.g. if .exe wants to send something to the UI then it fires a corresponding request to the server, and the UI-client gets notified by some long-polling? So there is an .exe talking to the client not directly, but through a "virtual cable" going through the server?
In this case you do not have any browser issues at all, you just have to locally instally something small, which runs on its own.

Regards, Björn

Hello everyone,

the standard migration way that is promoted by Oracle seems to be migrating the applet to a webstart application. See here:

http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javase/migratingfromapplets-2872444.pdf
and here
http://docs.oracle.com/javase/8/docs/technotes/guides/deploy/applet_dev_guide.html#JSDPG1032

Did not try it out yet, but that would be the next on my list. However, this approach might also rely on localhost HTTP communication, which might alsob be considered a security risk (XSS). But no installation would be necessary...

We also discussed the approach to install a client component and communicate between the web app and the client component using server-side communication. However, we want to get rid of installing anything locally, because the application might be rolled out to thousands of end users.
But from a security point of view, this would definitely work.

Tobias

Hi Tobi,

in our project we start using the integrated WebStart tag.
I can not recommend this option to you!

We have problems with window handling. Sometimes a window is behind the browser, although it should by modal.
From my point of view, this don't work very well.

The RISC client might be an option to evalute. My first project is now in production (but only a small car rental app).
The component development is still in progress, but first tests seems to works fine. Even the layout editor (toolset) is working fine.

regards,
Roland

Hi Roland,

what do you mean by integrated WebStart tag? Can you provide some details?

Tobias

Hi!

you can integrate the WebStart application into browser, to look like an applet / browser application. Example attached to this entry.
(note: the example include a little hack for startup parameter)

But with this example we are running into same dialog handling problems.

regards,
Roland

But this solution also relies on having some java plugin in the browser. Right?
So this might cause trouble with java 9.

Tobias

I'm not sure, the question is also found here:
http://stackoverflow.com/questions/36011236/java-web-start-will-work-as-before-with-java-9

Anyway, I won't use it anymore. ;-)

Ok, then there is no use in further investigations. But thanks for the warning.

Tobias