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JAVAFX

What is JavaFx

JavaFX is a software platform for creating and delivering rich Internet applications that can run across wide variety of connected devices. The current release (JavaFX 1.2, June 2009) enables building applications for desktop, browser and mobile phones. TV set-top boxes, gaming consoles, Blu-ray players and other platforms are planned

Over View

JavaFX is an expressive client platform for creating and delivering rich Internet experiences across all screens of your life. It combines the best capabilities of the Java platform with comprehensive, immersive media functionality into an intuitive and comprehensive, one-stop development environment.

Features


* Provides a unified development and deployment model for building rich client applications

* Enables you to easily integrate audio and video, graphics, rich text, and Web services

* Allows creative developers to program in a visual context

* Provides tools to build and deliver rich Internet applications for desktop, mobile, TV, and other consumer platforms

* Enables unprecedented collaboration between designers and developers

* Allows designers and Java developers to easily leverage the best of today's advanced enterprise software and rich Internet applications

Technology

JavaFX provides a productive development environment for web developers, mashup authors, and Java developers to quickly and easily build the next generation of rich internet applications (RIAs). With JavaFX, designers and developers can collaborate on building high-impact RIAs. Designers gain a broad set of tools to complete the designer/developer workflow, and developers have a simple, declarative scripting language with the right set of tools.

Latest Version

Java fx1.2 SDK
Current Release
1. The Java FX SDK: Java FX compiler and runtime tools. Graphics, media web services, and rich text libraries

2. Net Beans IDE for JavaFX: Net Beans with drag-and-drop palette to add objects with transformations, effects and animations plus set of samples and best practices. For Eclipse users there is a community-supported plugin hosted on Project Kenai

3. Tools and plug-in for creative tools (a.k.a. Production Suite): Plugins for Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator that can export graphics assets to JavaFX Script code, tools to convert SVG graphics into JavaFX Script code and preview assets converted to JavaFX from other tools.

Technical highlights

Common profile. JavaFX is based on the concept of a Common profile that is intended to span across all devices supported by JavaFX. This approach makes it possible for developers to use a common programming model while building an application targeted for both desktop and mobile devices and to share much of the code, graphics assets and content between desktop and mobile versions. To address the need for tuning applications for the needs of specific class of devices, the JavaFX 1.1 platform includes APIs that are desktop or mobile-specific. For example JavaFX Desktop profile includes Swing and advanced visual effects.
Drag-to-Install. From the point of view of the end user Drag-to-Install allows them to drag a JavaFX widget or application residing in a website within the browser window and drop it onto their desktop. The application will not lose its state or context even after the browser is closed. An application can also be re-launched by clicking on a shortcut that gets automatically created on the user's desktop. This behavior is enabled out-of-the-box by the Java applet mechanism and is leveraged by JavaFX from the underlying Java layer. Sun touts Drag-to-Install as opening up of a new distribution model and allowing developers to break away from the browser.
Integrating graphics created with third-party tools. JavaFX includes a set of plug-ins for Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator that enable advanced graphics to be integrated directly into JavaFX applications. The plug-ins generate JavaFX Script code that preserves layers and structure of the graphics. Developers can then easily add animation or effects to the static graphics imported. There is also an SVG graphics converter tool (a.k.a. Media Factory) that allows for importing graphics and previewing assets after the conversion to JavaFX format.

JavaFX 1.1

JavaFX for mobile development was finally made available as part of the JavaFX 1.1 release announced officially on February 12 2009.

JavaFX 1.2

JavaFX 1.2 was released at JavaOne on June 2, 2009. This release introduced [3]:
* Full support for Linux and Solaris,
* Built-in controls and layouts,
* Skinnable CSS controls,
* Built-in chart widgets,
* JavaFX I/O management, masking differences between desktop and mobile devices,
* Speed improvements.


By - Ravi

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