Custom Java WebStart and Applet Loading Screens *finally!*

General Discussions
#1

someone pointed this out on the lwjgl forums and I thought it was really cool.

Since Java 6u21, java now has support for customising the loading screens for Java. So you could have a like a small game playing, while your app/game loads in the background (c64 style).

You can finally get rid of that super ugly java webstart loading screen.

default

http://download.oracle.com/docs/cd/E17409_01/javase/6/docs/technotes/guides/jweb/images/DefaultProgressIndicator_Webstart.jpg

example1

http://download.oracle.com/docs/cd/E17409_01/javase/6/docs/technotes/guides/jweb/images/CustomProgressIndicator_Webstart.jpg

example2

http://download.oracle.com/docs/cd/E17409_01/javase/6/docs/technotes/guides/jweb/images/reversi_custom_progress.jpg

looks like a really cool move, bit late to make much of a difference but nice none the less.

Mochi Style Ads with java apps anyone?

full info here

#2

Yeah, that’s huge improvement! That will enable much more professional look to Java apps/applets. And why people always have to know it’s Java? People really don’t care about that! They just want it to work and be fast, that’s all.

#3

Wow that looks brilliant. Finally we can have professional JWS programs.

#4

I just wish that webstart was better implemented on mac, so it didnt leave jnlp files hanging around after launch.

#5

Finally :slight_smile:
Been asking/wanting for this one for a while.

#6

I ended up rolling my own JWS a while ago. :confused:

#7

Wow, you have too much time.

#8

Can I ask what you meant by this? Too late for what?

Thanks,

-Chagma

#9

Java Applets and Java Web Start were once technologies on the rise but have been of late on the decline. Other plug-ins like Flash have had this sort of stuff for years (customisable loading screens (or ads) while main bulk downloads). Don’t get me wrong its a welcome change just late to the game.

#10

Java applets and JWS applications will always have their place IMHO. While it’s true that the advent of HTML5 with its Canvas and WebGL capabilities means that many of the things that were once only possible with Flash or Java will now be possible without any browser plug-in, there are still going to be situations where you need a fully-fledged programming language like Java inside the browser. Using pure JavaScript is simply not an option if you have libraries of code in any other language (Java, C++ etc.) that you want to use in a client-side application/applet. Yes, you will be able to do a lot with HTML5 but re-using existing code is not one of them. Besides, JavaScript is not exactly the “best” programming language out there now is it? And it doesn’t equip the developer with the enormous range of “free” functionality that comes with the Java Platform.

Java applets and JWS applications may not be the ideal deployment solution for mainstream consumer-oriented software and content but they will still be the most appropriate technologies in many future scenarios.