Visual Java Runtime Classes

Visual Java applets run in any Java enabled browser or viewer that supports JDK version 1.0.2 or later.

Applets and applications developed with Visual Java require Visual Java runtime classes in order to run outside of the Java WorkShop environment. The runtime classes consist of:

Visual Java is architected to use runtime classes instead of duplicating the necessary runtime code in the application for a number of reasons:

How to Use the Runtime Classes

The runtime classes are located in the following directory:
 <install_dir_path>/JWS/classes/sunsoft/jws/visual/rt

You can redistribute the Visual Java runtime classes with your applications. They can be copied into the directory containing your application's main class file, in which case they will be downloaded by the applet class loader of the browser or viewer, or they can be installed locally on the client side and specified in the CLASSPATH variable.

To copy the runtime classes into an application directory, copy the contents of:

<install_dir_path>/JWS/classes/sunsoft

into the directory that contains the main applet class. On a Unix system, you can make a link to the sunsoft classes directory rather than an actual copy.

The first time an applet that requires the runtime classes to be downloaded is run, there is a delay while the runtime classes are loaded over the internet. Once the classes are cached, there is relatively little delay when subsequent applets are run, unless the applets use runtime classes not already used by the applets preceding it.

Performance is significantly better if the runtime classes are installed locally and accessed via the CLASSPATH. The time it takes to download the runtime classes is affected more by the number of classes than the size. Most browsers create a new connection to download each class, which is very slow.

Easier and faster mechanisms are being investigated. You will see improvements in this process in future versions.

Netscape Navigator

If an applet is run in Netscape Navigator and the Visual Java runtime classes are installed locally, Navigator must be started after the CLASSPATH has been set. If Navigator fails to find the Visual Java runtime classes, you will probably see one of the following error messages:

You may run into situations where it is necessary to restart Navigator if it has previously failed to find the runtime classes.

Runtime Class Documentation

To view Visual Java runtime API files generated using javadoc click here.


See also:

Visual Java Overview
The Visual Menu
Visual Java Components
Laying Out GUI Interfaces
Generating Java Source Code
Adding Operations (Filters and Actions)
Creating Menus
Adding Custom Components and Windows
Using Groups and Shadows (Basic)
Using Groups and Shadows (Advanced)
Visual Java API Documentation
Visual Java Runtime Packages
Class Hierarchy
Index of all Fields and Methods