[gui-talk] Fwd: WE4Java - Preparing for initial beta test feedback

[Steve Pattison]

From: Macarty, Jay {PBSG}
To: gw-scripting at gwmicro.com


All,

There are still a lot of things left to complete but I have just about reached a point where some degree of tester feedback would benefit the continued design and construct on the WE4Java project. Starting yesterday, I began implementing mouse movement support and control. Also, added reader classes for check boxes and radio buttons to the list. From a beta test perspective, here are my thoughts and requests:

 

·         I will create a wE4Java_setup.exe installer containing the wepm file, the dll for the COM interface, and the 3 jar files needed for the java side. This installer will be able to register the COM object and add the dll to the GAC and will likely be able to launch the wepm file as well to install the WE4Java.js, WE4Java.xml, and WE4Java.ini files. Where the initial testers will need to help out is in placing the 3 jar files and the accessibility properties file in the appropriate java directory. It's simply a matter of copying the files and I will provide a readme file describing where, within the jre directory structure, to put the files. But, java is installed in different places on different machines and some vendor software packages actually bundle the java jre with their software. Anyone who has used the JAB knows figuring out where to install the components is sometimes half the issue. WE4Java doesn't have the same requirements as the access bridge because you don't have to worry about the native dll files getting into the java libpath, but still, you'll have to be able to dropp the 3 jars and the properties in the right location with the early forms of the installer. 

·         I need to put together a mailing list of interested testers. If you are interested in taking part, please e-mail me off-list at jay.macarty at pbsg.com and let me know so I can add your e-mail address to the list. 

·         Note that I do NOT plan to release the java source code just yet. I am still modifying it to a degree that I don't feel comfortable with publishing out the source on the java side just yet. The WE4Java java jar contains 21 classes (about 3,000 lines of code) at various stages of completion. I want to manage that part of it a little more until we get some of the initial releases behind us and I feel the code base isn't in as much of a state of flux. 

·         With the holidays coming up and travel, I probably won't have a first WE4Java_setup.exe file ready until next week sometime. 

·         Very soon, I will likely be looking for a website to host the releases of the setup file and will use the beta test mailing list more as notification rather than sending out new copies of the file. But, initially, I can send out the installer file to the group in the e-mail. 

 

That's about it for now. More later. 

 

Regards Steve
Email:  srp at internode.on.net
Windows Live Messenger:  internetuser383 at hotmail.com
Skype:  steve1963