Task: SWTSwing
Description: With this library it would be possible to get Java applications that use SWT (GUI framework) working on eCS and OS/2. Currently we don't have a native SWT implementation (but end of last year there was some small progress on it) and SWTSwing is using Java Swing as GUI framework that ships with every
Java Runtime Environment (JRE).
Currently SWTSwing only supports Java 1.5 and 1.6. As we only have Java 1.4.1 from GoldenCode and Java 1.4.2 from Innotek on the eCS and OS/2 platform it needs some work.
If SWTSwing can be made compatible with Java 1.4 -- and currently it looks that way -- we could use it.
Most applications that still use Java 1.4 and also use SWT as their GUI component would most likely work with SWTSwing "out of the box". Basically it would be changing the startup script to use the SWTSwing.jar file instead of the original SWT libs. Sometimes you need to removed the SWT libs from the original application jar and add the SWTSwing.jar! This is doable as a JAR file is nothing but a normal ZIP achive (with a different extension).
Other applications that already moved to Java 1.5 or Java 1.6 need some extra work to be compatible with Java 1.4! Some things can be made compatible using the Retroweaver tool you can find at sourceforge. The things that can't be made compatible that way need manual intervention.
SWTSwing is currently the only way to go and could even help the native SWT development.
SWTSwing is already partly working, as you can see here:
- Jameica with the Hibiscus application
- Azureus
- SWT Paint Example (with GoldenCode Java and with Innotek Java)
I've spent several hours on Azureus, Jameica (with the Hibiscus financial application plugin) and also a small SWT Paint example application as you can see above.
They seem to work perfectly already but currently they are no - trust me. ;)
Azureus for example can download files (downloaded an update this way) but you can't open the "Open torrent" dialog, which is only one of several problems right now. I've not yet tried to run the Eclipse IDE with SWTSwing but this should also work (partly). There are more applications available using SWT but I think I've mentioned the most important ones. Especially Eclipse would be very useful -- in my "Developer" view on this topic -- to be able to develop Java applications directly on our favorite operating systems. Currently I have to boot Windows. I was never a fan of Suns Netbeans IDE and the latest doesn't run any more on eCS and OS/2 (I've tried to run the beta some month ago).
Here some links to the other mentioned projects;
Helper Libs:
- SWTSwing project
- Eclipse on Swing (using SWTSwing)
- Retroweaver (to use some Java 1.5 features with Java 1.4)
Apps using SWT:
- Eclipse IDE
- Azureus P2P Client
- Jameica/Hibiscus (german only)
- RSSOwl Feed Reader
I've already tried to start an discussion on the development forum at OS2World.com - here is the thread.
For more information check the supporting thread within the online forum.
Current Bounty: $175 - Moved to OS2World Common Fund
Sponsors: Paul Smedley, Jan Hvilsted, Pieter Kruger, Lee Riemenschneider, Dr. Klaus Konrad & Juergen Ulbts
Submitter: Juergen Ulbts
Closing Date: 2013-06-30
Closing Notes: The Bounty expired and was moved to the OS2World Common Fund