Sun’s Java Studio Creator team has been quite busy. They are releasing information on the next versions of Java Studio Creator, Sun’s visual development environment, code named Reef Shark and Thresher Shark. It will definitely be worth your while to check out the material Sun has posted in the Java Studio Creator section of the developer.sun site. There they have included details on the new releases as well as articles and tutorials from the team members.
Reef Shark Highlights
The latest version of Java Studio Creator, Update 6, is now available at the Sun Developer Network site. Update 6, code-named Reef Shark, focuses on technical features and usability improvements and bug issues. Highlights include:
- Component Import Improvements
It’s now easier to package custom or 3rd-party JavaServer Faces
components for import into the IDE to use in Java Studio Creator web
applications. - Flow Mode in Visual Designer
The visual designer now supports user interfaces in both grid layout
mode and the new flow layout mode. - Usability Improvements, Bug Fixes, and Customer RFEs
Based on customer feedback, this version includes more than 60 usability
improvements to the designer, application outline and palette. - Improved Export WAR Facility
Some steps are now automated so it’s easier to export WAR files.
Libraries for J2EE specs 1.3 and 1.4 are now included. - Javadocs for the JDK, JavaServer Faces, and JDBC Rowsets
A pre-installed API reference documentation for a number of Java
technologies through a robust, simple interface. - JavaServer Faces Library Upgrade
The J2EE 1.4 SDK is bundled to get the improved support for Java Studio
Creator and bug fixes in the JavaServer Faces 1.1 maintenance release.
Thresher Shark Preview Features
They are also giving a preview of the next major release of Java Studio Creator. The preview release is code named Thresher Shark. Highlights include:
- EJB Consumption
EJB components that execute business logic can be imported into Java
Studio Creator as data sources which can be moved onto the visual design
canvas. - Design-Time API for Building Creator Components
Build custom JavaServer Faces components with this API to take advantage
of the great design-time features of Java Studio Creator. - Remote Server Deployment
This simplifies deploying applications to remote servers. - “To Die For” Style Editor
Improved style editor lets developers quickly change text size, fonts,
backgrounds, color, positioning and more. - HTML Page Import
The HTML page-import capability converts HTML pages to JSP technology
pages, to which code logic can be added in Java Studio Creator.
Detailed information on both releases can be found at http://developer.sun.com/prodtech/javatools/jscreator/reef.html.
Posted 2/11/05
