James Weaver’s JavaFX Blog

Video of Cool JavaFX Demos at JavaOne 2008

Note from Jim Weaver: Since this was written, an updated version of JavaFX has been released.  You can get the new version of JavaFX at at JavaFX.com.

During the Tuesday afternoon general session at JavaOne 2008, there were some cool JavaFX-related announcements and demos.  Grab some popcorn and watch this video of a portion of the session, which includes:

• An announcement that ON2 and Sun now have a relationship that will make the ON2 video codec available as part of the Java and JavaFX platforms.  This will allow video to be converted to a common format and played on any machine or device that supports Java.
• The JavaFX version of the parleys.com website, which is the Belgium Java Users Group's (JUG) site for sharing video presentations about Java.  Stephan Janssen, who leads the JUG as well as the JavaPolis conference in Belgium, presented the site with Jo Voordeckers, the JavaFX developer of the site.  Stephan also announced that any JUG can post presentation videos to the new parleys.com site, which up to now has received most of its content from the JavaPolis conferences.
• An early peek at a design tool for JavaFX in which graphics can be created in Photoshop and Illustrator, and exported for use by a JavaFX program.  This tool is currently named Distiller, and will support the collaboration of graphic designers and software developers.  As a side note, ReportMill is also making some great progress on their JavaFX designer tool.
• A demo of a three-dimensional multi-player game named MoonTank developed in JavaFX.  One of the demonstrators is Chris Oliver, the founder of JavaFX.

Enjoy the video.  This JavaFX stuff is getting exciting!
Jim Weaver
JavaFX Script: Dynamic Java Scripting for Rich Internet/Client-side Applications
Immediate eBook (PDF) download available at the book's Apress site

JFX and the Way Forward After JavaOne 2008

Note from Jim Weaver: Since this was written, an updated version of JavaFX has been released.  You can get the new version of JavaFX at at JavaFX.com.

For me, JavaOne 2008 was enlightening, exhilarating and exhausting.  It was great meeting colleagues that I had only known via email and JavaFX mailing lists.  I'd like to especially thank all who suffered through my JavaFX University and technical sessions :-)

There were several JavaFX-related announcements and demos at JavaOne, not the least of which is the preview release of the JavaFX SDK due in June 2008.  As the interpreted version of JavaFX was the prototype for the compiled version, the javafx.ui classes are the prototype for the javafx.gui classes that were shown at JavaOne and will be released in the SDK.  These javafx.gui libraries will have a streamlined, faster performing API, as well as support for multimedia.  In June, JavaFX will have turned a significant corner, out of the prototype stage and becoming more mature. 

For the purposes of this blog, I've started a category named "JFX" that will contain posts that I'll write about JavaFX in its grown-up state.  This will help you be prepared for the July 2008 SDK preview release.
In the meantime, the version of JavaFX that I've been instructing you about in this blog is still available.  You can download the latest build of the JavaFX Script compiler here.

Regards,
Jim Weaver
JavaFX Script: Dynamic Java Scripting for Rich Internet/Client-side Applications
Immediate eBook (PDF) download available at the book's Apress site

Watch for Falling Blocks: Take TetrisJFX for a Spin!

You may know that I've been progressively building a Tetris game in JavaFX on this blog, the most recent post being Game Over: Improving upon the Compiled JavaFX Tetris Program.  In each post I've shown you the code and pointed out some highlights.  Since then I've added some finishing touches, and would be honored if you've try it out and give me (kind) feedback for improving it further.  The screenshot below shows what TetrisJFX should look like when you click this Java Web Start link.  By the way, you'll need the JRE (Java Runtime Environment) 1.5 or later.  Also, please keep in mind that the JavaFX Script JAR files will be included with the JRE at some point. Until then please understand that when you click this link those JAR files will be downloaded as well, causing a bit of a delay.

In addition to clicking the image buttons at the bottom of the game, you can use keystrokes (hover over the images to see tooltips that tell you what the keystrokes are).  In a future version, the arrow keys will be used for game control.  I also plan to provide the ability to cause the current tetromino to fall faster.  By the way, the tetrominoes fall progressively faster as your score increases, so be warned. :-)

If you have any questions or input for improvements, please post a comment.  Also, if you'll be at JavaOne 2008, please attend my JavaFX Script Programming Language Tutorial session and introduce yourself afterward!

 

Have fun!
Jim Weaver
JavaFX Script: Dynamic Java Scripting for Rich Internet/Client-side Applications
Immediate eBook (PDF) download available at the book's Apress site