JFX Blocks (Core) 0.4 Released

JFX Blocks (Core) 0.4 has been released on Kenai. Here is the list of the major changes for this release:

• New Unit Testing system
• New Expect, and UnitTest classes (in org.jfx_blocks.core) for the new Unit Testing system
• New Month class (in org.jfx_blocks.core) covers months for dates
• Replaced classes that are only found in JSE (Java Standard Edition) with ones that are in the JavaFX Common profile, or in JSE/JME (Java Mobile Edition)
• New ObjectRegistryBlock mixin (in org.jfx_blocks.core.block) which handles retrieving objects from a single place
• LookupBlock mixin now supports using an object registry (see the point above) with the added objRegistry property
• Added date/time functions to Utility class
• Renamed resourceIdRegistry, and internalResourceIdRegistry properties in LookupBlock mixin to storageRegistry and jarRegistry
• New DateValidator and TimeValidator classes (in org.jfx_blocks.core.validator)

Since the previous testing system that I used from JFXtras does not work on the mobile side, and the fact that it has not been updated fully to use JavaFX 1.3 (currently in beta) has lead to the creation of a new testing system. As a result the new system can be used for mobile and TV applications, not just the desktop ones since the system does not use reflection or JSE specific classes/functions.

Although I have tried to ensure that the core part of JFX Blocks can be used with mobile and TV applications there may be some JSE specific functions used. Should that be the case then there is still some work to do in order to make JFX Blocks (Core) mobile and TV compatible.

First Impressions Of Ubuntu 10.04

With the arrival of Ubuntu 10.04 LTS this is the most important Ubuntu release in years. LTS releases only come once every 2 years so a release like this can either make or break Ubuntu's reputation amongst users. I have decided to do a fresh install of Ubuntu in order to eliminate all problems that result from doing an upgrade, and to properly assess the Ubuntu experience.

For existing Ubuntu users the first thing you will notice when booting off the Ubuntu CD is that the live environment is started straight away. The existing CD menu is now hidden which means you will have to press a key before the CD loads into the live environment. There should be a text message that is displayed informing users that they can show additional options for the CD before it loads.

Once the live environment is loaded I found that the installer wouldn't startup (saw an error message). However when I manually started up the installer it worked fine. No major changes were made to the installer compared to previous versions of Ubuntu. Installation of the OS was quick and easy. With the first startup of Ubuntu 10.04 an error message appeared (on a black screen) which isn't a good look. Although it was not a critical error it shouldn't have been displayed at all. Canonical have had ample time to fix the issue since Ubuntu 8.04.

Last time I had done a fresh install of Ubuntu I had to battle with getting the display setup properly, which meant manually creating a configuration file, and playing Russian roulette with obtaining a working display. No user should ever have to endure this, luckily with 10.04 the display was properly setup which meant no more display headaches. Also for the first time with Ubuntu the highest resolution was selected which is a big plus, and there was no need to edit/create a configuration file. An additional bonus was the fact that desktop effects worked properly for the first time after I had installed the Nvidia driver.

Setting up wireless networking and the printer was a breeze, which meant I could start printing some documents straight away. As for sound there are still some serious performance issues which should have been addressed after the release of Ubuntu 9.10. The last Ubuntu LTS release (8.04) didn't have these issues at all despite using the Pulse Audio system for sound. Canonical will need to address the sound basics urgently if it wishes to get musicians/sound professionals on board.

Performance has been greatly improved with very quick startup and shutdown times. On the downside with my PC I experienced slow logins which appeared to be frozen for a moment even though they weren't. A new look 'n feel has been used which makes it easier to see what windows/applications are selected, easier to read text, and more visually appealing. However the window buttons have been moved to left hand side which is a very bad design decision considering existing users, which are used to seeing the buttons on the right.

For some reason the keyboard shortcuts are no longer displayed which is another very bad design decision. Once again Canonical are not considering their existing users. Remember it is much cheaper to retain existing users rather than attract new ones. As for applications Gimp has been replaced with Open Office Draw and a basic video editor has been added (called Pitivi). What is missing now is a basic backup application.

The Ubuntu Software Centre has been enhanced with the ability to see software provided by Ubuntu, or from Canonical's partners. Some software categories now have sub categories and installation of software is more accessible. Social networking features have been integrated into Ubuntu which is a first for an OS. Although social networking is not of particular interest to me other users will greatly benefit from have social networking done in a single place.

Overall Canonical have done a reasonably good job with the current Ubuntu release but clearly have a bit of work to do with sound and login performance, startup presentation, and the look 'n feel. It is quite clear that this a benchmark Ubuntu release which will really attract new users, however existing users are being left a bit neglected by Canonical.

JavaFX Support In Eclipse

Exadel are developing the JavaFX plugin for Eclipse which covers JavaFX 1.2 but not 1.3. Previously Sun were developing the plugin which covered JavaFX 1.2, however they had limited resources at the time which meant the community had to pitch in. For this post I will be covering version 1.2.4 of the Exadel JavaFX plugin.

Installation of the plugin proved to be very difficult due to navigating a confusing website in order to obtain the right one. The first one I had downloaded refused to install in Eclipse (no proper explanation given), it wasn't until I had used the other version that I finally had a successful install. An additional concern is that the installation/uninstallation of the plugin is very slow. After the installation no default JavaFX SDK had been picked up which is a bit of a minor annoyance.

With the JavaFX preferences there are some options for source code formatting and the editor. At the moment it is not possible to debug a JavaFX project due to the missing toggle breakpoint feature. No automatic formatting option is available for JavaFX source files. Code completion is extremely limited at the moment. Only JavaFX keywords and script level variables/constants/functions (defined by the developer) will be picked up in the editor. Move and rename refactorings do not work properly for classes and packages. Strangely there is no delete refactoring option available.

Full syntax highlighting is provided. Errors in a JavaFX source file will only be picked up once the file is saved. This can really slow you down which highlights the need for real time error checking as you type. Plenty of JavaFX snippets are available for use in a JavaFX source file. Even better is the fact that you can easily add your own. When you create a new JavaFX source file you have the option to generate some JavaFX Script from some templates (CustomNode, Stage, Shapes, Scene), which is a nice touch when you need something created quickly (eg a panel for a screen).

Overall Exadel have much work to do in order to bring the plugin up to scratch on the basics. Proper code completion is needed as well as breakpoint support for debugging. Also installation of the JavaFX plugin needs to be easier and much quicker to install/uninstall. If possible Exadel needs to implement real time error checking for JavaFX source files.

Update: Exadel have released version 1.3 of the plugin which supports JavaFX 1.3. For an easy way to install/update the JavaFX plugin add the stable plugin site in Available Software Sites (inside the Preferences window).