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SimpleClientServer

 Building the SimpleClientServer Components

The purpose of this sample is to illustrate how a set of related components can be packaged together (along with icons and documentation) in a single JAR. A single batch file is used to refresh the documentation (built using JavaDoc, or -- in this case -- JSBDoc for JavaScript Beans), and to place everything into a single JAR with a manifest that notes which files are Components:

Manifest-Version: 1.0

Name: netscape/samples/simple/LayerController.jsb
Java-Bean: True

Name: netscape/samples/simple/ServerEcho.jsb
Java-Bean: True

Individual components can also specify icons to be displayed in the design-time environment. For example, the following line in netscape/samples/simple/LayerController.jsb associates "n_s_s_LayerController32.gif" as the large (32x32) icon to be displayed, and "n_s_s_LayerController.gif" / "n_s_s_LayerControllerSelected.gif" as the small (16x16) regular and selected icons:

   /**
    * n_s_s_ stands for netscape/samples/simple...
    * allows icon to sit in root of jar
    * while providing reasonable namespace-collision protection
    */
   <JSB_ICON ICONNAME="n_s_s_LayerController">

ICONNAME="n_s_s_LayerController"
n_s_s_LayerController32.gif n_s_s_LayerController.gif n_s_s_LayerControllerSelected.gif

In addition, Components allow the specification of a Help URL (see CustomProperty for an example of a Java component with a BeanInfo that specifies a Help URL). The following JSB Descriptor in the LayerController component provides a Help URL (which, in this case, is simply the automatically generated documentation created by the JSBDoc tool).

   /**
    * The LayerController can show and hide a layer,
    * and supports multiple layer controller instances per page...
    */
   <JSB_DESCRIPTOR
        NAME="netscape.samples.simple.LayerController"
        DISPLAYNAME="Layer Controller"
        HELP_URL="netscape/samples/simple/LayerController_jsb.html">

Since the component is packaged in a JAR file, it can include everything the components need, including documentation and icons:

The Component's pieces are assembled into a JAR file using a batch file / shell script (depending on your platform):

 Wiring the SimpleClientServer Sample

Open up Visual JavaScript (VJS). Create a new project named "SimpleClientServer". Import the jar SimpleClientServer.jar from the CDK_INSTALLDIR/samples/SimpleClientServer/ directory to the palette (see the ShowText example and the VJS documentation for more information about importing components from JAR files).









 

Congratulations! This example shows how easy it is to build a client / server Web Application using pre-built (or custom) re-usable components!.

Note:

For more sample components that use Layers, take a look at the Dialog Widget example.


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