JavaFX 1.3 SDK README

* Disclaimer - this text represents the contents of the README.html file included in JavaFX 1.3.1. As these contents are dated, some links may no longer be valid.

Contents

Overview

The JavaFX™ Software Development Kit (SDK) provides the command-line tools and technologies to develop expressive content for applications deployed to browsers, desktops, mobile, and TV devices. The SDK includes the following components:

  • JavaFX Desktop runtime
  • JavaFX Script Compiler and other command-line utilities for developing and executing JavaFX programs
  • JavaFX Mobile Emulator and runtime (Microsoft Windows and Mac)
  • JavaFX TV Emulator and runtime (Microsoft Windows)
  • JavaFX API documentation
  • Samples

See the Release Notes for late-breaking information and known issues about the JavaFX SDK.

System Requirements

The system requirements for the JavaFX SDK, including the recommended version of the Java SE Development Kit (JDK), are listed in the JavaFX System Requirements document.

Structure of the SDK

The following is a summary of the main directories in the SDK:

  • bin– Contains command-line utilities for developing and executing programs written in the JavaFX Script programming language
  • docs– Includes the API documentation and the tools documentation
  • emulator – Includes the JavaFX Mobile Emulator (Windows and Mac) and the JavaFX TV Emulator (Windows only)
  • lib – Contains the Java archive (JAR) libraries necessary to compile and run JavaFX software applications
  • profiles – Contains the properties files for the platforms on which the SDK runs
  • samples – Contains the source code for sample applications written in the JavaFX Script programming language

Tools for Developing and Executing JavaFX Programs

The directory in the SDK contains command-line utilities for developing and executing programs written in the JavaFX Script programming language. The JavaFX command-line utilities are similar to the Java command-line utilities.

  • javafx – Executes a JavaFX application
  • javafxc – Compiles JavaFX source files on all profiles
  • javafxdoc – Creates JavaFXdoc documentation on all profiles
  • javafxpackager – Creates a package of a JavaFX application for all supported targets (desktop, mobile, and TV)
  • javafxw – Identical to the javafx command, except that with javafxw there is no associated console window (Windows only)

For more information about these tools, see the documentation index page.

JavaFX Mobile Emulator (Windows and Mac)

The mobile subdirectory of the emulator directory contains the JavaFX Mobile Emulator, a mobile phone simulation. Use the emulator to see how your JavaFX application runs on a mobile phone. The emulator runs compiled classes that are built by using the JavaFX Packager tool. For your code to be compatible with the emulator, you must use the Common and Mobile APIs.

On Windows, the basic command for building all source files for JavaFX and Java sources according to the mobile profile specification is:

\SDK-install-directory\bin\javafxpackager -src .\mysources -appClass mypackage.MyApplication -p mobile

The basic command syntax for running the mobile emulator on Windows is:

\SDK-install-directory\emulator\mobile\bin\emulator -Xdescriptor:path_to_jad_file

On Mac, use a forward slash (/) instead of a backslash (\).

The emulator supports different phone types. Use the -Xquery option to list the supported devices. Use -Xdevice:device_id to specify the device type. See the emulator documentation page for more information.

Note: If you are not able to start the emulator, try exiting the device-manager (if it is running, you will see an icon in the system tray or menu bar) and deleting the javafx-sdkdirectory from your home directory.

JavaFX TV Emulator (Windows only)

The tv subdirectory of the emulator directory contains the JavaFX TV Emulator, which provides an environment for demonstrating JavaFX applications in an emulated television environment.

The following command builds all source files for JavaFX and Java sources according to the TV profile specification into .\dist\MyApplication.jar:

\SDK-install-directory\bin\javafxpackager -src .\mysources -appClass mypackage.MyApplication -p tv

The basic command syntax for running the TV emulator is:

\SDK-install-directory\bin\javafx -profile tv -jar path_to_jar_file

Documentation

The docs directory includes the following tools and API documentation:

  • javafx
  • javafxc
  • javafxdoc
  • javafxpackager
  • mobile emulator
  • JavaFX Script API

Samples

The samples directory contains numerous samples that demonstrate the features of the JavaFX Script programming language. You can quickly view the samples on the desktop as follows.

  1. Open the index file in the samples directory.  
  2. Click the image of the sample that you want to run.

    3. A page opens with a description of the sample, a live copy of the running sample, and links to the JavaFX source files.

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