Jave IDE: JFactory
By Scott Clark
JFactory uses the familiar tabbed interface to let the programmer access all of the objects in the Object manager, and basically uses the same type of project system that is common with most IDEs. This tool creates code by using the skeleton that is created after you create a new project, and then you can elaborate on this basic code. They each also have an online help system to guide you in their use. JFactory will ship with a printed 184 page User’s Guide as well.
System Requirements
Windows:
a 486 or better CPU
16 MB RAM
25 MB hard drive space
Microsoft Windows NT or Windows 95
the Sun JAVA JDK 1.0 or 1.0.1
Unix X/Motif:
a supported Unix Workstation (Sparc Solaris & HP UX)
Enought RAM to run x/Motif and the JDK compiler
25-30 MB hard drive space
X11R5 and OSF/Motif 1.2
the Sun JAVA JDK 1.0 or 1.0.1
OS/2:
A PC that will run OS/2 Warp 3.0
4MB of main memory above that required by OS/2
25 MB hard drive space above that required by OS/2
A 2 button mouse or other pointing device
IBM Operating System/2 (OS/2) Warp 3.0
the IBM version of the JDK 1.0 build os2-19960412
Price: $495 during the intro offer ($795 regularly) with free upgrades until Dec. 31st 1996
Unlimited phone support until Dec. 31st 1996 for $99
Rogue Wave’s JFactory is a new WYSIWYG integrated development environment designed for professional java programmers and development teams to assist in the creation of java applets and applications as well as application prototypes. Although it appeared to be just what it was promised to be, after some trial and error use it was found to be not quite up to par.
The installation of JFactory was a simple matter of executing the setup file and following the directions on the dialog boxes that come up. The classpath variables were a snap to set using the guidelines in the documentation. The documentation is pretty complete, including an Online Tutorial, but I do recommend working through it before undertaking the building of any serious project. Unfortunately there is no mechanism to print out the docs, which is a real loss considering that the User’s Guide still wasn’t shipping when I did this review. I did get the printed copy of the User’s Guide that will ship with JFactory, and it is a very comprehensive 184 page book that takes you through the installation, tutorials, and the various tools that make up JFactory, as well as a troubleshooting guide. Building projects in JFactory is a fairly straightforward matter. You are presented with a wizard-like dialog that uses 3 templates to start your project: the Applet template, which creates an applet project with a main window, the App template, which creates an application project with a main window, and the Menu App template, which also gives you a window --- this one with File, Edit, and Help menus already on it. You also have the ability to create and add your own custom designed templates to JFactory. JFactory also provides an easy mechanism for designing windows. The Windows and Dialog Designer is a drag and drop visual designer that provides allignment and sizing tools, and contains a floating Tool Palette of controls. The Tool Palette contains 14 drag and drop control objects including: Button, Bitmap (Image), Static Text (Label), Radio Button, Image Loop (Animation), Edit Control (TextField and Text Area), Check Box, Pane (Canvas), List Box, Combo Box, Vertical Scroll Bar, Horizontal ScrollBar, and Menu, and an undefined object control that you are allowed to assign properties and events to. New controls can also be added. The Object Library is one of JFactory’s key features. It allows you to add objects that you create and reuse them in future projects. This time saving feature proved itself more and more each time I added objects to the library.
The Project Manager
In JFactory the Project Manager is used to view and edit the objects within that project. A project tree is shown graphically to show the objects and containers within a project. Each object in the project tree can be manipulated by a pop-up menu associated with that particular object.
The Object Manager
The properties of the project, window, menu, dialog and controls are modified using the Object Manager. The Object Manager allows you to check the properties of any object in your project by selecting the object in the Project Manager, the Window and Dialog Designer, or the Menu Designer, and the info appears automatically in the Object Manager.
The Source Code Editor
The Source Code Editor was the greatest disappointment of JFactory. There is no color editing, no keyword highlighting, no drag and drop, no right mouse button editing, nothing. JFactory does allow the use of an external editor such as Ed for Windows, however if you choose to use such an editor you lose the bookmarking and Object Manager integration. The only good thing about the JFactory editor is the use or protected blocks, which are selected areas in the source where you put your own code, as opposed to JFactory generated code. The bad thing about the protected blocks is that they are completely ignored when using the test feature.
JFactory does make the programmer’s life a bit more pleasant, however not pleasant enough to part with $495 of hard earned cash. If you need technical support via phone the cost is upped even more to $594. With the scores of IDE’s that are coming out every day, JFactory needs to offer a lot more to justify the money that they are asking for it. It does do a decent job of designing the User Interface and has a lot of programming potential. Perhaps another 6 months of develpment would make it the Rapid Application Development program it is supposed to be.
Company Info
email: support@roguewave.com
Web: http://www.roguewave.com
JFactory 1.0
Rogue Wave Software, Inc.
850 S.W. 35th Street
Corvallis, OR 97333 USA
(541) 754-3010
(800) 487-3217
Web Developer® Site Feedback
Web Developer®
Copyright © 2000 internet.com Corporation. All rights reserved.
