New Java Developer Preview from Apple, new API for OpenJDK

[Frank-Robert Kline]

Hi Mike,

Given the lack of Java support built into Lion, and for the benefit of
consistency across installations, we had been planning to simply embed a
JRE into our application for distribution to end users. This works well
enough on Windows and Linux for Java 7, but from your comments it appears
as though the Apple-distributed Java 6 runtime installs API hooks that
OpenJDK 7 Mac Port relies on.

As we can't be sure that end users have Java installed on Lion:
1. What's the recommended distribution strategy for Java 7 applications on
mac? Or, what's the planned recommended distribution strategy?
2. Is there a plan to include these API dependencies in the Mac Port, so
that Java applications can continue to embed the JRE for
simplicity/consistency?
3. If we continue to embed the JRE, and the potential for an unsatisfied
dependency exists - how can we detect it and alert users to install what's
needed?

Thanks!
Frank




On Thu, Sep 8, 2011 at 4:46 PM, Mike Swingler <swingler at apple.com> wrote:

> Hello OpenJDK hackers,
>
> Today we have posted a new developer preview of "Java for Mac OS X 10.7
> Update 1" and "Java for Mac OS X 10.6 Update 6". We don't normally announce
> these previews to the OpenJDK community, but this particular set of builds
> have new API introduced to the JavaRuntimeSupport.framework for the benefit
> of macosx-port specifically.
>
> Once you install this preview, you will notice that apps running with the
> current macosx-port binaries will now have the correct name in the Dock and
> in the menu bar. Also, input methods will be programmatically selectable,
> and other app startup properties like "apple.awt.UIElement" will now work,
> and various drag-and-drop bugs should be resolved.
>
> You can download the preview here:
> <
> https://connect.apple.com/cgi-bin/WebObjects/MemberSite.woa/wa/getSoftware?bundleID=20920
> >
>
> Please let us know if you have any issues with the preview at:
> <http://bugreporter.apple.com>
>
> While we will not require installing this preview for building the
> macosx-port, we will ask that you install it if you are running the
> binaries and filing bugs at <http://java.net/jira/browse/MACOSX_PORT>.
> The new API changes in this preview will be incorporated into future Apple
> software updates shipped to all Mac OS X customers, and we use these
> previews to refine the API, find bugs, and ensure we deliver a solid
> product for all users of both Apple's Java SE 6 and OpenJDK.
>
> Thanks for all your help,
> Mike Swingler
> Java Engineering
> Apple Inc.
>
>