[rfc][icedtea-web] plugin splash screen

[Jiri Vanek]

On 02/14/2012 08:47 PM, Deepak Bhole wrote:
> * Jiri Vanek<jvanek at redhat.com>  [2012-02-13 10:36]:
>> Hi!
>>
>> This is plugin's spalsh screen based on Deepak's old code.
>> You can see imaged  spalshscreen here: http://download.eng.brq.redhat.com/scratch/jvanek/pluginLoading.gif
>> Before JVM actually starts, there is just gray box. Currently I have no idea how to get rid of it. But I'm also not sure if it is possible or if it have some value to solve it.
>> The grey box AFTER the splash-screen is correctly loaded empty applet (sorry for providing such a dummy one:-/). In case 3.5mb  animated gif is too big for you  just check this stalled one -  http://download.eng.brq.redhat.com/scratch/jvanek/screen55.gif ;)
>>
>> The diff in atachement is code of spalsh creen nearly identical with original Deepak's one - just adapted for head.  I had just noticed that t is not at actual head - the diff of file b/netx/net/sourceforge/jnlp/Launcher.java is just "hardcoded" Danesh's fix for recent applet regression and have nothing to do with splash screen.
>> The changes in testengine are just funny ones - for observering the spalsh screen, but I think they are worthy to be inside. In case that some test of splash screen will be in, they will be necessary.
>> If you want to see the splash screen in work, make install and configure firefox, then check any applet;). If you want to see more of cycling sphere, you can start tests/netx/jnlp_testsengine/net/sourceforge/jnlp/ServerAccess.java class with -Dtest.server.dir setted correctly as tests do, add attached html file into this jnlp_server and lunch it... (It is how this gif was created).
>>
>> Any comments to current approach are more then welcomed!
>>
>> Things for future I'm thinking about
>> - when applet will fail to load, something happens  - eg text with exception, just sad emoticon with information about debuging console....
>
> I wanted to do something similar, so definitely +1 :) I was thinking of
> using the same shadowed rounded rectangle that the loading screen shows,
> but with red color and different text inside.

ok. I will do my best.
>
>> - javaws splash screen - I think that when plugin have spalsh screen, then javaws should have it too, to be unified - My ideas are  - at first use gif image for "java -splash" and then "quickly" replace him ASAP with true vector graphic. Both vorthy? Just vector graphics? Just animated gif? (not animated version of luncher is attached)
>
> javaws applications can already specify their own splash screen -- you
> mean we should show one before that?

Yes - currently there is possibility to use   <icon kind="splash" href="images/splash.gif"/>, which is working quite well But we are not following the spec in :

"The optional kind="splash" attribute may be used in an icon element to indicate that the image is to be used as a "splash" screen during the launch of an application. If the JNLP file does not contain an icon element with kind="splash" attribute, Java Web Start will construct a splash screen using other items from the information Element. "
[http://docs.oracle.com/javase/1.5.0/docs/guide/javaws/developersguide/syntax.html]

Also user can hack pass psalsh screen wia -J-splash=..... (this will walk arround -headless, but I think there is no need solve this "walk arround" as  bug.

So my ideas about javaws splashscreen are:
1)no headless, and user have deffined  <icon kind="splash"
	show animated gif based on splashcreen as -splash= argument to java inside javaws by -spalsh=....
  	It will lead to showing of familiar splash screen,which then swap to user defined one
	in case that -J-splash is defined, then it will overwrite "my gif" -splash (as -J arguments have priority)
2)no headless, and user have NOT  deffined  <icon kind="splash"
	show animated gif based on splashcreen as -splash= argument to java inside javaws by -spalsh=....
  	It will lead to showing of familiar splash screen, which will then swap to "plugin like" vector splash screen containg informations as specification is saying.
	in case that -J-splash is defined, then it will overwrite "my gif" -splash (as -J arguments have priority)
3) headless, and user have (NOT)  deffined  <icon kind="splash"
	no splsah screens at all (unless the -J one is specified)
	-J-spalsh will be still shown.

Summary -  applets and javaws will have same splashcreen. In case thta user one defined in jnlp, then "our same" splashcreen will be here just for second or two, then replaced by user one.

^^ Bad idea? :(

Btw - plugin.jar is using netx.jar, but not vice versa - true?

>
>> - remake the loadng logo - I like Deepaks aproach, and I'm considering it as nice one.  But my sense for art is Zero-one. If you would like to suggest different one, please keep in mind it msut be vector one. A can also visit few frends oriented to computer graphic (I mean art, no pure programming)  and maybe we can find and create something better. But currently I consider it as waste of time.
>>
>
> Oh yeah, my work was pretty much a PoC. A more pretty splash screen is
> quite welcome :)

I have contacted some my art-friends. We will see what we will draw. But the vector-javacode-based image looks like mission-impossible thing for them.

>
>>
>> Thanx for any thoughts!
>>
>>    J.
>
..code sniped