Teamcenter Enterprise is a multi-tier database application. Its web
tier uses JSP/Servlets and also uses non-visual, non-interactive
applets to interact with the main HTML content using JavaScript.

In the past, Netscape 4.x was a supported platform, and EDS developed
applets and utilities to use Java 1.1 to leverage browsers' built-in
JVM. The Java to JavaScript communication works very well when the JVM
is built-in to the browser.

Now they moved away from using the built-in JVM because both Netscape 6
and IE 6 stopped shipping with a built-in JVM. There was also a requirement
to move away from Java 1.1 due to the age of the technology and the lack
of robust capabilities. (Java 1.3.1 is the current minmimum requirement).

Then it's discovered that in Netscape 6, 7 the Java-JavaScript communication
is broken on all platforms (Windows, Solaris, and HP). It's due to some
combination of bugs in Netscape and the Java Plug-in. Most of the applets
use Java-JavaScript communication so this makes them completely unusuable.
The browser hangs when these pages are loaded.

EDS has tried a number of workarounds to try to bypass the bugs, but none
of them have worked so far. The things they tried are basically re-writing
parts of their code, for instance, creating fewer threads or threads in
different places. They tried this two times and in each case the fix worked
around the problem only far enough to run into a different problem or a
different manifestation of the same problem.

Due to the nature of the problem (hang) and the lack of Java Plug-in
diagnostics, they are basically relying on blind luck and they cannot
be confident any given approach really solves the problems in all cases.

Although there is a option to just support NS 4.7.x, this will seriously
impact their efforts to improve the look and feel of the product, as
well as, not allow them to meet the product and customer commitments. The
basic commitment/requirement issue is the support of dynamic html, which
generally needs Netscape 6.x or later.

To help debug the issue, a pre-configured system (SB 2000) is being shipped
to the CTE group (Calvin Cheung, 408-276-7390). The machine has been installed
with all software pieces required to run TcE application.

The system can be reconfigured to be standalone or networked like a server.
The root password is "root'. The trust user-name for Teamcenter Enterprise
is "pdm" and its password "pdm001". If you have access to the machine, login
as "pdm" and follow the directions in $HOME/READMEs:

   startServer.README - steps to start Oracle, Teamcenter Enterprise, Tomcat
   runWebClient.README - how to access TcE web client using Netscape 4.7.6,
                         Netscape 6.2.3 and Netscape 7
   license.README - how to reconfigure license in case of hostname change
   shutdownServer - steps to shutdown all servers.
   bugDescriptions - describes stops to reproduce the problem using "Checkin
                     with attachment Operation"
                     
You can test it from a remote system if the server is properly started.
Here are steps to reproduce the problem:

- Access the Teamcenter Enterprise Home page
        http://IPAddress:8019/TCPC

- Login
        Enter the User ID and Password:
                User ID: super user
                Password: <empty>
        Click "OK"

- Select/Create a Document to work with
        Type in * in the text field above the search
        button (on the left) and click "Search".

        It should return a Document that was created
        before from the database. Click the name of
        the Document "DesignDoc,A,1,1", which expands
        details about the selected Document.

- Attach a local file to the select Document
        Click a link "More file ..."
        Next, click the "Add Local File" button
        Click "Browse..." to select a non-empty file, then "OK"

- Check in this Document with the attachment we've just added
        Click "Check In" at the top
        Click "..." to select TCPC as Vault, then click "Next" button

        If it is Netscape 6.2.3 or 7, the browser will be frozen at
        http://IPAdress:8019/TCPC/controller/eds_mydata_link_checkin_to_vault_search
        The browser is no longer functional.

        But for Netscape 4.7.6, the Check in operation proceeds to
        http://IPAddresshost:8019/TCPC/controller/eds_mydata_link_prepare_checkin_to_vault_browse
        Click "Browse.." button to make sure the attached file can
        be found in the location as indicated in "File Location/Name".
        Make sure "Yes" is filled by the application before clicking "OK".

        The Internet Explore has no problem. I found some inconsistency
        in Netscape 4.7.6, which works in a Solaris machine, but does
        not work on the other one.

I have tested Java Plug-in 1.4.2-beta-b19 in both Netscape 6.2.3 and Netscape 7.
But it does not help.
###@###.### 2003-05-02

Some Java applet source codes are placed in the machine under /scratch/pdm/applet_src.

###@###.### 2003-05-02