codebase in JNLP file for Java Web Start applications should be optional

Currently, it is required that you specify the codebase in the JNLP file of your Java Web Start application.

This is because Java Web Start is registered as helper application of the web browser. When someone clicked on a jnlp link in the web browser, the browser download the jnlp file into it's temp directory, and then simply invoke java web start to handle the file.

From that point on, the only information for java web start to continue to download the rest of the application comes from the jnlp file. that's why we need the codebase specified in the jnlp file.

However, this is not user friendly for deployer, especially when they need to move the application from one server to another. the codebase in the jnlp file needs to be changed manually also.

it would be a big win if we can make the codebase requirement optional for java web start application's jnlp file.

this is requested by both internal and external customers.

http://weblogs.java.net/blog/kohsuke/archive/2009/07/why_cant_we_get.html