RFE: javax.desktop package

Name: rmT116609 Date: 09/02/2003


A DESCRIPTION OF THE REQUEST :
Many users want a System.launchDefaultBrowser() like function. Beyond that, Java may introduce a javax.desktop package, which is dedicated to Desktop Environment related objects/properties/actions/tasks...

  To name a few:

  To launch default application handling given url:
Desktop.launchDefaultHandler(URL url, boolean makeNewInstance);
Desktop.launchDefaultHandler(String file, boolean makeNewInstance);
Desktop.launchDefaultHandler(File file, boolean makeNewInstance);


  To launch a default application instance and open an empty file:
Desktop.launchDefaultBrowser();
Desktop.launchDefaultMailClient();
Desktop.launchDefaultMailWriter();
Desktop.launchDefaultNewsReader();
Desktop.launchDefaultTextEditor();
Desktop.launchDefaultRichTextEditor();
...

  To set current desktop wall paper:
Desktop.setCurrentWallPaper(URL picture, Enum fillMethod);

  To add an applet into System Tray:
import javax.desktop.tray.*;
TrayApplet applet = new TrayApplet();
.....
Desktop.addSysTrayApplet(applet);

etc, etc



JUSTIFICATION :
Many people want to program real desktop applications in Java.

EXPECTED VERSUS ACTUAL BEHAVIOR :
EXPECTED -
Let experts figure out what a "Desktop" is.

Perple can "program desktop" in Java!
ACTUAL -
People have to turn to System.exec(), JNI, etc, to write attractive desktop applications, which is not reliable, platform dependent, and require much effort.
(Incident Review ID: 201520)
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