[crossfire] Gridarta as Webstart application

[Christian Hujer]

Hello dear co-devs,


I've just started experimenting a bit with Webstart. You can see my first 
steps on http://www.riedquat.de/gridarta/webstart

To me, Webstart currently looks like the future of Gridarta.
I have the following reasons for this opinion:
* It's easy to use for users.
** Start the application by a click on a link on a webpage.
** On Windows it can create desktop and start menu shortcuts.
* It will automatically update the application.
* We can easily split the application into several jar files.
* Each jar file is updated separately.
* If the webpage is set up properly, it will even help users to update their 
JRE if it's out of date for Gridarta.

(Note that gridarta webstart is not intended to replace the original 
standalone applications, it's intended as an alternative that should be easy 
to use and easy to update for users)

Possible file list A:
* hosted by Gridarta:
** For Crossfire:
*** gridarta4crossfire.jnlp
*** gridarta4crossfire.jar
** For Daimonin:
*** gridarta4daimonin.jnlp
*** gridarta4daimonin.jar
** For both:
*** library jars (gridarta, japi, bsh-*, jlfgr-1_0)
*** legacy jars (rm'ed asap): crimson, jdom, png, visualtek
*** log4j.jar (Ragnor: now open for discussion again)
* hosted by Crossfire:
** gridarta4crossfire-data.jar
* hosted by Daimonin:
** gridarta4daimonin-data.jar

Possible file list B:
* hosted by Crossfire:
** gridarta4crossfire-data.jar
** gridarta4crossfire.jnlp
** gridarta4crossfire.jar
* hosted by Daimonin:
** gridarta4daimonin-data.jar
** gridarta4daimonin.jnlp
** gridarta4daimonin.jar
* hosted by Gridarta:
** library jars gridarta.jar, japi.jar, bsh-classgen.jar, bsh-commands.jar, 
bsh-core.jar, bsh-util.jar, jlfgr-1_0.jar
** legacy jars (to be removed soon): crimson.jar, jdom.jar, png.jar, 
visualtek.jar
** log4j.jar (now open for discussion again)

The jnlp needs to be changed if a jar is added or removed.
Having the jnlp with Gridarta means Gridarta has to update the JNLPs if the 
projects decide to change their data jar (e.g. split it into two or three 
separate jars).
Having the jnlp with the projects means the Projects have to update the JNLPs 
if gridarta decides to add / remove library jars / split itself into more 
jars.
I haven't found a way of using a split jnlp yet. (Maybe someone knows?)

I think having the servers in jar archives and deploying / updating them with 
the editor package could also come in handy. JNLP allows specifying different 
jars for different operating systems, architecture and even locale.


Feedback welcome, especially from crossfire and daimonin admins / developers 
(that's why I crossposted and cc:-ed)
-- 
Christian Hujer
Free software developer
E-Mail: cher at riedquat.de
WWW: http://www.riedquat.de/