How to Set Up Java ME on Mac: A way to do it.

Hi all,

Since January, I have switched from my old HP Pavilion (WinXP) to a brand new MacBook Pro (Mac OS X). Such as people use to say on the Internet: I am switcher. I particularly have no issues with Windows. My decision to switch to a Mac was just a matter of learning a new platform.

Anyway, this post is not about my experience on this new platform as a user. In fact, I would to to share with you my experience on how to get Java ME up and running on Mac.

To be honest, set up Java ME on Mac is not a difficult task to accomplish, since now we have an official Mac support by Sun Microsystems, regarding Java ME Platform SDK 3. As a matter of fact, the process is equal to the one performed on Windows, for instance. That said, your first step is to download the SDK from Sun's website and then install it in your "Applications" folder.

Get it done and now you have to download Eclipse IDE and EclipseME plugin. You can download both separately or opt for downloading Eclipse Pulsar. Eclipse Pulsar is a distribution of Eclipse targeted for mobile Java development which contains already comes with EclipseME pre-installed.

Once you have Eclipse and EclipseME installed, now it is time to configure some parameters. The first step is to assign the SDK (former WTK) path on EclipseME. Go to menu Eclipse > Preferences > Java ME and enter path "/Applications/Java_ME_SDK_3.0.app/Contents/Resources" in the field "WTK Root". The second step is to import the emulators from Java SDK directory into EclipseME. To do it, go to menu Eclipse > Preferences > Java ME > Device Management and press the button "Import". In the field "Specify search directory",  enter the same path as "WTK Root" field. Now, press "Refresh" button and the plugin will search for all the emulators. As soon as this search completes with some result, press "Finish". For more detailed and advanced configurations on EclipseME, check at http://eclipseme.org/docs/configuring.html. To conclude, close the "Preferences" window, by pressing "OK".

Now that you have the environment installed and configured, let's get a sample application running. To do it, you will have to create a simple MIDlet. For instance, create the "Hello, Mac World!" MIDlet, which displays the text "Hello, Mac World!". Considering you have created the file HelloMacWorldMIDlet.java, now let's run the MIDlet. Control + Click on MIDlet file, navigate to menu Run As > Emulated Java ME MIDlet. That's it! Now you have a MIDlet up and running on a Mac. Congratulations!!!

Did you think it was a tough mission, didn't you?

I hope you have enjoyed this micro tutorial. Any doubt, comment here!

See you in the next post...

Java ME Platform SDK and Windows Mobile Integration: Good luck!

Hi all,

For those developers who build Java ME applications to run on Windows Mobile, here it goes a documentation by Sun Microsystems that explains how to integrate Java ME Platform SDK 3.0 and Bill Gates' operating system. This document is not that full in details, but at least can give you a north for a solution.

I have received some e-mails from people who is struggling to use this VM provided by Java ME Platform SDK 3.0, telling me that they are not making it work properly. Unfortunately, I have not found a good documentation on this topic, neither attempted to get it working by myself. I, particularly, am not a great admirer of Java ME and Windows Mobile combination. For me they are like water and oil.

For instance, for the past three weeks I have been working on an application porting to Windows Mobile 6.5, which VM is Jbed. It has been a looong work. :/

Almost forgot! Here is the documentation's link. Have fun! :)

See you in the next post...

MIDP 3.0 SDK: Have a seat.

Hi all,

Today I received an e-mail from a follower of this blog, which asked me whether there is a MIDP 3.0-enabled SDK. I answered NO, unfortunately! At least for while, as the specification is not concluded yet (now on Final Approval Ballot, Nov 17-30th), they will not release any SDK, since some changes still may happen. I believe they are already working on it, but nothing has been commented yet. For sure, Sun Microsystems must be the pioneer.

So while there is no SDK available to play with the new features, let's continue reading and discovering what is new in MIDP 3.0, OK? So when the new Java ME Platform SDK 4.0 is released, we will be ready to start developing our powerful MIDP 3.0 applications.

Stay tuned on the next posts, more curiosities are about to come.

See you in the next post...

KVM says goodbye: The benefits of its retirement

Hi all,

In the new Java ME Platform SDK 3, the Sun Microsystems finally retired the Java ME's pioneer virtual machine: KVM. Until the last release of WTK, 2.5.2, all the available emulators were still based on KVM. However, since some time ago, the KVM has not been used by the devices in the market. In fact, it was replaced by CLDC HotSpot Virtual Machine, which is a faster and more robut VM. Ready to meet the market's demands.

The great benefit we can have from this story is that from now on, the behavior of our applications, running on the emulator, will be closer to that one found when running on a real device. Because now, the only difference between emulator and real device's environment will be the underlying processor (e.g. Intel and ARM). I bet that even the bugs found in the VM's implementation are the same in both environments. :)

Have a great retirement, KMV. Thank you very much for your services.

See you in the next post...

Java Platform SDK 3: What is opinion about it?

Hi all,

I just wrote an article for a magazine specialized in Java platform, here in Brazil, exploring a little bit about the new Java Platform SDK 3, which comes to replace our buddy, WTK.

In my opinion, this new version is better off for beginners, since it has a built-in development environment, based on Netbeans. This will help a lot new developers to write their first J2ME applications, because there is no initial setup. In additional, you will find some new JSRs, interface for WURFL, built-in LWUIT, a profiler, support for third-party emulators, etc. In fact, most of them already found in Netbeans Mobility Pack. So, no big deal!

On the other hand, for professional developers, two news deserve a special attention. First, now all the emulators run CLDC HotSpot Virtual Machine, which retires, once for all, the KVM. KVM had already been retired from the devices since a long time ago. Second, Windows Mobile 6 devices now supports J2ME applications, with an official Sun's support. Sun is making available an J2ME VM that can be installed either on a emulators or real devices.

How about you? Have you already tried the new SDK ? If so, tell us your impressions about it.

See you in the next post...

Java Platform Micro Edition SDK 3.0: The new WTK!

Hi all,

The Sun Microsystems just released the new Java ME SDK 3.0, former Java Wireless Toolkit, which comes with many new features. Besides the support to some new JSR's, e.g. Motion Sensor API and Blu-ray Disc Java (BD-J), the new big change is a standalone development environment and a set of utilities for rapid development of Java ME applications. This environment is based on Netbeans. It is really cool, because now we have all we need to develop in a single tool.

Other big change that worths to point out is the replacement of KVM with the new CLDC HotSpot VM. This new implementation is a highly-optimized virtual machine which provides a significant performance advantage over KVM.

The others key features that you will find on new Java ME SDK 3.0 are:

• Integration with 3rd party emulators and Windows Mobile devices
• On-device deployment and on-device debugging
• Profiling support
• Lightweight UI Toolkit (LWUIT) integration
• Device search database integrated in SDK

For futher information on new Java ME SDK 3.0, go to http://java.sun.com/javame/downloads/sdk30ea.jsp.

See you in the next post...

Project Capuchin: Now comes de SDK

Hi all,

Firstly they released the tutorial, now they come with the SDK. Sony Ericsson has just made available on its website, the Project Capuchin SDK, so that developers can start to work on Java ME applications that interact with Flash Lite.

To make the Project Capuchin SDK as accessible as possible to both Java and Flash Lite developers, the components are available for download as the following separate files:

Tools

• Swf2Jar 1.1, Project Capuchin packaging tool and user guide
• Sony Ericsson Project Capuchin APIs

Technical Docs

• Project Capuchin Product Information document
• Project Capuchin API Java documents
• Setting up the Java environment for Project Capuchin Development

Tutorials

• Getting started with Project Capuchin for Flash Lite and Java developers - includes reference applications

To download the SDK, access the link below:
https://developer.sonyericsson.com/site/global/docstools/projectcapuchin/p_projectcapuchin.jsp

See you in the next post...