w3hJava

Finally we are able to finish one more article on Data Representation. My special thanks to Stephen Few who has written the concept of Bullet Graph. An awesome way to represent lot of data in one screen. Basically used on Executive Dashboard to compare between predicted value and actual done.

In terms of Animation, this is different in comparison with other Data Rep. Articles. Here the data loading is sequential in nature. Actually if someone is making it for presentation purpose, the best way is to show the animation on Key hit, very similar to what we do in ODP or PPT presentations.Some small code of AppletExtension is also there, which will show you the power of JavaFX API. When you drag this applet out of Browser, you will not see the custom close button.

Feel free to comment or add anything you want in this.

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Just a small demo of JavaFX + Web Services. From JavaFX, its quite easy to work on Web Services like maps, search, pictures .. There are lot of Web services demo in the sample space. 

Here I have contact list of person, which has name, email ID, phone no, address and thumbnail images. Everything has a different work but here we are willing to see the address work. On clicking contact list’s, will show me his location in maps. Actually there are two ways to do that, fast way and good way. We can store the maps in Database and use it when required, other is we call the web service and take the map on demand from Yahoo or Google API, which will be slow. So, we will go with good way.

Considering only one contact.

Some fancy stuff, like clicking the + sign will open address option. Now, on clicking the address, we will call the yahoo maps API for showing the location of the person Joseph J.

Actually its a mobile application, and can be viewed in mobile as well(just that I am not putting image). So, in basic code of Map show, we did :

// in place of Sunnyvale and CA, it will be {city} and {state} which will be the variables and passed from main code.

var url = bind "http://local.yahooapis.com/MapsService/V1/mapImage?appid=GetApp;city=Sunnyvale&state=CA";

   var p: PullParser;
   var h: HttpRequest;
   init {
           if (url.length() > 0) {
           h = HttpRequest {
               location: url
                onException: function(exception: Exception) {
                }

                onInput: function(input) {

                   p = PullParser {
                       input: input
                       onEvent: function(event) {

                           if ((event.type == PullParser.END_ELEMENT)) {
                               if (event.qname.name == "Result") {
                                   location = event.text; //this will give a URL for image
                               }
                          }
                       }
                   };
                   p.parse();
                   p.input.close();
      …….

Lot of further code. Important of it is OnDone method where we have to write some code of cleaning or loading prev. data. I have also embed my long back code of navigation, which will help us into navigation in the map.

Ignore some minor mistakes, have a look at the jnlp:

Soon, I will post the whole application with code, but the basic idea is simple and can be doable. 

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Somewhere in someone blog, I read this “Complex thing should be doable and simple things should be simple” - this is what the power of a Language.

Many of us have seen lot of Samples in JavaFX and my favorites are those in which complex things are done quite easy, like PhotoFlip. http://www.javafx.com/samples/PhotoFlip/index.html. You can see how complex calculation goes for a perspective transform.

Using it in a simpler form, I tried to write Cascade transformed Frames, which looks something like this :

You can play with 2 buttons. Sorry for not making some flashy button, I simple used Swing Buttons.

By code is little buggy, so bear with it.

- Moving Mouse on any frame, will make it front.
- Close button will close that frame. (It is only possible in non-perspective mode).
- Top bar can be useful for dragging the frames(again good at non-perspective mode, in perspective mode, use the left most corner to  drag it, you can figure out why is so ? ).
- Text will be as clear as it was in original mode.
- Sharing common reason in case of toFront() make the effect little flckry.

(One problem solved, thanks for José Miguel in comment section - Code changed)

Its all in around 100-150 lines of code.  Feel free for suggestions. This can be used for multi-frame work like showing Car models, parts of engine.

Code :

Main.fx

package cascade;

import cascade.Frame;
import javafx.ext.swing.SwingButton;
import javafx.scene.Group;
import javafx.scene.paint.Color;
import javafx.scene.Scene;
import javafx.stage.Stage;

/**
 * @author Vaibhav Choudhary
 */

var bt: Frame = Frame{ x: 20, y: 140 };
var bt1: Frame = Frame{ x: 100, y: 220};
var bt2: Frame = Frame{ x: 180, y: 300};

var gp = Group {
};
insert bt into gp.content;
insert bt1 into gp.content;
insert bt2 into gp.content;

Stage {
    title: "Application title"
    width: 550
    height: 580
    scene: Scene {
        fill: Color.GRAY
        content: [
            gp
            SwingButton {
                translateX: 10
                translateY: 10
                text: "Transform"
                action: function() {
                    bt1.t.playFromStart();
                    bt.t.playFromStart();
                    bt2.t.playFromStart();
                }
            }
            SwingButton {
                translateX: 100
                translateY: 10
                text: "Normal"
            action: function() {
                bt1.t.rate = -1;    bt1.t.play();
                bt2.t.rate = -1;    bt2.t.play();
                bt.t.rate = -1;     bt.t.play();
            }
            }
        ]
    }
}

Frame.fx

package cascade;

import javafx.animation.Interpolator;
import javafx.animation.KeyFrame;
import javafx.animation.Timeline;
import javafx.scene.CustomNode;
import javafx.scene.effect.PerspectiveTransform;
import javafx.scene.Group;
import javafx.scene.input.MouseEvent;
import javafx.scene.Node;
import javafx.scene.paint.Color;
import javafx.scene.paint.LinearGradient;
import javafx.scene.paint.Stop;
import javafx.scene.shape.Rectangle;
import javafx.scene.text.Font;
import javafx.scene.text.Text;

/**
 * @author Vaibhav Choudhary
 */

public class Frame extends CustomNode {
    public var startx: Number;
    public var starty: Number;
    public var x: Number;
    public var y: Number;
    var distX: Number;
    var distY: Number ;

    public var clip_ = 0.0;
    public var t = Timeline {
        repeatCount: 1
        keyFrames: [
            KeyFrame {
                time: 1s
                canSkip: true
                values: [
                    clip_ => -150.0 tween Interpolator.LINEAR
                ]
            }
        ]
    }
    public var t_rev = Timeline {
        repeatCount: 1
        keyFrames: [
            KeyFrame {
                time: 1s
                canSkip: true
                values: [
                    clip_ => 0.0 tween Interpolator.LINEAR
                ]
            }
        ]
    }
    public override function create(): Node {
        return Group {
             effect: PerspectiveTransform {
                ulx: 0
                uly: 0
                urx: 300
                ury: bind clip_
                lrx: 300
                lry: bind clip_ + 150
                llx: 0
                lly: 150
            }
            cache: true
            translateX: bind x + startx
            translateY: bind y + starty
            content: [
                Rectangle {
                    x: 0,
                    y: 0
                    opacity: 0.6
                    width: 300
                    height: 150
                    fill: Color.BLACK

                    onMouseMoved: function( e: MouseEvent ):Void {
                        this.toFront();
                    }
                },
                Text {
                    fill: Color.WHITE
                    font: Font {
                        size: 14
                        name: "Arial Bold"
                    }
                    x: 10,
                    y: 40
                    content: "I am living on a 3D Frame. You can n  transform me using the Transform n Button at the top, "
                    "you can set n me normal using normal button "
                }
                Rectangle {
                    x: 1,
                    y: 1
                    width: 299,
                    height: 20
                    opacity: 0.8
                    fill: LinearGradient {
                        startX: 0.0
                        startY: 0.0
                        endX: 0.0
                        endY: 1.0
                        stops: [
                            Stop {
                                color: Color.GRAY
                                offset: 0.0
                            },
                            Stop {
                                color: Color.BLACK
                                offset: 1.0
                            },

                        ]
                    }
               onMousePressed: function (e:MouseEvent) : Void{
                      distX = startx;
                      distY = starty;
                }
                onMouseDragged: function( e: MouseEvent ):Void {
                      startx =distX  + e.dragX;
                      starty =distY  + e.dragY;
                }
                },
                Rectangle {
                    x: 280,
                    y: 3
                    width: 15,
                    height: 15
                    opacity: 0.7
                    onMouseClicked: function( e: MouseEvent ):Void {
                        this.visible = false;
                    }
                    fill: LinearGradient {
                        startX: 0.0
                        startY: 0.0
                        endX: 0.0
                        endY: 1.0
                        stops: [
                            Stop {
                                color: Color.ORANGE
                                offset: 0.0
                            },
                            Stop {
                                color: Color.DARKRED
                                offset: 0.5
                            },
                            Stop {
                                color: Color.ORANGE
                                offset: 1.0
                            },

                        ]
                    }
                    arcHeight: 5
                    arcWidth: 5
                },
                Text {
                    font: Font {
                        size: 20
                    }
                    x: 283,
                    y: 17
                    content: “x”
                }

            ]
        };
    }
}

View the JNLP here

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There are lot of ways, you can use Lighting effects in JavaFX. All of them have its own use like Spot Light, Distant Light or Point Light. One small sample to show how Spot Light works.

Run the JNLP :

Here is the code :

package lightingeffects;

import javafx.animation.Interpolator;
import javafx.animation.KeyFrame;
import javafx.animation.Timeline;
import javafx.scene.effect.GaussianBlur;
import javafx.scene.effect.light.SpotLight;
import javafx.scene.effect.Lighting;
import javafx.scene.Group;
import javafx.scene.paint.Color;
import javafx.scene.Scene;
import javafx.scene.shape.Circle;
import javafx.scene.text.Font;
import javafx.scene.text.FontWeight;
import javafx.scene.text.Text;
import javafx.scene.text.TextOrigin;
import javafx.stage.Stage;

/**
 * @author Vaibhav Choudhary
 */

var distance = -20.0;
var t = Timeline {
    repeatCount: 200
    autoReverse: true
    keyFrames: [
        KeyFrame {
            time: 6s
            canSkip: true
            values: [
                distance => 200.0 tween Interpolator.LINEAR
            ]
        }
    ]
}
t.play();
Stage {
    title: “Lighting Effects”
    width: 240
    height: 250
    scene: Scene {
        fill: Color.BLACK
        content: [
            Group {
                var t: Text;
                content: [
                    Circle {
                        translateX: bind distance
                        centerX: 20,
                        centerY: 45
                        radius: 30
                        stroke: Color.RED
                        strokeWidth: 2
                        effect: GaussianBlur {
                            radius: 10
                        }
                    }
                    t = Text {
                        translateX: 10
                        translateY: 20
                        effect: Lighting {
                            light: SpotLight {
                                x: bind distance
                                y: 0
                                z: 100
                                pointsAtX: bind distance
                                pointsAtY: 0
                                pointsAtZ: 0
                                specularExponent: 4
                            }
                            surfaceScale: 3
                        }
                        textOrigin: TextOrigin.TOP
                        x: 10
                        y: 10
                        content: "SpotLight"
                        fill: Color.RED
                        font: Font.font(null, FontWeight.BOLD, 40);
                    }
                ]
            }
            Group {
                content: [
                    Circle {
                        translateX: bind distance
                        centerX: 20,
                        centerY: 145
                        radius: 30
                        stroke: Color.GREEN
                        strokeWidth: 2
                        effect: GaussianBlur {
                            radius: 10
                        }
                    }
                    Text {
                        translateX: 10
                        translateY: 120
                        effect: Lighting {
                            light: SpotLight {
                                x: bind distance
                                y: 0
                                z: 100
                                pointsAtX: bind distance
                                pointsAtY: 0
                                pointsAtZ: 0
                                specularExponent: 4
                            }
                            surfaceScale: 3
                        }
                        textOrigin: TextOrigin.TOP
                        x: 10
                        y: 10
                        content: "SpotLight"
                        fill: Color.GREEN
                        font: Font.font(null, FontWeight.BOLD, 40);?
                    }
                ]
            },
        ]
    }
}

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This is combination of my old examples. But here we can easily see how to delete, insert items from window at runtime.

I have integrated 6 of the physics motion in one tree. Actually it makes things little complex, say we have colliding balls on one button and when I go somewhere and come back to colliding balls, it should colliding from begin. So, for some motion we need to restore initial position again.

Run the JNLP here :

Jar file is little big, so it will take time. Code is big, please let me know if you are interested !

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Spring season is about to come and one can feel the coldness in air. Last week, I went to my home and that week was quite good for my sample writing. Able to finish some of my pending job.

Back to JavaFX Samples, last week I saw a nice sample written in flash about the ball motion in 3-D space. I try to implement that idea in JavaFX. Code is little dirty, so I will post it later.

This is how it looks (animation is important) :

To watch the animation, please launch this JNLP.

I hope, you will enjoy it !

1. There are 4 polygon, which covers the space, looks like a cricket net practice place :).

2. Launch button will give motion to ball, since the motion is not restored, pressing it again will not work.

3. var scale = z0 / (z0 + z); Scaling with proper value will provide the Z-Camera.

4. Gaussian Blur for shadow, which translate in 2-D and with same timeline.

–

Change in Blog : Adding source code :

1. Main File

2. Ball Throw

This will allow you to relaunch the animation.

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JavaFX being an easy language, one complex part is to write proper timeline for animation. Though its quite easy but as beginner I feel problem sometime. And sometime as a Java Developer, we start demanding those things which are generally done by the concept of multi-threading in Java. Remember, JavaFX is single threaded application.

So, this is what I generally follow. Say, If I have a class Ball, which has a circle and every ball has a timeline for its own. Now, if you want One ball move after another ball, I write a master timeline in Main file and there we write something like this :

var t = Timeline {
repeatCount: 1
keyFrames: [
KeyFrame { time:0s action: function(){ t1.t.playFromStart(); } },
KeyFrame { time:1s action: function(){ t2.t.playFromStart(); } },

]
}

Where there is an animation of 1s in t1.t.playFromStart(); So, the next timeline call goes at 1s, means finishing at first one. If you want some initial delay, you can write :

var t = Timeline {
repeatCount: 1
keyFrames: [
KeyFrame { time:1s action: function(){ t1.t.playFromStart(); } },
KeyFrame { time:2s action: function(){ t2.t.playFromStart(); } },

]
}

Means, dont do anything from 0s to 1s.

But, It is possible that you messed up after sometime. For that, you need to check the “javafx.animation.transition” package, one of the awesome packages in FX API’s.

Though, example is everywhere in API Doc. I just show a small one, copied from the API’ example itself. First car will fade, then move left and right, then rotate, then move again and then zoom.

Code for assistance :

1. Main for timeline problem.

2. Time class for timeline problem

3. Transitions Main Class.

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So, its a short wait. JavaFX for mobile is here. I have tried quite a good number of application on FX Mobile and its running smooth. But why to take my words, download and give a try.

New sample section is updated too + some nice new samples like Calculator, Ripple Effect and many more…

For Student, Developer, Coder or in one word for Learner(we all come in this section), have a look at JavaFX with Passion

Some of the industrial leader committed to FX, have a look : http://www.javafx.com/partners/

So, “The most pervasive and powerful mobile platform is now the most expressive” - Feel it :).

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Writing flexible code is always good. Though I myself write lot of hard coded stuff but nothing wrong in giving good lecture :D. Weeks back I planned to make flexible template in JavaFX, so that we all can use it by just writing one line of code and that is making an instance of that template in our main file. In general the code we write comes with OS frame like on Windows XP it will come with blue frame and close button, min/max buttons, but for good graphics its between to use own template and off course it will work on mobile too.

Here are some examples : 

So, I have just created a close button on which we call FX.exit(), nothing else. If we can customize the close button, say hmm to save the data or to save the position of the application. Most of the time it happens, we want the application to open at same position where we dragged it last time.

Important thing to notice is the upper rectangle I mean the title bar adjust the length from its own. So, even the landspace(90 degree rotating the mobile) will give us the correct template form(title bar). I agree, it should be small in case of mobile, and even that can be manageable with code(I have not done in this example). 

How to do this can be understandable in 3 basics steps :

1. Define scene as an instance and use that inside stage like this :

public var s = Scene {
    height: 200
    width: 200
    fill: Color.GRAY
    content: [
        Text {
            font: Font {
                size: 20
            }
            x: 10,
            y: 100
            content: "Application content"
        }
    ]
};

and then:

Stage {
        title: "Flexible Themes"
        style: StageStyle.TRANSPARENT
        width: 240
        height: 320
        scene: s

……

2. Everything will be effected with scene width and height. So, take this in a var. like :

public var width = bind s.width;
public var height = bind s.height;

Now, every component, like rectangle, arc, circle will be properly bind with width and height. Changes width and height will change all the component in relative term. So, rectangle(border line) is :

Rectangle {
                    x: 0,
                    y: 0
                    width: bind sceneWidth - 1
                    height: bind sceneHeight - 1
                    fill: Color.TRANSPARENT
                    stroke: Color.BLACK
                    strokeWidth: 2
                },

 where,

var sceneWidth = bind Main.width;
var sceneHeight = bind Main.height;

This code is written in different file so you need to take width and height from main file.

This is title bar rectangle(the blue and the green) :

Rectangle {
                    x: 1,
                    y: 1
                    width: bind sceneWidth - 1,
                    height: 30
                    opacity: 0.8
                    fill: LinearGradient {
                        startX: 0.0
                        startY: 0.0….

So, height is hard coded here but it should vary according to the size of window. For small window like mobile screen we need to reduce it with some factor.

3. Since Main is used as many place, the compiler will confuse with the entry point, so write the main stage code in function run(). Like:

function run() {
    var s1 = Stage {
        title: "Flexible Themes"
        style: StageStyle.TRANSPARENT
        width: 240
        height: 320
        scene: s
    }
}

Here are the files :

Main File (Please rename this file to Main.fx, else you will get some problem)

Blue Theme, Green Theme

 There can be lot to do with Themes, like adding min/max button, giving drag option which is default in OS Frames or save option as we already mentioned.  Please let me know if I missed something :).

Thanks to Josh for making it possible for all screen.

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Some of the way, we can make fancy text. There are lot of good way but these are few of them. If you really want to make it fancy then please do some R&D with these API’s used in this code. Here is a small code:

package addingfontinstyle;

import javafx.scene.effect.DropShadow;
import javafx.scene.effect.GaussianBlur;
import javafx.scene.effect.light.DistantLight;
import javafx.scene.effect.light.SpotLight;
import javafx.scene.effect.Lighting;
import javafx.scene.paint.Color;
import javafx.scene.Scene;
import javafx.scene.text.Font;
import javafx.scene.text.FontWeight;
import javafx.scene.text.Text;
import javafx.scene.text.TextOrigin;
import javafx.stage.Stage;

Stage {
    title: "Text In Style"
    width: 450
    height: 500
    scene: Scene {
        content: [
            Text {
                effect: DropShadow {
                    offsetX: -10
                    offsetY: -10
                }
                font: Font {
                    name: "Arial"
                    letterSpacing: 0.20
                    size: 50
                }
                fill: Color.YELLOWGREEN
                stroke: Color.GREEN,
                strokeWidth: 3
                x: 15,
                y: 80
                content: "Hello World"
            },

            Text {
                effect: Lighting {
                    light: DistantLight {
                        azimuth: -135
                        elevation: 30
                    }
                    surfaceScale: 5
                }
                x: 10
                y: 200
                content: "Hello World"
                fill: Color.RED
                font: Font {
                    name: "Arial Bold"
                    letterSpacing: 0.20
                    size: 50
                }
            },
            Text {
                effect: Lighting {
                    light: SpotLight {
                        x: 0
                        y: 100
                        z: 50
                        pointsAtX: 400
                        pointsAtY: 0
                        pointsAtZ: 0
                        specularExponent: 2
                    }
                    surfaceScale: 5
                }
                textOrigin: TextOrigin.TOP
                x: 10
                y: 300
                content: "Hello World"
                fill: Color.RED
                font: Font {
                    name: "Arial Bold"
                    letterSpacing: 0.20
                    size: 50
                }
            },
            Text {
                effect: GaussianBlur {
                }
                x: 10
                y: 400
                content: "Hello World"
                fill: Color.GREEN
                font: Font {
                    name: "Arial Bold"
                    letterSpacing: 0.20
                    size: 50
                }
            }
        ]
    }
}

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