I am looking for an embeddable HTML content pane. It probably needs to be written in Java, as it must integrate with an existing Java project. Ideally, this content pane supports
- A reasonable subset of HTML (4.0?),
- Forms
- Javascript
- Some sort of CSS
This, of course, is like saying “I want an embeddable web browser.” (Embeddable is neither in the Apple spell-check dictionary nor at dictionary.reference.com. Hm.) I’m building a tutorial builder that is specifically designed for supporting the on-line instruction of novice programmers; it will integrate tightly with BlueJ, a programming environment designed for supporting novices learning to program in Java. I want to provide a way to let users (me, other instructors) create interactive content in HTML, and an embedded Javascript engine will handle page transitions (which will be conditional based on the current state of the environment, eg. student’s code).
So far, I’ve found a handful of options, and have no experience with any of them; this evening I’ll start filling in some details based on experimentation. If I’ve missed any, or you have any experience with these kinds of widgets, I’d be glad to hear about it here or via email at mcj4 at kent dot ac dot uk.
CalHTMLPane
http://htmlbrowser.sourceforge.net/
| HTML | Forms | Javascript | CSS |
It isn’t necessarily the case that I need Javascript in the embedded browser; indeed, it only adds complexity the system that it’s absence might otherwise prevent. CSS, however, would be nice; in particular, for institutional branding of tutorials and for accommodating users with special needs (eg. who need a particular, high-contrast stylesheet).
NetClue
http://www.netcluesoft.com/
| HTML | Forms | Javascript | CSS |
NetClue isn’t free; distribution for the Pro version costs $900 (£450). If I passed on the Javascript, that would come down to $250 (£125). This could be useful, however, to have a full-featured browser component in the project at hand.
JXWB and WWE
http://sourceforge.net/projects/jxwb/
| HTML | Forms | Javascript | CSS |
Unfortunately, this project seems mostly dead; the files released aren’t (apparently) enough to get a browser going, and there seems to be no life in it currently. Otherwise, it would suit our needs well enough, providing a renderer for HTML and CSS that conformed to standards (so it is claimed).
X-Smiles
http://www.x-smiles.org/xsmiles_objectives.html
| HTML | Forms | Javascript | CSS |
Actually, this is “just” an XML renderer; I say “just” because they render, among other formats:
- XML,
- XHTML 1.0, 2.0,
- XForms, and
- SVG (scalable vector graphics)
and they handle ECMAScript (Javascript). An open-source project out of the Telecommunications Software and Multimedia Laboratory at the Helsinki University of Technology.
I will try out the Java classes later this evening; if X-Smiles seems reasonable, it could be a good replacement engine for the Swing HTMLPane. (XForms: are those, um, like HTML forms? Ah. Here they are. They look complex.)
ICEsoft
http://www.icesoft.com/
| HTML | Forms | Javascript | CSS |
A 30-day trial license exists for the ICEbrowser SDK. I suspect it is priced out of range for the project at hand; if a free/open solution is possible, that will definitely be the route to go. To be revisited later if no other options seem viable.
Notes
(These last three were found via a list of CSS implementations; searching for embedded Java HTML panes has been a difficult task; Google has not been forthcoming with goodness.)