Oracle released on Tuesday an update to the
standard edition of Java, enabling Java to run on Mac OS X and two
versions of the ARM processor. The company also upgraded the javaFX rich media application
platform with Linux and multitouch capabilities and released the JavaFX
Scene Builder visual layout tool.
Java Platform, SE
(Standard Edition) 7 Update 6 adds support for Mac OS X, including the JRE
(Java Runtime Environment) and JDK (Java Development Kit). This is the
first Oracle release of a JRE for Mac OS X; historically, Apple has provided
this. Java SE 7 Update 6 also runs on Windows, Linux, and Solaris.
According to Oracle, Java SE 7 Update 6
introduces a JDK for Linux on ARM 6 and 7, addressing "general
purpose" ARM systems and development platforms like Raspberry Pi. The JDK
for Linux on ARM is offered under an Oracle Binary Code License at no cost for
development and production use on general-purpose systems.
Java SE 7 Update 6 also includes Java Access
Bridge for Windows systems, offering direct communication with assistive
technology applications. The release integrates JavaFX and fully supports
Oracle Fusion Middleware.
With JavaFX 2.2, Oracle is adding full
support for Linux on Intel x86 and x64 systems. Multitouch support, meanwhile,
allows for application functionality from two or more points of contact on
touchscreen displays and touchpads. A new application packager in version 2.2
allows developers to bundle the JRE and JavaFX runtime libraries with JavaFX
applications so that end-users can have a traditional native installation
process on Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux. JavaFX 2.2 and Java SE 7 Update 6 can be
downloaded from Oracle’s website.
JavaFX Scene Builder 1.0, currently available
for Mac OX and Windows, provides a drag-and-drop visual layout tool to design
UI screens. Application logic, UI layout, and "look and feel" are
separated via FXML and Cascading Style Sheets. This provides for easier project
maintenance and a more productive developer-designer workflow, Oracle said. Available
for download, Scene Builder also is integrated with the NetBeans IDE and other
Java IDEs.
