Company to integrate forthcoming "Bean Dipping" technology with VisualAge WebRunner
San Mateo (07/08/97) — IBM announced the availability of its primary Java programming tool and related Web framework, and previewed technology for extending JavaBeans components.
The beta program for VisualAge for Java was IBM’s most widespread to date, involving roughly 286,000 testers, according to John Slitz, vice president of Object Technology and Application Development Marketing for IBM Software Solutions.
IBM’s tools group also announced its forthcoming Bean Dipping technology for wrapping existing JavaBeans with additional functions, such as printing, license purchasing, and password security.
“Bean Dipping technology adds logic before and after each piece of existing Bean logic,” explained Debbie Coutant, general manager and chief executive officer of IBM’s Taligent subsidiary.
Bean Dipping will be integrated into WebRunner later this year. Bean Dipping will be incorporated in future versions of VisualAge for Java and other products, according to Slitz. IBM is looking to add JavaBeans support to other VisualAge tools, including those for Smalltalk and C++.
The VisualAge WebRunner component framework is a companion product for VisualAge for Java, according to Taligent’s Coutant.
The VisualAge WebRunner add-on provides a set of JavaBeans tools for the development of enterprise-level Beans; a Beans wizard for quickly generating Beans components; and a Migration Assistant for converting ActiveX components to JavaBeans.
WebRunner also allows developers to create Java and C++ servlets, or server-side applications. VisualAge WebRunner also includes prepackaged JavaBeans components, such as those for networking/Internet file transfer, e-mail, and other protocols, and information display in the form of progress bars, charts, and gauges such as dials, counters, and oscilloscopes, according to Coutant.
JavaSoft will also distribute the ActiveX-to-JavaBeans converter, according to Gina Centoni, JavaBeans brand manager for the Sun Microsystems subsidiary.
The converter currently works only with ActiveX components written in C++.
“ActiveX is basically a C++ phenomenon,” Slitz said.
IBM, in Armonk, New York, is at https://www.ibm.com.
