How to Add Java™ Applets to Your Site
A lot of sites feature Java applets, and if you've been searching through the Java Boutique's applet library, you may have found an applet you'd like to add to your own site. This guide will help you to do just that, and will point out some common problems and tips to simplify the task. You may also want to read our new article, Java for the Webmaster and Java On Your Site to find out more about selecting and using the proper applets for your Web site.
- First, select the Java Applet you would like to add to your site. Download each of the necessary .class files along with the appropriate image and audio files, if applicable. (Note: Due to a bug in Communicator, you must hold down the shift key and then click the link to download class files.) Another alternative would be downloading the .java source code and compiling it using the Java Compiler that is included with the Sun Microsystems Java Developers Kit or this Java Compiler Service.
- Next, make a note of the HTML source, (if the applet comes from the Java Boutique, the source is included on the applet page for you to copy), and copy the syntax (changing the <APPLET> and <PARAM> tags as desired) into your HTML document.
- Move the .class or .jar file(s) into the appropriate directory (the path indicated in the CODEBASE= portion of the <APPLET> tag, or the directory of your HTML document if no CODEBASE= is specified).
- If the Applet requires image and/or sound files (generally .gif, .jpg, and .au files), place them in the appropriate directories as indicated on the applet page.
- You are now ready to test the Applet using the Sun Microsystems Applet Viewer (also included in the Java Developers Kit) or a Java-enabled browser.
 - Finally, crediting the author of the Applet (as well as the Java Boutique) on your page would probably be a nice finishing touch. Feel free to copy the button to the right or use the following code to incorporate it into your page:
<a href="/old?u=http%3A%2F%2Fjavaboutique.internet.com&y=1999">
<img alt="The Java Boutique"
src="/old?u=http%3A%2F%2Fjavaboutique.internet.com%2Fimg%2Fjava-mini-yellow.gif&y=1999">
</a>
Troubleshooting
If you see "Applet can't start: class ______ not found" in your browser's status line, it can mean one of two things:
- The .class file(s) are not named correctly. Java is case-sensitive, so be sure to follow precise capitalization.
- The .class file(s) are not in the correct directory. They should be located in the path indicated in the CODEBASE= portion of the <APPLET> tag, or the directory of your HTML document if no CODEBASE= is specified.
To further enable you to locate the problem, you may start the Java console (under MSIE or NS). If you're using Netscape, you'll find it under the Communicator item in the Netscape menu (Java Console). Using MSIE, you'll find it under View (Java Console) in the MSIE menu. The Java Console will give you more details than the status bar, and may help you find out why the applet will not run. Often, it will show you that the applet depends on more than one class file, and you'll need to upload that class file to your server as well.
The applet may be written for a newer JDK than you have on your system. Most applets will work with MSIE4, and Netscape4 as well, provided you have applied the latest JDK 1.1 patch from http://developer.netscape.com.
For more help, you can try consulting the Java FAQs or posting a message to one of the java newsgroups:
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