Welcome to Microsoft^® SDK for Java 1.5.1 refresh release. This version of the SDK contains the latest released version of the Microsoft virtual machine (Microsoft VM) targeted for Microsoft^® Internet Explorer 3.02 (build 1520 for i386, 1516 for Alpha). This release includes recent fixes for Java security issues. Functionality is otherwise similar to SDK 1.5. The end user license agreement for this SDK also permits redistribution of the Alpha version of the Microsoft VM. The SDK tools and samples are for i386 platform development only.

For those who have not installed SDK 1.5, the SDK components release information is listed in the Contents section of this release note.

If you have previously installed the SDK for Java on your machine, we suggest that you update all files with this version by reinstalling the SDK. You should have Internet Explorer installed to use the Microsoft VM and SDK, unless you plan to use Netscape Navigator plug-in, which supports Navigator versions 2.x and 3.x.

This SDK will enable you to write Java applications and applets based on both the Java language spec and the Microsoft VM optimized for the Microsoft^® Win32^® API. The SDK documentation includes updated information describing the Microsoft VM, standard and Win32 extensions of the Java class library, COM support and the included tools and utilities. You can download the entire SDK documentation from the Web. We also encourage you to participate in the newsgroups to post your comments and requests (more information below).

Installation Requirements

If you are interested in working with the Raw Native Interface (RNI) to integrate Java and native code and running the sample native code, you need to have a C compiler (Win32) installed and also have the Microsoft Win32 SDK on your system. The DirectX^® class extensions require the DirectX, Version 2 (DirectX2) run-time components. If you don't have these components on your system and want to run the DirectX samples, you must install them. If you are running Windows 95, please download the self-extracting Directx.exe file, then run that file to unpack the DirectX2 files, and then run Dxsetup.exe. By default, Windows NT 4.0 contains all of the run-time components for DirectX2 with the exception of the Direct3D^® extensions. You can install the Direct3D beta run-time components from the Win32 SDK that shipped with Windows NT 4.0. Note that if you install any DirectX components after installing this SDK, be sure to run Reg.bat in the SDK's \DirectX2\Direct directory to register Direct.dll.

Redistribution Components

Please refer to Redistribution List (Redist.htm) in the SDK for the full list of the redistribution files. You must read and agree with the SDK license agreement License Agreement terms and conditions before you redistribute any component with your applications. Alpha VM redistribution is covered under the same license.

Contents of SDK

The SDK download provides two options: SDK software (SDK-Java.exe) and SDK documentation (SDK-Doc.exe). Once you have installed the Java SDK on your system, you will see the following:

Microsoft Win32 VM for Java

The latest release of IE30Java.exe supports the following products:

• Microsoft Active Server Pages (http://www.microsoft.com/iis/)
• Microsoft Transaction Server (http://www.microsoft.com/ntserver/appservice/exec/overview/Trans_Overview.asp)
• Microsoft Windows NT Service Pack II (Windows NT Service Pack)
• Latest Microsoft Script Debugger for Internet Explorer (pre-release version included in the SDK)

Please make sure that you update your system with the latest Microsoft VM if you did not update during installation of the SDK for Java 1.5.1.

You may redistribute the Win32 or Alpha version of the Microsoft VM with your application by agreeing to the SDK license agreement. The self-extracting executable for the Microsoft VM and its binary files are located in the \MSJavaVm directory in the SDK. To get more information on working with the Microsoft VM, please check out the SDK documentation on this subject.

Class library

The SDK provides a rich class library of both Java standard classes and Win32 class extensions. For the full list of new classes and their functions, please refer to SDK documentation under the title Packages and Classes. For debugging purposes, this release of the SDK includes ClassR.exe, a self-extracting executable; run it to install the classes and sources on your machine.

To ensure that users have these latest class libraries, you may redistribute the file ClassR.exe which checks the version of the class libraries and updates as needed. You can find this file in the \MsJavaVm directory.

Pre-release code: Please be aware that there is a set of classes in this release that are pre-release quality:

• DirectX classes: this version of the class library includes a beta version of the DirectX2 class extensions (see "Known Issues" below). Please refer to the SDK license text on how to use pre-release code with your application. (Note: the beta version of DirectX2 class sources are not included.)

Tools and Utilities

Here is the list of the tools and utilities that were updated or rebuilt for this SDK. For details, please check out the SDK documentation under the title Tools.

• Navigator Plug-in: A utility to allow developers to develop Java applications or applets that take advantage of the Microsoft VM inside released versions of the Netscape Navigator browser. For instructions on using Npmsjava.dll, please refer to Npmsjava.htm under \NSPlugInSupport or in the documentation.



• Cabarc.exe: Compression utility for Java developers to package Java applications and classes for Web distribution. For instruction on how to use the tool, please refer to the SDK for Java 1.5.1 documentation. Compared to the previous version of CabDevKit, cabarc is a single tool used to create, view, and extract cabinets, and doesn't require complex scripts to create cabinets. It also supports wildcards and subdirectories.



• Script Debugger for Internet Explorer: Latest pre-release build of the script debugger, is supported by the Microsoft VM in this SDK. It allows developers using Internet Explorer to debug Java, JScript^®, VBScript, and HTML. Please install it by running the self-extracting executable under \Script Debugger in this SDK. It is a self-contained, digitally-signed component, with its own online user interface documentation. Be sure to read "Using the Microsoft Script Debugger with the Microsoft VM" in the Tools section of the SDK documentation to learn how to install and use the script debugger with Java code. Also, see the \Samples\ScriptDebugger sample directory for code to use to test the debugger.



• JVC.exe: Latest Java compiler which was released with Microsoft^® Visual J++^® 1.1



• Javatlb.exe: A utility to convert OCX type library files into Java classes, which will be released with the upcoming version of Microsoft Visual J++ 1.1



• Windows NT Service Package: A new set of classes that allows developers to write Windows NT services in Java. Note that Windows NT services are only supported on Windows NT and not in Windows 95. Here are the necessary steps to distribute a Java-implemented Windows NT service:



1. copy Javaservice.dll to your own dll, for example, Myservice.dll. Renaming is obviously necessary to avoid conflicts with other people distributing Java services.



2. use jexegen to re-add your service classes and the existing service classes to that dll



3. from your .inf, copy Myservice.dll to system32 and run svcsetup with the appropriate options to install the service. svcsetup is currently hardcoded to create the event source keys with 'Javaservice.dll', this will be fixed in the future release.



• JView.exe: Java Application Viewer (added additional -D switch to allow access to the system property in SDK 1.5)



• AppletViewer.exe: Java applet viewer with internationalization enabled



• ClassVue.exe: A Java application for developers to view and debug classes



• Jexegen.exe: A new version of the tool to convert stand-alone Java application into native executable binaries



• Msjavah.exe: Microsoft version of C header file generator, check documentation for usage



• Native.h: Updated header file for writing raw native code interface

APIs

We have included descriptions of APIs for JIT, Debugger, Native Code Interface support (RNI and COM), and Invocation. Your feedback on these APIs is welcome. Please refer to the SDK documentation under the titles Java and COM, Raw Native Interface, and Working with Microsoft VM.

Sample Code

We have included samples demonstrating Visual Basic^® applet scripting, COM integration, Microsoft class extensions, DirectX classes, class library version tracking, and Java version of debugger sample. In some of the sample directories you will find a Readme.txt file that will help you understand the structure and design of these sample code. The documentation also provides an overview of each sample. The samples are meant to demonstrate the relationship of APIs, and are provided "as is." Please refer to the License Agreement on how to use sample code.

Known Issues

Navigator Plug-in:

When this plug-in is used with Netscape Navigator 2.02, some drawing and repainting problems have been reported. This is not a defect in the plug-in, but rather is caused by the fact that Navigator 2.02 does not always instruct child windows to repaint when necessary. The Navigator release notes advise reloading or resizing the page to force a repaint in these cases. However, this is not a feasible option for a Microsoft VM plug-in.

The Microsoft VM plug-in utilizes its own network DLLs and cache. There is a known problem when navigating first to a file URL and then to an HTTP URL. There is a collision between the version of WinSock utilized by the Microsoft VM plug-in and the version of WinSock utilized by Netscape. To avoid this problem, always navigate to an HTTP URL first.

Script Debugger for Internet Explorer:

SDK for Java 1.5 includes the latest build of the Script Debugger for Internet Explorer, to demonstrate the capability of mixed-language debugging supported via the Microsoft VM. It is pre-release code, not for redistribution. We appreciate any feedback on this component. See the Support section for details on reporting bugs.

Pre-Release Build of Script Debugger:

Given the component is pre-release build quality, there may be bugs if you intend running it with current and future Internet browser releases. It is not for redistribution at this time.

DirectX:

1. Direct.dll: If your Java application uses the pre-release DirectX2 class extensions, you should also redistribute (install) Direct.dll with your application. Your application should also register Direct.dll with the system it runs on (via Regsvr32.exe).



2. Direct3D is not supported on Windows NT 4.0. The beta version of Direct3D run-time libraries are available with the Windows NT 4.0 SDK.



3. DirectPlay^® is not complete in this release. It will be provided in a future version of the SDK for Java.




JVC:

In a few specific cases, if you use the same name for methods, variables, superclasses, interfaces, and classes, you may have conflicts at run time. For example, there will be no error issued for an ambiguous variable reference between superinterface and superclass when both have the same name. Classes with the same name but different cases will compile but will not create the second class and will not run under Jview. In the hardest to decipher cases, an error may occur when a duplicate class name is used because it is attempting to invoke the constructor for the original class. This will offset the error message reporting by several lines. The workaround is to not use the same names for classes, variables, interfaces, methods, etc.

Bug Report and Developer Support

To submit a bug report directly, please use the Bug Report link. You should receive a confirmation of your bug report; however, no further response should be expected. If a response is needed, please use the newsgroup mentioned below.

Visit http://www.microsoft.com/java/ for the latest information on Microsoft and Java.

For additional assistance with specific problems, please review and/or post in the newsgroup forum microsoft.public.java.sdk. We will be actively monitoring and addressing issues in this forum. Also, consider using Microsoft Visual J++ as a development tool and as a comprehensive online Java reference.

If your issue is regarding JavaScript, please see http://msdn.microsoft.com/scripting/default.htm for more information or use the microsoft.public.internetexplorer.scripting newsgroup forum.

If you have any feedback regarding the Microsoft VM, please send it msjavavm@microsoft.com. (This mail alias is monitored, but will receive limited response. Please use the newsgroup forum above for any questions.)

If your question is related to licensing, please refer to the License.htm and Redist.htm files installed with the SDK. If your issue falls outside the scope of these documents, please state the issue clearly in mail to the alias below.