Ajax Basics & Development Tools

In this session, you are going to learn basic concepts of Ajax such as how XMLHttpRequest JavaScript object is created and used by the browser for performing asynchronous communication with the backend server.  For the hands-on lab, you are also going to learn how to use a few debugging tools out there, especially FireBug debugger, for debugging client side JavaScript code.  You will also play around with various "ready to build and run" Ajax sample applications.

1. Presentation slides (1.5 hour)

• PDF: 1 slide per page
  
• PDF: slides with speaker notes
  
• StarOffice file
• Flash (Internet connection required) - I am aware of "the volume is too low" problem
  
• Flash (Downloadable, unzip it and access <unzip-directory>/AjaxBasics/AJAXBasics.html from your browser)
  

• 4257_ajaxbasics2.zip (Unzip it in a directory of your choice and read lab document from <unzip-directory>/ajaxbasics2/index.html to proceed)
• Online lab document (This is the same document you will find in the hands-on lab zip file)
• Flash
• Homework (The homework is ready so feel free to submit homework anytime)
  
• Change log

• Ajax
  
  • AJAX and Java home site in Sun Developer Network (SDN)
  • AJAX forums in Sun Developer Network (SDN)
  • AJAX with Java 2 Platform, Enterprise Edition article written by Greg Murray
  • AJAX FAQ
• JavaScript
  
  • JavaScript resource center in Sun Developer Network (SDN)
• Development tools
  
  • FireBug debugger home site
    
  • JsUnit home site

• Ajax forums in Sun Developer Network (SDN)

 Things you should do before coming to the workshop

• Software that you want to install before coming to the workshop (You want to download and install these software on your laptop before coming to the workshop if you can - Yes, you need to bring your own laptops to the workshop.)
  
  • Java Standard Development Kit (JDK™) version 5.0 (download)
    • If you already have installed JDK 5.0, you can skip this.
    • The name of the installation file is as following (for JDK 5.0 update x)
      • jdk-1_5_0_xx-windows-i586-p.exe (Windows)
      • jdk-1_5_0_xx-linux-i586.bin (Linux)
      • jdk-1_5_0_xx-solaris-i586.sh (Solaris x86)
  • NetBeans IDE 5.5.1 with Sun Java System Application Server 9 Update x bundle (download)
    
    • When you install NetBeans IDE 5.0, it will ask you which JDK you want to use.
      
    • You can download and install NetBeans IDE 5.5.1 (download) and Sun Java System App Server 9 Update 1 (download) individually.  In this case, you will have to add Sun Java System App Server as additional runtime platform manually as described here.
  • Google Web Toolkit 1.3.3 (download)
    • The name of the file is as following
      • gwt-windows-1.3.3.zip (Windows)
        
      • gwt-linux-1.3.3.tar.gz (Linux)
        
      • gwt-mac-1.3.3.tar.gz (MacOS)
    • Download the zip file and unzip it in a directory of your choice.  The sample applications shipped with this hands-on lab assume that you have unzipped the file in a root directory of your system.
      • For example. for Windows system, the sample applications assume that you unzipped the gwt-windows-1.3.3.zip file in C:\.
      • If you unzipped the file in a directory other than the root directory, you will need to resolve references as described in the document below.
  • Mozilla Firefox Browser (download)
    • We are going to use Firebug debugger which is designed for the Mozilla Firefox browser.
• Hands-on lab zip files (You want to download these hands-on lab zip files before coming to the workshop if you can)
  
  • • 4257_ajaxbasics2.zip (Unzip it in a directory of your choice and read lab document from <unzip-directory>/ajaxbasics2/index.html to proceed)
    • 4260_ajaxdojointro.zip (Unzip it in a directory of your choice and read lab document from <unzip-directory>/ajaxdojointro/index.html to proceed)
    • 4275_ajaxgwtintro.zip (Unzip it in a directory of your choice and read lab document from <unzip-directory>/ajaxgwtintro/index.html to proceed)
• Lab documents (You want to print out these lab documents before coming to the workshop if you can)
  • • "Ajax Basics and development tools" lab document (This is the same document you will find in the hands-on lab zip file)
    • "Dojo toolkit" lab document (This is the same document you will find in the hands-on lab zip file)
    • "Google Web Toolkit" lab document (This is the same document you will find in the hands-on lab zip file)

Sang Shin  Sun Microsystems Sang Shin is presently working for Sun Microsystems as a Technology architect, consultant, and evangelist. He speaks on various Java and Solaris related technologies to worldwide developer audience. He is currently based in Boston area and his duties include evangelizing and consulting on important Java technologies such as Java EE (formerly J2EE), Java SE (formerly J2SE), Java ME (formerly J2ME), Web-tier frameworks and technologies such as JavaServer Faces (JSF), Struts and AJAX, and SOA and Web services technologies. He also speaks frequently on NetBeans IDE and platform. He frequently talks on these topics in various technical conferences.