Applet Programming

Introduction
• Applet are small java program primarily used for
Internet computing.
• They can run using Applet Viewer or any web
browser that supports java.
• An applet can perform arithmetic operation,
display graphics, play sounds, accept user input,
create animation and play interactive games.
• Local applet (store on local computer)
• Remote applet (downloaded from remote
computer and run locally)(The URL must be
specified in the CODEBASE value in html tag.)
 Applet v/s Application Program
Applet are not full featured application program. They are
usually written to a accomplish a small task or a component of
a task. Since they are usually designed for use on the
internet, they impose certain limitation and restrictions in
their design.
1. Applets do not use the main() method for initiating the
execution of the code. Applets, when loaded,
automatically call certain methods of Applet class to start
and execute the applet code.
2. Unlike stand-alone applications, applets can not be run
independently. They have to be embedded inside a web
page to get using a special feature known as HTML tag.
3. Applets can only be executed inside the web browser of
appletviewer.
4. Applets can not read from or write to the files on
the local computer.
5. Applet can not communicate with the other
servers on the network.
6. Applet can not run any program from the local
computer.
7. Applet are restricted from using libraries from
other languages such as C or C++.(java language
supports this feature through native methods)
• Applet actually are of two types.
1. One which use the AWT (abstract window toolkit) to
draw and display graphics.(Use Applet class)
2. Another type which uses Swing for drawing and display of
graphics.(Use JApplet class). The swing offers a richer and
easer to use user interface then AWT. So Swing based
applet are more popular then AWT based.
• But AWT based applet are still used, especially when
only a very simple user interface is required.
• The JApplet class inherits the Applet class, so all the
methods of Applet class are available in the Japplet
class.
 Writing Applet
• Building an applet code (.java file)
• Creating an executable applet (.class file)
• Designing a web page using HTML tags
• Writing an applet tag <APPLET>
• Adding <APPLET> tag into the web page
• Creating HTML file
• Testing the applet code
 Building applet code
import java.awt.*;
Import java.applet.*;
…
Public class abc extends Applet
{
…..
…..
public void paint(Graphics g)
{
…..
….. //Applet operation code
…..
}
…..
…..
}
import java.awt.*;
import java.applet.*;…
public class abc extends Applet{
public void paint(Graphics g){
g.drawString(“Hello Java”,10,100);
}
}
When executed , draw the string Hello Java at
position 10,100(pixel value).
• Chain of classes inherited by Applet class
java.lang.Object

java.awt.Component

java.awt.container

java.awt.Panel

java.applet.Applet
Applet life cycle
 Applet states
• Initialization state: Applet enters the initialization state when it is
first loaded. It calls init method of Applet class. The initialization
occurs only once in the applet’s life cycle. We can override the init
method as
public void init(){-------------}
• Running state: Applet enters the running state when the system
calls the start method of Applet class from born state or Idle state.
The start method is automatically called when we return back to
the web page after leaving it. We can override the start method as
public void start(){---------}
• Stopped /Idel state: An applet become idle when it is stopped from
running. The stop method is automatically called when we leave the
web page. We can override the stop method as
public void stop(){----------}
• Dead State: An applet is said to be dead when it is removed
from memory. This occurs automatically by invoking the
destroy() method when we quit the browser. The
destroying stage occurs only once(same as init()). We can
override the destroy() method to clean up these resources:
public void destroy(){-------------}
• Display state: Applet moves to display state whenever it
has to perform some output operation on the screen. This
happen immediately after the applet enters into the
running state. The paint() method is used for this. We must
overriding this method if we want anything to be displayed
on screen.
public void paint(Graphics g){---------------}
The display state is not actually the part of applet’s life
cycle. The paint method is inherited from the Component
class, a super class of Applet.
 Example of applet life cycle
import java.awt.*;
import java.applet.*;
/*
<applet code=abc.class height=200 width=200>
</applet>
*/
public class abc extends Applet{
String text;
public void init()
{
setBackground(Color.green);
setForeground(Color.red);
Text=“this is the example applet”;

}
public void start()
{
System.out.println(“………….Starting the applet”);
}
public void stop()
{
System.out.println(“………….Stopping the applet”);
}
public void destroy()
{
System.out.println(“………….exiting the applet”);
}
public void paint(Graphics g){
g.drawString("Hello Java",30,30);
showStatus(“this is status bar”);
}
}
 Creating and executing Applet
• Create an html file with <Applet >
tag(abc.html)
• Create a java code for applet(Hellojava.java)
• Compile the code and get class file
(Hellojava.class)
• Run the html file(By web browser or by
appletviewer)
<html>
<!My first java applet>
<head> <title> Welcome to java applet </title>
</head>
<body>
<center>
<h1> Welcome to the world of java applet</h1>
</center>
<br>
<center>
<applet
code=Hellojava.class
width=400
height=200>
</applet>
</center> </body> </html>
import java.awt.*;
import java.applet.*;
public class Hellojava extends Applet{
public void paint(Graphics g)
{
g.drawString("Hello Java",10,100);
}
}
The class Hellojava is a public so it must be saved by
Hellojava.java file name.
The applet contain only one executable statement
g.drawString(---);
Which draw the string when executed at position
10,100(pixels) of the applets reserved space.
• To execute the applet we put the html file and
the Hellojava class file in same directory and then
run the html file with any java supported web
browser.
• We can also run the applet by using appletviewer
tool which is supplied with JDK by running
appletviewer abc.html
• One more method is to put <applet> tag in java
source file in comments. Then compile the code.
Now use appletviewer sourcefile.java. This will
start the applet.
import java.awt.*;
import java.applet.*;
/*
<applet code=abc.class
height=200
width=200
>
</applet>
*/
public class abc extends Applet{
public void paint(Graphics g){
g.drawString("Hello Java",10,100);
}
}
The applet tag is included in the java source file(abc.java) in comments.
Now compile the code to get abc.class file. Then run appletviewer abc.java
to start the applet. By this method it is easy to develop and change the
applet code.
 The applet tag
<APPLET
[CODEBASE = CODEBASE_URL] (specify url of dir where applet class is stored)
CODE=Appletfilename.class (name of applet class file)
[ALT=alternate_text] (show text if applet doesn’t run)
[NAME = applet_instance_name] (name of applet instance)
WIDHT = pixels
HEIGHT= pixels
[ALIGN = alignment] ( TOP BOTTOM LEFT RIGHT etc)
[ VSPACE =pixels] (for TOP BOTTOM specify blank space)
[ HSPACE =pixels] > (for LEFT RIGHT specify blank space)
[ <PARAM NAME =name1 VALUE=value1>]
[ <PARAM NAME =name2 VALUE=value2>] (pass parameter to applet)
-------------
[Text to be displayed in the absence of java]
</APPLET> *(Bolds are necessary)
 Paint( ) method
• The paint( ) method is called each time your
applet’s output must be dreaw/redrawn.
• For example, the window in which the applet is
running may be overwritten by another window
and then uncovered. Or the applet window may
be minimized and then restored.
• The paint( ) method has one parameter of type
Graphics class , which describes the graphics
environment in which the applet is running.
 Update() method
• This method is called when your applet has
requested that a portion of its window be
redrawn.
• The default version of update( ) first fills an
applet with the default background color and
then calls paint( ) method to paint the rest of
the component.
 repaint() method
• Calling a repaint () method causes the whole
component to be repainted.
• repaint() -> update() ->paint()
• The repaint( ) method has four forms.
• void repaint( )
• void repaint(int left, int top, int width, int height)
• void repaint(long maxDelay)
• void repaint(long maxDelay, int x, int y, int width, int height)
 Passing parameter to applet
import java.awt.*;
import java.applet.*;
public class Hellojava extends Applet{
String str;
public void init()
{
str=getParameter("string"); //receive parameter value
if(str==null)
str="java";
str="Hello "+str; //use the value
}
public void paint(Graphics g)
{
g.drawString(str,10,100);
}
}
<applet
code=Hellojava.class
width=400
height=200>
<PARAM NAME = "string" VALUE = "Applet"]
>
</applet>
 Displaying numerical values
import java.awt.*;
import java.applet.*;
public class Hellojava extends Applet{
public void paint(Graphics g)
{
int value1 =10;
int value2 = 20;
int sum =value1+value2;
String s= "Sum:"+String.valueOf(sum);
g.drawString(s,10,100);
}
}
 Taking input from user
• Applet works in graphical environment. So
applet treats the input as text string.
• The TextField class of applet package is used
for creating a text field on applet.
• The input from text field is in string form, so it
should be changed to right format before any
computation.
• For displaying the output the result should be
converted to String.
import java.awt.*;
import java.applet.*;
public class Hellojava extends Applet
{
TextField text1,text2;
public void init()
{
text1 = new TextField(8);
text2 = new TextField(8);
add(text1);
add(text2);
text1.setText("0");
text2.setText("0");
}
public void paint(Graphics g) {
int x=0,y=0,z=0;
String s1,s2,s;
g.drawString("Input a number in each box ",10,50);
try{
s1=text1.getText();
x=Integer.parseInt(s1);
s2=text2.getText();
y=Integer.parseInt(s2); }
catch(Exception e){ }
z=x+y;
s=String.valueOf(z);
g.drawString("The SUM is :",10,75);
g.drawString(s,100,75);
}
public boolean action(Event event, Object obj) {
repaint();
return true;
}
}
<applet
code=Hellojava.class
width=400
height=200>
</applet>