Developing Java Beans

Java Beans is the most important new development in Java this year. it gives Java developers the ability to work with sophisticated graphical development tools, and to integrate Java software into projects using other component technologies, such as Microsoft's ActiveX.

Developing Java Beans gives you a firm grounding in every aspect of the JavaBeans component architecture. You'll learn how to create components that can be manipulated by tools like Borland's JBuilder or IBM's VisualAge for Java, enabling others to build entire applications by using and reusing these building blocks. Beyond the basics, Developing Java Beans teaches you how to create Beans that can be saved and restored properly, how to take advantage to introspection to provide more information about a Bean's capabilities, how to provide property editors and customizers that manipulate a Bean in sophisticated ways, and how to integrate Java Beans into ActiveX projects.

The book covers:

• Events, event listeners, and adapters
• Properties, indexed properties, bound properties, constrained properties, and vetoable property changes
• Persistence, serialization, versioning, and object validation
• Packaging Beans using JAR files
• The BeanBox, a prototypical development tool
• Reflection and introspection
• Property editors and customizers
• The ActiveX bridge; using Java Beans in Visual Basic programs

1. Introduction
• The Component Model
• The JavaBeans Architecture
• JavaBeans Overview
• Using Design Patterns
• javaBeans vs. ActiveX
• Getting Started
2. Events
• The Java Event Model
• Events in the AWT Package
3. Event Adapters
• Demultiplexing
• Generic Adapters
• Event Adapters in the AWT Package
• Event Filtering
• Event Queuing
4. Properties
• Accessing Properties
• Indexed Properties
• Bound Properties
• Constrained Properties
• Handling Events for Specific Properties
• a java.awt Example
5. Persistence
• Object Serialization
• The java.io.Seralizable Interface
• Class-Specific Serialization
• Walking the Class Hierarchy
• Serializing Event Listeners
• Versioning
• Object Validation
• The java.io.Externalizable Interface
• Instantiating Serialized Objects
6. JAR Files
• The jar Program
• The Manifest
• Using JAR Files with HTML
• Using JAR FIles on the CLASSPATH
• An Alternative to the jar Program
7. The BeanBox Tool
• Running BeanBox
• Dropping Beans on BeanBox
• Editing a Bean's Properties
• Hooking Up Beans
• Saving and Restoring the BeanBox Form
• Adding Your Own Beans to BeanBox
8. Putting It All Together
• Defining the Temperature Control Simulator
• Building the Simulator
• A Sample Simulator Applet
• Creating a JAR File
• Recreating the Sample Using BeanBox
9. Introspection
• The BeanInfo Interface
• Providing Additional BeanInfo Objects
• Introspecting the Environment
• The BeansBook.Simulator BeanInfo Classes
10. Property Editors and Customizers
• Property Editors
• Customizers
11. ActiveX
• The JavaBeans ActiveX Bridge
• Technology Mapping
• Using Beans in Visual Basic

1. Design Patterns
2. The java.beans Package

A good introduction to Beans. Why somebody would like to learn Beans, is another question…