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Google Web Toolkit (GWT) is an open source Java development framework for building Ajax-enabled web applications. Instead of the hodgepodge of technologies that developers typically use for Ajax–JavaScript, HTML, CSS, and XMLHttpRequest–GWT lets developers implement rich client applications with pure Java, using familiar idioms from the AWT, Swing, and SWT. GWT goes beyond most Ajax frameworks by making it easy to build desktop-like applications that run in the ubiquitous browser, where the richness of the user interface is limited only by the developer’s imagination.

This book focuses on the more advanced aspects of GWT that you need to implement real-world applications with rich user interfaces but without the heavy lifting of JavaScript and other Ajax-related technologies. Each solution in this practical, hands-on book is more than a recipe. The sample programs are carefully explained in detail to help you quickly master advanced GWT techniques, such as implementing drag-and-drop, integrating JavaScript libraries, and using advanced event handling methodologies.

Solutions covered include

•   Building custom GWT widgets, including both high-level composites and low-level components

•   Implementing a viewport class that includes iPhone-style automated scrolling

•   Integrating web services with GWT applications

•   Incorporating the Script.aculo.us JavaScript framework into GWT applications

•   Combining Hibernate and GWT to implement database-backed web applications

•   Extending the GWT PopupPanel class to implement a draggable and resizable window

•   Creating a drag-and-drop module, complete with drag sources and drop targets

•   Deploying GWT applications to an external server

•   Dynamically resizing flex tables

•   Using GWT widgets in legacy applications developed with other frameworks, such as Struts and JavaServer Faces

Complete Sample Code Available at www.coolandusefulgwt.com

All of the code used in this book has been tested, both in hosted and web modes, and in an external version of Tomcat (version 5.5.17), under Windows, Linux, and Mac OS X. For Windows and Linux, we used 1.4.60, and for the Mac we used 1.4.61.  NOTE: There are three separate versions of the code. Please download the correct JAR file for the operating system you are using.

Foreword xiii

Preface xvi

Acknowledgments xviii

About the Authors xix

Solution 1: GWT Fundamentals and Beyond 1

Solution 2: JavaScript Integration 53

Solution 3: Custom Widget Implementation 71

Solution 4: Viewports and Maps 103

Solution 5: Access to Online Web Services 133

Solution 6: Drag and Drop 167

Solution 7: Simple Windows 199

Solution 8: Flex Tables 237

Solution 9: File Uploads 283

Solution 10: Hibernate Integration 303

Solution 11: Deployment to an External Server 325

Solution 12: GWT and Legacy Code 343

Index 371

Amazon.com® Reader Reviews (Ranked by Helpfulness)

Average Amazon.com® Rating:  Based on 3 Ratings

Very practical, lucidly written - 2008-01-20
Reviewer Rating:
You can easily find most of its content on the internet, but you may feel more confident having it somewhere near.
Chapters 8 & 9 (Flex table & File uploads) were very helpful for me. I used that solution in my small project and it worked like a charm.
Anyway, I give 5-stars only for books I consider outstanding. I'd give 4.5 if I could.
My advice: read very carefully what is covered in the book, if you need at least 3-4 solutions (or you believe you might need it in the future) buy it if not try Dewsbury's book.

My new review - 2008-01-14
Reviewer Rating:
I posted a review (back in January, this updated review is posted in late May 2008) that slammed Prentice Hall for not making the code samples available from anywhere except through a 90 day free trail thru Safari (an online subscription based service).

The editor and one author responded and let me know that the site was incorrectly missing in the book, but that a site (called coolandusefulgwt with the obvious ending.) was available and has all material easily downloadable. I have checked out this site and confirmed that the code is indeed available. It is a very cool site in that it the entire site (or most of it) is a GWT application!

I applaud the editor and authors efforts to inform me and other purchasers of the book... and they also explained that the susbscription based service is not going to be the sole method to get code from Prentice Hall books...which is even better news.

I am giving this book 5 stars as it is a very good book for GWT beginners and intermediate programmers... escpecially those looking for info on custom widgets/controls. The authors did a splendid job of presenting the material in a well layed out manner, The book takes the GWT (sparsely documented by Google) and make it alot more accessible to the programming community.

Now that the source code (and more) are available on the new site, there is no reason why anyone interested in studying GWT would not want this book in their personal library.

In fact, if you are looking to buy this book, and are on the fence, go check out the website and you will get a good idea of what this book will do for you and I think it will help you make an informed decision to buy this great resource.

Not good to write a technical book with no source code - 2008-07-02
Reviewer Rating:
I've tried at length to obtain the source code used in the book. Geary leaves it to the user to acquire the addons that he uses in his examples. Yes I've tried going the Safari route. Without signing up for a "90 day free then we charge you big" trial, you won't have any luck. I also read the previous post where he mentioned that he obtained the code from the website. If you go there now, the code has been pulled so I'm back to being forced to sign up for Safari which I won't do. I did read through the examples and do what I could. Instead of this book, I'd recommend "Google Web Toolkit Applications" by Dewsbury. The examples may not be as advanced as these, but at least you can run them.

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