This is the Safari online edition of the printed book.

Build Rich Applications that Run on the Web, Desktops, Mobile Devices... Anywhere!

Using JavaFX, developers and graphic designers can work together to build robust, immersive applications and deploy them anywhere: on the Web, on the desktop, and on millions of Java-enabled mobile devices. Now, three of Sun’s leading JavaFX innovators present the definitive, easy-to-use introduction to this breakthrough platform.

JavaFX™ brings together all the knowledge, techniques, and reusable code you need to quickly deliver production-quality solutions. Writing for both developers and designers, the authors explain how JavaFX simplifies and improves the Rich Internet Application development process, and they show how to make the most of its ready-built components and frameworks.

The first book to cover the new JavaFX 1.1 release, JavaFX™ covers everything from data integration to multimedia, special effects to REST. Drawing on their unsurpassed experience, the authors present a full chapter of design patterns and a complete case study application. This book’s wide-ranging content includes:

• Building and running JavaFX programs

• Understanding the role of graphics designers in creating JavaFX Graphical Assets

• Writing fast, efficient JavaFX Script programs

• Using data binding to simplify Model-View-Controller application design

• Creating rich user experiences with JavaFX visual components

• Bringing user interfaces to life with lighting, reflection, and other special effects

• Adding motion with the JavaFX animation framework

• Incorporating pictures, sound, and videos in your applications

• Creating RESTful applications with JSON and XML

• Writing JavaFX applications that make the most of the underlying Java platform

Amazon.com® Reader Reviews (Ranked by Helpfulness)

Average Amazon.com® Rating:  Based on 2 Ratings

A good book on JavaFX for both programmers and graphical designers - 2009-07-05
Reviewer Rating:
JavaFX is a family of products developed at Sun Microsystems. It is a platform that includes a high performance declarative scripting language for building Rich Internet Applications. JavaFX code is much easier to write than straight Java code, yet it integrates easily with Java programs. This book explores the key features of JavaFX and how it should be used. You don't have to be a Java programmer to understand this book, but it helps. The following is an outline of the book's chapters and contents, which does not yet appear to be available via the product description:

Chapter 1. Getting Started - How to write your first JavaFX application using three different methods - via Netbeans, the command line, or Eclipse.
Installing the JavaFX Platform
Setting Up NetBeans IDE for JavaFX 1.2
Command Line
Eclipse

Chapter 2. JavaFX for the Graphic Designer - This talks about the tools that a graphic designer, as opposed to a programmer, will use to produce JavaFX programs. You can skip this if you are a programmer.
Graphic Design and JavaFX
JavaFX Production Suite
Adobe Illustrator CS3
Adobe Photoshop CS3
Scalable Vector Graphics

Chapter 3. JavaFX Primer - Covers key concepts in the JavaFX scripting language. Shows you how to declare a script and instance variables create and modify sequences, and how to control logic flow.
JavaFX Script Basics
JavaFX Script Language
Class Declaration
Mixin Classes
Object Literals
Variables
Sequences
Functions
Strings
Expressions and Operators

Chapter 4. Synchronize Data Models - Looks at how binding can be used in JavaFX to associate unrelated entities such that changes in one can be seen in the other.
Binding
Bidirectional Binding
Advanced Binding Topics
Triggers
Coming Features

Chapter 5. Create User Interfaces - Discusses the stage, scene, style sheets, JavaFX nodes, custom nodes, layout options, and Java Swing Components. These are the basics that enable the creation of media rich interfaces.
User Interfaces
The Stage
The Scene
Nodes
Layout
Input Events
Text Display
Custom Controls
Shapes
Java Swing Extension

Chapter 6. Apply Special Effects - This is where things really get interesting. The chapter talks about the effects that come as part of the JavaFX platform and includes simple examples of how effects are used.
Effects

Chapter 7. Add Motion with JavaFX Animation - Discusses the basics of animation in JavaFX. Covered are the classes used to define animation and how to use the standard interpolators. Also you learn how to build your own custom interpolator. A couple of examples are shown to give you the idea.
Computer Animation
Timelines
Key Frames
Interpolation
Path-Based Animation
Total Solar Eclipse Examples

Chapter 8. Include Multimedia - There are several specific classes that deal with sound, video, and images, and they are discussed here and illustrated with examples. If you are familiar with the old Java Media Framework, some of this might look familiar.
Multimedia
Images
Media--Audio and Video

Chapter 9. Add JavaFX to Web Pages with Applets - The JavaFX applet model has been completely rewritten to be based on Java Web Start, allowing applets to use its caching mechanisms and speed applet start-up time. There is also consistency across browsers, thus fixing the old Java applet model.
JavaFX and Applets
Deploying a JavaFX Application as an Applet
Java Web Start

Chapter 10. Create RESTful Applications - JavaFX applications make ideal REST clients, and this chapter shows you how and why. There's also a brief explanation of what exactly REST and these other web technologies are.
What Is REST?
JavaScript Object Notation (JSON)
JavaFX and REST
JavaFX and XML

Chapter 11. JavaFX and Java Technology - Shows you how to incorporate Java classes into JavaFX script along with the rules for doing this.
Classes
Java Objects
Function Parameter and Return Mapping
Java Scripting
JavaFX Reflection

Chapter 12. JavaFX Code Recipes - Contains a few code recipes that might help you develop others for your own applications. Examples always help like nothing else.
JavaFX and JavaBeans
Server Call Back
Node Effects--Fader and Magnifier
Wizard Framework
Progress Bar
Slider
Matrix

Chapter 13. Sudoku Application - The game of Sudoku is written in JavaFX. If you're not familiar with the game, that is explained too.
How to Access the JavaFX Sudoku Application
The Interface
Source for the Sudoku Application
The Overall Design
Interfacing with Java Components

This is the first book that really whetted my appetite for JavaFX. The others were so busy trying to shove Netbeans down my throat that I lost interest not far into the read. This book shows you the Netbeans approach, but also recognizes that some of us aren't interested in Netbeans and doesn't try to drop you into the middle of - IMHO - that entangled mess of a technology. I found this book quite approachable and helpful, and most of all, direct, particularly with all of the examples. Highly recommended.

A fine pick for any Java programmer's collection - 2009-09-17
Reviewer Rating:
Jim Clarke, Jim Connors and Eric Bruno's JAVA FX: DEVELOPING RICH INTERNET APPLICATIONS tells how to build Rich Applications that run on the desktop, the web, or mobile devices alike. Using Java FX, developers and graphic designers will find plenty of enabling methods using the Java programming platform. From building JavaFX programs to adding special effects, motion, and blending in pictures and videos from other applications, this is a fine pick for any Java programmer's collection.

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