Installing and Uninstalling

Installation

To install J2PrinterWorks, download the J2PrinterWorks .zip file and unzip.  This will create a J2PrinterWorks folder containing all the code, sample programs, and documentation.

To access the documentation, use your favorite browser to view the file J2PrinterWorksREADME.html.  The J2PrinterWorks folder also contains the following items:

1. J2PrinterWorks.jar, a jar file containing all the J2TablePrinter classes
2. documentation folder containing all the J2PrinterWorks documentation including the J2PrinterWorks javadoc files
3. samplePrograms folder containing all the J2PrinterWorks sample programs and associated source code files.

Serial numbers

The  J2PrinterWorks product you have purchased will be enabled using a serial number provided to you in your product confirmation email.  To unlock the full J2PrinterWorks functionality, you need to include the following code in each program that you write:
    J2Printer printer = new J2Printer("your serial number");    // (similarly for J2Printer14 or J2PrinterWebStart) 

Alternatively , after you instantiate J2Printer (or J2Printer14 or J2PrinterWebStart) you can call:
     printer.setParams("your serial number");
 

Update releases and Annual Maintenance

You can determine the version of J2PrinterWorks you currently have by double-clicking on your copy of  J2PrinterWorks.jar.  

You can determine the latest available release by viewing the latest "Release Notes" in the J2PrinterWorks on-line Documentation available at http://www.wildcrest.com/Software/J2PrinterWorks .

Customers under Annual Maintenance can download the latest release of the J2PrinterWorks by visiting http://www.wildcrest.com/Product/J2PrinterWorks and entering their email address and product serial number.

Using J2PrinterWorks as classes

It is easiest to use J2PrinterWorks by simply invoking it as an ordinary library of classes in Java applications.  J2PrinterWorks is not itself inherently a GUI component, so there is no particular need to work with it using a visual builder other than convenience of setting properties.  To use the J2PrinterWorks classes, since J2PrinterWorks is in the package com.wildcrest.j2printerworks, the file J2PrinterWorks.jar must be in your class path. You need to do one of the following things:

1. Modify your classpath to include J2PrinterWorks.jar
2. Add J2PrinterWorks.jar into your Java jre\lib\ext folder
3. Add J2PrinterWorks.jar to the -classpath for your javac and java commands

1. Add J2PrinterWorks.jar in the same folder as your applet (whether on your local system or across the network)
2. In the applet tag, set ARCHIVE="J2PrinterWorks.jar" (use "C:\directory\J2PrinterWorks.jar" if it is not in the same folder as your applet)

J2PrinterWorks uses the Java 2 printing model, so you must both build and deploy your software using J2PrinterWorks on JDK versions 1.2 or later.  J2PrinterWorks will not work with JDK versions prior to 1.2, not even in combination with any release of the stand-alone Swing library.  As JDK 1.2 and 1.3 had numerous performance and functionality problems, it is strongly recommended you use JDK 1.4 or later to work with J2PrinterWorks, with the latest release of JDK preferred. You also need to use JDK 1.4 or later to take advantage of the "printer discovery", "cross-platform dialog", and Postscript printing features available using the J2PrinterWorks class J2Printer14.
 

Using J2PrinterWorks as Java Beans in IDEs

J2PrinterWorks.jar provides a set of JavaBeans components for use in visual builder environments.  However, the various popular Java IDEs differ in how well they support Java 2-based JavaBeans components like J2PrinterWorks.  Since J2PrinterWorks is not inherently a GUI component, there is no great need to work with it visually for layout or wiring anyway, so in general it is easiest to use J2PrinterWorks.jar as a class library, and this approach will work under any development environment.

Compatibility

J2PrinterWorks was developed on Windows XP and tested using JDK 1.3.1, 1.4.2, 1.5.0, and 1.6.0.  Compatibility has been tested on the following platforms by Wildcrest Associates and the Wildcrest Associates beta sites:
 

Windows 95/98/NT/2000/XP/Vista: Works successfully on:       JDK 1.3, 1.3.1, 1.4, 1.4.1, 1.4.2, 1.5, 1.6 on Win 95, Win 98, Win NT, Win 2000, Win XP, and Win Vista Works but has certain problems (see Known Problems section) on:       JDK 1.3 (beta)        JDK 1.2.2

Macintosh OS : Works successfully on:        JDK 1.3.1 Update 1 under Mac OS X 10.1.4, 10.2, 10.2.1, and 10.2.2        JDK 1.4.1 under Mac OS X 10.2.x (Jaguar)        JDK 1.4.1 under Mac OS X 10.3.x (Panther)        JDK 1.4.2 under Mac OS X 10.4.x (Tiger)        JDK 1.5.0 under Mac OS X 10.5.x (Leopard) NOTE 1: To run the J2PrinterWorks sample programs, simply double-click the sample program jar files.  However, you can't double-click the Windows-based build.bat or run.bat files.  Instead, open a "Terminal" window and type the equivalent "java" commands.  Note that Mac uses Unix-style ":"  rather than Windows-style ";" for  name separators in the classpath.  The sample program J2PrinterWorksTestApplication comes with double-clickable buildMac.command and runMac.command files. NOTE 2: J2TablePrinter won't print table headers using the Macintosh Look & Feel used by JDK 1.3.1.  Either turn off header printing or specify the "Metal" Look & Feel for the JTable or switch to JDK 1.4.1 or later which uses the "Aqua" Look & Feel (see "Known Problems"). NOTE 3: Prior to JDK 1.4.2, Apple had not implemented the javax.print classes, so that attribute-based printer discovery was not supported.  However, basic printer discovery and selection using getPrinterNames and setPrinter do work.

Unix: Works successfully on:       Linux       Solaris       Mac OS X (Free BSD)

Printers: NOTE: These are the printers Wildcrest Associates has actually tested first hand.  However, our J2PrinterWorks customers and their users have just about every kind and description of printer there is.  J2PrinterWorks is written completely using the Java printing APIs, so it will print on any printer Java can print to, and Sun tests Java with a much larger set of printers.  However, we recommend testing with your target printers before purchasing J2PrinterWorks to assure yourself of compatability. HP LaserJet 1320 HP LaserJet 8100 HP LaserJet 5si HP Color LaserJet 4500 HP OfficeJet G85 Apple LaserWriter Select 360

Development Environments: NOTE: The first five of these development environments have been tested directly by Wildcrest Associates.  The remainder have been reported as successfully used for J2PrinterWorks development by our customers.   However, we recommend testing with your target development environment before purchasing J2PrinterWorks to assure yourself of compatability. Sun JDK Borland JBuilder Eclipse Netbeans XCode (Mac) Oracle JDeveloper IntelliJ IDEA SuSE TogetherJ IBM WebSphere Weblogic Workshop JCreator IBM Visual Age WebGain/Symantec VisualCafe

To uninstall J2PrinterWorks:

Simply delete the installed J2PrinterWorks folder from your system.  J2PrinterWorks performs no modification of your registry, system files, or classpath.