J2SE v.1.4 Documentation Contents Changes in CORBA (Java IDL, RMI-IIOP) Features Between J2SE 1.3 and 1.4

Java^TM IDL

Java IDL adds CORBA (Common Object Request Broker Architecture) capability to the Java platform, providing standards-based interoperability and connectivity. Java IDL enables distributed Web-enabled Java applications to transparently invoke operations on remote network services using the industry standard IDL (Object Management Group Interface Definition Language) and IIOP (Internet Inter-ORB Protocol) defined by the Object Management Group. Runtime components include a Java ORB for distributed computing using IIOP communication.

Get the latest version of the documentation from the Web at http://java.sun.com/j2se/1.4/docs/guide/idl/index.html.

Where do I get the IDL-to-Java compiler?

Starting with J2SE, v.1.3, Java IDL includes the 100% pure Java IDL-to-Java compiler, named idlj. The idlj compiler is no longer a separate download, it is placed in the J2SE's .bin directory by the installer. To download J2SE, v.1.4, follow the link to Java 2 Platform, Standard Edition, v.1.4.

What's new in Java IDL in J2SE 1.4?

Follow the link to this document for more information on what's new in Java IDL in J2SE 1.4: Changes in CORBA Features Between J2SE 1.3 and 1.4

With which CORBA specifications does J2SE 1.4 comply?

Follow the link to this document for more information on Official Specifications for CORBA support in J2SE 1.4.

Should I use Java IDL or RMI-IIOP?

This is a fundamental question and it's important to understand the distinction between these two ways of integrating the Java programming language with CORBA.

Java IDL is for CORBA programmers who want to program in the Java programming language based on interfaces defined in CORBA Interface Definition Language (IDL). This is "business as usual" CORBA programming, supporting Java in exactly the same way as other languages like C++ or COBOL.

RMI-IIOP (Remote Method Invocation over Internet Inter-ORB Protocol) is for Java programmers who want to program to the RMI interfaces, but use IIOP as the underlying transport. RMI-IIOP provides interoperability with other CORBA objects implemented in various languages - but only if all the remote interfaces are originally defined as Java RMI interfaces. It is of particular interest to programmers using Enterprise JavaBeans (EJB), since the remote object model for EJBs is RMI-based.

Java IDL FAQ

• Java IDL FAQ

Essential Java IDL API

• package org.omg.CORBA - provides the mapping of the OMG CORBA APIs to the Java[tm] programming language
• package org.omg.CosNaming - provides the naming service for Java IDL
• New! package org.omg.PortableServer - provides classes and interfaces for making the server side of your applications portable across multivendor ORBs
• New! package org.omg.PortableInterceptor< /A> - provides a mechanism to register ORB hooks through which ORB services can intercept the normal flow of execution of the ORB
• New! package org.omg.DynamicAny - provides classes and interfaces to enable Any values to be dynamically interpreted (traversed) and constructed through DynAny objects
• org.omg.CORBA.ORB - provides APIs for the CORBA Object Request Broker features

Java IDL Tools

• idlj, the IDL-to-Java compiler (command-line documentation)
• New! orbd - a daemon process containing a Bootstrap Service, a Transient Naming Service, a Persistent Naming Service, and a Server Manager
• New! servertool - the ease-of-use interface for application programmers to register, unregister, startup, and shutdown a server.
• tnameserv - the Transient Java IDL Naming Service (provided for backward compatibility)

Tutorials

The following tutorials are all variations on the basic distributed "Hello World" application. The differences are in the server-side models and server implementations. The following tutorials are available:

• Introductory level; POA server-side model; transient server
• POA server-side model; persistent server
• POA server-side model; transient server
• POA-Tie (Delegation) server-side model; transient server
• ImplBase (Inheritance) server-side model; transient server

Sample Code

• Sample Code for Hello World provides the code for all created and generated files used in the POA server-side model tutorial

New Features

• POA - Portable Object Adapter
• Portable Interceptors **Advanced Topic**
• INS - Interoperable Naming Service

Other Sample Applications

• Example: Callback Objects *not updated
• Example: Interoperable Naming Service

Concepts

• CORBA and the Java Programming Language
• Distributed Application Concepts
• Using CORBA and Java IDL
• Glossary

Programming Guide

• Exceptions
• Initialization
• Naming Service
• Dynamic Skeleton Interface
• Mapping IDL to the Java Programming Language

For more information

The OMG is the official source of information for all CORBA and IIOP related information. The CORBA 2.3.1 Specification is available electronically from formal/99-10-07. The URLs for the CORBA specifications may change. If this link is broken, link to http://www.omg.org and search the specifications.

For more information on which specifications are implemented in this release of the Java platform, see the compliance document.

For questions, please check the Java IDL FAQ and the user supported forum for Java IDL technology, which is available at http://forum.java.sun.com. For comments please send us email at javaidl@sun.com.