Moving to ADF
Oracle has defined ADF as its strategic framework for software development, based on the Java™ language, the JDeveloper IDE, and Business Objects. While originally focusing on a complex 3-tier architecture utilising server-side J2EE interacting across the internet with a browser client, Oracle now seems to be moving towards a more resilient client-server platform for ADF deployment using J2SE / Swing.
For example, Oracle has now incorporated Swing into ADF, with its "ADF Swing" small Java layer that binds the Swing domain model to the Oracle ADF binding. This has the effect of making the development of ADF Swing applications "mostly a declarative task", and so "shortens the application development cycle for beginners and Java experts alike".
This recognition of the role of J2SE / Swing within ADF reflects the difficulties Oracle's customers have experienced in deploying to a working 3-tier J2EE / JavaServer Faces platform; the unsuitablity of HTTP, HTML and JavaScript for a rich, dynamic, interactive client interface (as provided by Forms); and J2SE / Swing's record of reliable and effective use over many years.
How we can help
When we migrate your Oracle code to Java using our in2j migration engine, Each Form or Report is converted to a Java file (containing the business logic) and an XML file (controlling display at the client), supported by the in2j Class Library (provided as Java source code). These Java-Forms and Java-Reports are ready for immediate deployment to a J2SE / Swing platform, and can be maintained and developed using Oracle's JDeveloper IDE.
This provides you with immediate benefits relative to the 'Forms limbo' you may find yourself in. Moreover it provides a secure stepping stone for transition to ADF, free of many of the hazards and difficulties of a direct transition from Forms / Reports. In particular, a standard transition requires an entire application involving potentially hundreds of Forms and Reports to be converted in a single step. This is a huge and challenging task, and frankly scary in the case of mission critical applications.
By contrast, by using in2j to migrate to Java-Forms and Java-Reports provides a straightforward, step-by-step route to ADF, in which the integrity of your system as a whole is maintained at all times:
- first migrate your Forms / Reports to Java and deploy to J2SE / Swing;
- develop the ADF Business Objects applicable to your organization and its operations;
- one by one, adapt the Java-Forms and Java-Reports to conform to ADF and your Business Objects;
- separately deploy the ADF-adapted Java-Forms and Java-Reports, using our in2j API to allow inter-operability of ADF and non-ADF Forms / Reports;
- make sure that each ADF Form / Report operates precisely as intended, before moving on to the next;
- carry on until the transition to ADF is complete.
Next Steps ...
Please contact us now with any further questions, or complete our Estimate Request Form.