This software is a rapid Java compiler that can quickly compile Java code into executable binaries.
JBrownie requires at least Java 6 to run and can be started from any directory without installation. However, note that the JVM does not accept -cp and -jar at the same time. If -jar is given, -cp (as well as the CLASSPATH environment variable, if set) is ignored. To prevent linker warnings, JBrownie must either not be started via -jar (the main class is called de.onyxbits.jbrownie.Core) or a project-specific classpath must be submitted in the settings dialog under "Compile options".
To use JBrownie, it must be supplied with a base directory containing the source code tree to watch. This can either be done from the command line or from the file menu. Once a directory and its subdirectories are scanned for files with the .java extension, any changes to these files will automatically trigger a (re)compilation. The output of the compiler is printed to the main window of JBrownie. JBrownie can also be configured to start the program in question as well.
Currently, JBrownie has three configurable aspects: Compiler settings, Run Settings and GUI appearance. The menu item to configure these settings can be found in the "File" menu. Hitting the "apply" button in the settings dialog will automatically save the submitted values via java.lang.prefs.Preferences to the system-dependent preferences storage.
The Compiler settings allow for the command-line arguments to pass to the compiler. By default, the compiler is run without any options. It is not possible to change the compiler except by changing the JDK itself. The compiler that is used is always the default compiler of the JDK, with which JBrownie is run.
The Run settings enable associating a program (plus command-line argument) with the "run program" button in the toolbar. By default, no program is set, meaning the button is without function. Once a program is run, its stdout and stderr stream is redirected to JBrownie's console window.
Finally, the GUI settings can be used to control the font size of the console and whether or not to use a horizontal scrollbar for lines that exceed the width of the window. All in all, JBrownie is a valuable tool for software developers who prefer to stick with plain text editors and want to automate the compilation process.
Version 1.3: N/A