Discovering Notes 8: Enabling Java 5 source compilation

Mon, 27 Aug 2007 07:25:42 GMT

I'm playing around with Notes 8 to get my bearings on the Gold release and I'm liking it. I'm kind of a Java-nut so I wanted to see if Lotus delivered on their promises to include Java 5 in Notes 8 and they did. Unfortunately the Java API hasn't been updated for this release but hopefully this will happen in the near future. I know I will certainly stress that it will in the Domino Application Development Design Partner program where I have been fortunately enough to be included (together with Nathan and a fine line of other fine folks).

To test it out I fired up Domino Designer and created an agent to use generics and some autoboxing. Both are highly awaited in the Notes Java world - at least by me - and it will be really nice to have. The test agent code is as follows (generics and autoboxing is highlighted):

import lotus.domino.*;
import java.util.*;

public class JavaAgent extends AgentBase {

   public void NotesMain() {

      try {
         Session session = getSession();
         AgentContext agentContext = session.getAgentContext();

         int size = new Integer(10);
         List<Document> docs = new ArrayList<Document>(size);
         for (Document d : docs) {
            d.getUniversalID();
         }

      } catch(Exception e) {
         e.printStackTrace();
      }
   }
}

To my surprise the above code didn't compile and gave me the below compile error message.

I tried compiling the same code in Eclipse (using Java 5 source compatibility) and importing the class file as an Imported Java agent which worked fine. Hmmm - binary support but no source support? Last resort - look for clues in the release notes and there you have it! In the section "Installation, migration, upgrade, and configuration information\Upgrade notes\Notes/Domino 8 upgrade to JDK (Java Development Kit) 1.5" it states that in order to keep backwards compatibility Java 5 source compilation in Domino Designer is disabled out of the box. To enable it add the following notes.ini variable and restart Notes:

JavaCompilerTarget=1.5

Once this line has been added I was able to compile the above code... :-)

Looking forward to Java 5+ support in Notes

Mon, 30 Oct 2006 21:06:45 GMT

You don't really appreciate new language features until you have to back-port existing code to not use certain features. I really hope Hannover and Domino Next will have Java 5+ support.

lekkimworld.comjava5

Discovering Notes 8: Enabling Java 5 source compilation

Looking forward to Java 5+ support in Notes