Writing a front-end

[Fencer]

Hello, I'm writing a front-end to a library (that's in a jar file). The
library actually comes in two forms, an open-source one and a commercial
one with extra functionality. Does that mean I have to have two
frontends, one for each version?

I have access to both versions myself but some of my supposed users only
have the open source edition. I would like to have one eclipse project
that can act as a frontend to either version. How do I handle this? Is
my question even clear?

- Fencer

 

[Martin Gregorie]

Hello, I'm writing a front-end to a library (that's in a jar file). The
library actually comes in two forms, an open-source one and a commercial
one with extra functionality. Does that mean I have to have two
frontends, one for each version?

I have access to both versions myself but some of my supposed users only
have the open source edition. I would like to have one eclipse project
that can act as a frontend to either version. How do I handle this? Is
my question even clear?

Is there anything in the jar file that a program can easily use to
determine which version its connected to?

 

[Fencer]

Is there anything in the jar file that a program can easily use to
determine which version its connected to?

Thanks for your reply. I'm not sure, I've contacted the vendor to see
what they have to say.

- Fencer

 

[Donkey Hottie]

Thanks for your reply. I'm not sure, I've contacted the vendor to see
what they have to say.

- Fencer

Your invalid email address points to "spammers.com", which is a valid
and existing domain. Please add ".invalid" to the end of your email
address, so email software knows it is invalid. That is a used to create
invalid email addresses.

There is also "mydomain.com" which is abused as a domain.

 

[Fencer]

Your invalid email address points to "spammers.com", which is a valid
and existing domain. Please add ".invalid" to the end of your email
address, so email software knows it is invalid. That is a used to create
invalid email addresses.

There is also "mydomain.com" which is abused as a domain.

Thanks for telling me, I believe I've changed it now according to your
suggestions.

 

[Arne Vajhøj]

Hello, I'm writing a front-end to a library (that's in a jar file). The
library actually comes in two forms, an open-source one and a commercial
one with extra functionality. Does that mean I have to have two
frontends, one for each version?

I have access to both versions myself but some of my supposed users only
have the open source edition. I would like to have one eclipse project
that can act as a frontend to either version. How do I handle this? Is
my question even clear?

If the two versions have different API's even for the common stuff,
then you will need two front ends.

If the commercial version is a pure super set of the open source
version, then you can build against the commercial version and ship
that front end to open source users as well.

You will just need to catch various exceptions for missing classes
and methods.

Arne

 

[Tom Anderson]

If the two versions have different API's even for the common stuff,
then you will need two front ends.

Or you could write two middle ends, with a common API, and write the
front end on top of the middle end.

You will just need to catch various exceptions for missing classes and
methods.

And perhaps prevent the user from using the features which require those
classes and methods in the first place.

tom

 

[Roedy Green]

Hello, I'm writing a front-end to a library (that's in a jar file). The
library actually comes in two forms, an open-source one and a commercial
one with extra functionality. Does that mean I have to have two
frontends, one for each version?

Typically what you do is define a general interface, the write two
implementations of it. That allows for adding still more formats
later.