Select file dialog for a website?

General Discussion Other

Lyndie

Select file dialog for a website?

in General Discussion • Other • 29 days ago

I've developed a sketch that imports a simple dataset from a user. I developed the sketch in Java mode thinking I could convert it into an applet and put it on my website. However, I see that applets are no longer supported in Processing 2. The javax.swing.* c lass (which I used for the file finder gui) does not exist in the Javascript side of Processing. Does anyone have any ideas for a work around?

My thoughts on the subject:

1. Download a pre-2.0 version of Processing. This might be the easiest as long as my v2.03 code works on it.

2. Ask the user to upload the spreadsheet to a Google doc and then import it from there? (Not very user-friendly because of the extra steps).

3. Convert it to an applet manually (not sure how to do this).

4. Export my code to Javascript and then manually include some class or other (not sure which one) that would allow me to use a GUI interface. Not sure if this is even possible. I looked at the javascript output from one of my sketches once and it was incomprehensible!

Replies(7)

railon

Re: Select file dialog for a website?

29 days ago

I develop processing sketches purely for the web, and I use processing.js to do it.

This should get you started with putting your sketches on a webpage.

As for uploading data, could you not just take user input from your website and use this? If not then you could have your website handle uploading and grabbing data from a file that your sketch can then use. I apologize if I didn't quite understand your problem.

Lyndie

Re: Select file dialog for a website?

29 days ago

Thanks for the reply, railon. You understood my question. But the javascript runs in the user's browser, right? It seems like it would be a lot more efficient to grab the file from the user's computer and process it all in the browser as opposed to uploading it over the Internet.

But you've given me an idea -- is there any way to first run a seperate js script that uses a gui to get the path directory from the user and then pass the path to the processing.js code? An example would be great!

PS Thanks for the link on processing.js -- I actually have a few processing sketches that run on my website already, so I've had a start with it, although I'm no js expert.

quarks

Re: Select file dialog for a website?

29 days ago

I've developed a sketch that uploads a simple dataset from a user. I developed the sketch in Java mode thinking I could convert it into an applet and put it on my website.

Applet? Since you are accessing a file on the client's computer the applet would also need to be signed.

Since you are using the JAVA (default) renderer then why not use the Applet Maker tool (user guide), it will both export and sign the applet for you. It can be added to Processing from the Tools | Add Tool menu option.

Lyndie

Re: Select file dialog for a website?

28 days ago

Ah! Perfect... I had read in the documentation that applets were no longer supported, but I see the AppletMaker option is there. Thanks a ton!

quarks

Re: Select file dialog for a website?

28 days ago

Yes it is true that Processing 2 no longer supports applets, that is why I created this tool - for those who still have a need.

Lyndie

Re: Re: Select file dialog for a website?

18 days ago

quarks,

I used your tool to generate an applet, but when it gets to the Applet JAR signer, the JARSIGNER box stays pink (I give it the Java/bin directory and it can find the KEYTOOL). What file is it looking for? I have JRE7.

TIA

Lyndie

Re: Select file dialog for a website?

28 days ago

Thanks for your hard work! You saved the day.

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