Showing Off Your Data
By Michiel de Bruijn
When it comes to selecting JavaBeans for building great business application interfaces, JClass from Sitraka (formerly KL Group) has always been a solid option. In the latest release of JClass Enterprise Suite 5.0, Sitraka has brought the suite up to date with the latest Java 2 development kit and has added some significant optimizations and new features.
The JClass Enterprise Suite is most useful for data-bound applications. Although it's possible to use individual components without data bindings—in fact, the improved XML support throughout the suite makes this faster and easier than before—you'll get the most mileage out of JClass when you use it in concert with a database. You can use any JDBC data source, or establish your own programmatically.
Data binding is best managed through the aptly named Data Bean. This handles all low-level driver details and query setup (including the ability to easily join multiple tables), and it interfaces to other data-aware components. These components can include one of the many data-aware JClass controls, standard Swing-based Beans, or of course, Beans you develop yourself.
