CabriJava Handbook

Gilles Kuntz 03/07/00

Precondition:

• the files of this handbook if it is downloaded locally must be placed beside a recent CabriJava.jar file (as in the file cabrijava of the examples)
• hardware and software necessary: rather powerful microcomputer (> 150 MHz) under MacOS or Windows and CABRI-GEOMETRY II, Internet Explorer 4 or 5, a webpage editor (Netscape Composer, Claris HomePage, FrontPage Express...) or a text editor.

Plan:

• objectives of CabriJava :
  • CABRI in the Web pages
  • tool supported well by the modern navigators
  • easy to handle without additional cost
  • rich interaction, similar to CABRI-GEOMETRY
• choice of Java and consequences:
  • principles of Java
  • crossplatform support: Java exists on all the platforms and the SAME program is carried out on each system
  • easy use : figures described by the same files as CABRI placed directly on the server rather than to translate the elements of the figure into parameters of the applet
• use of CabriJava:
  • parameters of Java applets :
    • principal parameters of applets : CODE, CODEBASE, ARCHIVE, WIDTH, HEIGHT...
  • required parameters of CabriJava :
    • FILE: CABRI figure placed on the Web server
    • LANG: language of the messages and cursors
  • exercise of publication of a CabriJava figure
    • create with CABRI-GEOMETRY II a CABRI figure of your choice (without conical, nor locus for the moment)
    • save this figure beside a specimen of the CabriJava.jar file downloaded from CabriJava server.
    • to publish this file HTML provided in this handbook by modifying the language and the noun under which the figure was recorded. To back up this file beside the figure and of the CabriJava.jar file
    • to try to display this Web page with a compatible navigator (Internet To explore 4 or 5 preferably)
• advanced operation of CabriJava:
  • bar tools (controller):
    • display and erasure
    • description of the commands
  • traces :
    • choice of the elements to be traced
    • recovery of the values of the parameter TRACE
  • animations :
    • limited animations or in loop
    • placement of animation springs
    • recovery of the values of parameter SPRING
  • display of a figure at an intermediate step of construction :
    • goals
    • recovery of the values of parameter STEP
  • constructive animation in loop :
    • goal of parameter LOOP
  • compression of the CABRI figure :
    • interest
    • single figure compressed in zip format
    • archive of compressed figures: parameter ZIPFILE
  • other optional parameters of CabriJava:
    • decoration: BACKGROUND, BGCOLOR, BORDER, BORDERCOLOR
    • management of the toolbar: CONTROLLER, AUTOCONTROL
  • exercise of publication of CabriJava figure with traces and animations:
    • by opening the Web page created previously with a navigator, note the values to be placed for at least tracing an element and placing a spring of animation
    • to modify preceding HTML file to add the parameters TRACE and SPRING and to create an animation with trace of certain element
    • to test the new page with the navigator
• current limitations of CabriJava:
  • elements not supported tat this time : Col?, Equi?, Grid,IsOn?, Par?, Perp?, Table
  • bugs to correct: known or to discover
  • no interface of construction
• evolutions of CabriJava:
  • CabriJava applet
    • supports of the last elements: conics intersections in particular.
    • creation of an interface of modification of figure:
      • construction window attached to the applet with menus of command...
      • problem of security for the saving of modifications: to write a servlet or signature of the applet
  • CabriJava application
    • interests:
      • to allow the creation of CABRI figures on all platforms
      • Java environment downloaded with the application
      • possibility of using the last evolutions of Java 1.2 or 1.3
      • no security limitation: readings and local backups possible
    • disadvantage:
      • preliminary installation of the application and often of the virtual Java machine (~5-10 Mb)
  • TeléeCabriJava application
    • remote work by Internet with standard connection of the modem type and protocol PPP
    • answers a request for tools adapted to the pupils in school failure, but so sick or insulated
    • useful also between teachers like tool for exchange of knowledge: training tool
    • idea: to share a CabriJava sheet associated with a textual zone of dialogue
• discovered Web sites using CabriJava:
  • IMEL
  • Optics-Mechanics-electricity
  • abraJava
  • in China
  • and... in Japan