Script to Installing JavaFX Compiler

Right in this moment you can choose between three options to develop JavaFX:

• Use the old version of JavaFX, interpreted. Not recommended.
• Use the JavaFX Milestone 3. Little bit old but more stable.
• Use the JavaFX Continuous Build. Is more dangerous but give us fresh builds.

I did this little script to download the last version of JavaFX continuos build and install it for you.

#!/bin/sh
envfile=$HOME/.bash_profile
 
#download and unpatch the last build of JavaFx
mkdir jfx
cd jfx
wget http://openjfx.java.sun.com/hudson/job/openjfx-compiler/lastBuild/artifact/openjfx-compiler/dist//*zip*/dist.zip
unzip dist.zip
rm dist.zip
 
#set files at bin folder as executable
chmod +x dist/bin/*
 
#add those executables to the path
echo "PATH=\$PATH:`pwd`/dist/bin" >> $envfile

Save this script as install_jfx.sh and execute it. Probably you want to execute it at you home directory. If you want to install JavaFX to root change envfile for /root/.bash_profile, if you want to install to all users change for /etc/profile. I tested this script successfully on my Ubuntu 8.04.

After that open a new terminal and try to see if javafx, javafxc and javafxdoc are available. You can test your enviroment with this simple program.

import javafx.ui.*;
import java.lang.*;
 
Frame {
  visible: true
  content: FlowPanel {
  content: Button {
      var n = 0
      text: bind Integer.toString(n)
      action: function() {
        n++;
      }
    }
  }
}

Save it as Counter.fx, compile with javafxc Counter.fx and so execute it with javafx Counter.fx.

To know more, take a look into the preliminary JavaFX API or in the article Using JavaFX GUI Toolkit.