Benefits and Justification of using Java as the File Upload and Download Mechanism

[sm]

Anyone have thoughts or feedback on using Java as the primary source for the File Upload Mechanism and the File Download Mechanism? File Upload will add the Java Applet drop target to any file upload window. While funcitonal, it is somewhat limited in scope, takes a bit of time to load and requires users to "drop" the file on the target.

As PTC continues to work on removing Java applets from Windchill, I am curious if anyone has an ongoing need to use Java as their primary download mechanism? It does offer the ability to customize the download process, but is this still a requirement anywhere?

PTC would like to remove Java as an option for both File Upload and File Download Mechanisms in the next major release now that HTML5 drag-n-drop is implmented and Internet Explorer support is just around the corner. Are there any major concerns if this occurs?

PS. I posted a poll about download some time back if you'd like to review. I typically use the Windchill Document Management group for these questions, but this topic seemed generally applicable to a larger audience. Come on over and join the group if you'd like.

[AL_ANDERSON]

We like and need the ability to drag and drop multiple files into Create and Modify screens for Documents and Change Objects. In 10.1, we can only do this with the java applet. We are not at all interested in keeping this java applet technology because it causes problems for maintaining client configurations - so much so that we tell our external users who only use ProjectLink to set their personal preference to Basic Browser mode for file upload. However, if you can find a non-applet way to do multiple document drag and drop, then we would love it! If you are asking if we would be happier if you removed the java applets and therefore removed the multiple file drag and drop capability, then we would hate that - and probably have to customize the applet back in.

[sm]

The new drag-n-drop featre is in Windchill 10.2 now, but PTC is still ironing out some complexities with Internet Explorer, so it is not currently supported in IE. I understand the challenge this presents; PTC put a replacement solution in the product, but its not supported in the most widely used browser.

The current thinking is to remove the Upload/Download Java applets in the next major release (10.3) when PTC has full support for Internet Explorer.

[Marco_Tosin]

I agree with Al.

Windchill is acting like an elephant when you have to move to another version/build.

You have to look at operating systems, browser, Java, Office (in case of DTI) and, if Windchill is connected to an ERP system (for example with Tibco) matrix is even bigger, so if PTC delete something from the matrix that it's a good idea.