Microsoft's Application Foundation Classes (AFC) are a comprehensive set of Java class libraries providing user interface controls, graphics and effects classes, and the ability to create and extract cabinet (CAB) files. AFC's UI controls give Java developers a rich set of UI elements from which they can quickly build flexible, modern, and powerful user interfaces for their applications. Developers can, through the com.ms.util.cab APIs, utilize Microsoft's CAB packaging and compression technology on any virtual machine.

Written in Java, AFC ensures that applications built using these classes run on the most popular platforms that support Java. The AFC UI controls are defaulted to the Microsoft Windows UI, and are also fully customizable to reflect the needs of application and applet designers. AFC supports Active Accessibility for Java, so any application developed using AFC is automatically accessibility-enabled (where Active Accessibility for Java services exist).

AFC comprises:

• UI: A rich suite of UI controls, written in Java. UI controls will run in a number of popular browsers and are automatically accessibility-enabled where appropriate platform services exist.
• Fx: A suite of classes for graphics and effects, written in Java. Fx classes will run in a number of popular browsers.
• CAB: A suite of Java APIs for creating and extracting cabinet files on any virtual machine.

Known Issues for AFC

• Platforms and JDK 1.1 and 1.02 compatibility:

  Internet Explorer 4.01: AFC's UI and Fx classes are JDK 1.1 compatible, and are included in Internet Explorer 4.01.

  Internet Explorer 3.01 and other pre-JDK 1.1 browsers: This SDK for Java Version 3.0 contains a redistributable, JDK 1.0.2-compatible version of AFC. This redistributable component should be used for applets requiring distribution on Internet Explorer 3.01 and other popular non-JDK 1.1-compliant platforms. Full JDK 1.0.2-compatible AFC licensing and redistribution details are included with the Microsoft SDK for Java Version 3.0 EULA, JDK 1.0.2-compatible AFC Release Notes are included with this SDK, and differences affecting developers between the JDK 1.02 and 1.1-compatible versions of AFC are described in the accompanying documentation. In addition, watch www.microsoft.com/java/afc for the latest updates and documents.

  Netscape Navigator 4.03 with JDK 1.1 patch: This SDK for Java Version 3.0 contains a redistributable, JDK 1.1-compatible version of AFC. This redistributable component should be used for applets requiring distribution on Internet Netscape Navigator 4.03 with JDK1.1 patch. Full JDK 1.1-compatible AFC licensing and redistribution details are included with the Microsoft SDK for Java Version 3.0 EULA, JDK 1.1-compatible AFC Release Notes are included with this SDK, and differences affecting developers between the JDK 1.02 and 1.1-compatible versions of AFC are described in the accompanying documentation. In addition, watch www.microsoft.com/java/afc for the latest updates and documents.

• JDK 1.0.2-compatible AFC platforms: JDK 1.0.2-compatible AFC will function effectively on Internet Explorer Version 3.0 and 4.0 and on Netscape Navigator 3.0.4 and 4.0.3 on Windows 95 and Windows NT 4.0.

  JDK 1.0.2-compatible AFC will also function on Navigator 3.0.4 and 4.0.3 on Solaris platforms.

  Severe painting and performance problems are exhibited when running JDK 1.0.2-compatible AFC on both Internet Explorer 3.0 and Netscape Navigator 3.0.4 and 4.0.3 for the Apple Macintosh as a result of difficulties intrinsic to the Macintosh VM. Microsoft is therefore not licensing JDK 1.0.2-compatible AFC for use on the Apple Macintosh at this time.

  The JDK 1.1-compatible version of AFC is available with Internet Explorer 4.0 for Windows 95, Windows NT 4.0, MacOS 7.1 or greater and Solaris platforms 2.5, 2.5.1 and 2.6.

  Please note: Developers may notice variations in the quality of the JDK 1.0.2-compatible AFC implementation when running across VMs and browsers, resulting from compatibility issues and differences in VM implementations

  Please see the JDK 1.0.2-compatible AFC Release Notes for more details

• JDK 1.1 and 1.0.2 event models: AFC supports both the JDK 1.1 and JDK 1.0.2 event models. Please consult the AFC API documentation and articles on www.microsoft.com/java/sdk/20/afc/default.htm for implementation details.
• AWT/ UI interoperability: Bi-directional interoperability between UI and AWT is provided, enabling AWT components to be used in AFC containers and vice versa.

Please note: As AwtUI and UIAwt objects are intended only to provide a bridge between AWT and AFC, use of AwtUI and UIAwt should be confined to situations where a bridge is necessary and beyond this should be limited to prevent performance degradation and to permit the full benefits of AFC to be realized.

AFC's API documentation and articles on www.microsoft.com/java/sdk/20/afc/default.htm give further implementation details.

• JDK 1.0.2-compatible AFC API Changes: A list of API changes between JDK 1.1-compatible and JDK 1.0.2-compatible AFC will be provided on www.microsoft.com/java/afc/10211diffs.htm.

• Installation for JDK 1.1-compatible AFC for Netscape Navigator 4.03: (with JDK1.1 patch): AFC11.exe is a self extracting exe that will automatically install JDK 1.1-compatible AFC on whichever browser is set as the default on your client machine. Please make sure you have set the browser in which you wish to run JDK 1.1-compatible AFC as default before proceeding with the installation.

• JDK 1.1-compatible AFC for Netscape Navigator 4.03 (with JDK1.1 patch): Developers may notice variations in the quality and performance of the JDK 1.1-compatible AFC when running on Netscape Navigator 4.03 (with JDK1.1 patch), problems include menus appearing at random locations on your screen resulting from compatibility issues and differences in VM implementations.

• Drag and Drop: AFC supports a limited drag and drop functionality. The AFC samples demonstrate a drag and drop workaround which takes advantage of the AFC/AWT bridge in the 'Viewers Sample Applet' sample. Source code for the workaround is provided as part of the sample.

• FxStyledPen has a supported width of one pixel.
• UIEdit: Multiple font support and vertical writing are not available. FxFormattedText provides multiple font and vertical writing support, but this functionality is not directly available as part of our UIEdit control.
• Serialization: AFC's UI package is not serialized by default. It is possible to add this functionality yourself if you require your components to be serialized.
• Border Layout: Overridding getPreferredSize() in a Panel will not cause the panel to have that perferred size. The layout manager may shrink the panel to a smaller size.
• Layout Managers: Some method names in AFC's UILayoutManager class have changed.