CIT597 Browser

CIT 597 Assignment 5: Write a Web Browser
Fall 2007, David Matuszek

Purposes of this assignment:

Teach the basics of how browsers work.
Introduce JEditorPane and other powerful Java classes.
Introduce Java Preferences

General idea of the assignment:

Write a web browser. It will handle images, hyperlinks, and most text markup.

Your browser will be very limited. It will not handle frames, applets, XML, Flash, etc. But it will have one feature that most browsers do not--it will show you the HTTP "wrapper" as well as the page itself. It should look something like this:

Things you need to know:

The javax.swing.JEditorPane class can display plain text, RTF (Rich Text Format), or simple HTML. It has these constructors:

public JEditorPane()
- Content can be added later
public JEditorPane(URL initialPage) throws IOException
public JEditorPane(String url) throws IOException
public JEditorPane(String mimeType, String text)
- For HTML,
  - The mime type is "text/html"
  - The text is enclosed in <html>...</html>

Some methods of JEditorPane are:

public void setPage(URL page) throws IOException
public void setPage(String url) throws IOException
public void setText(String text)

It is possible to follow a link that is displayed in an HTML JEditorPane:

The JEditorPane must not be editable.
Only absolute links, not relative links, can be followed.
You will need to attach a HyperlinkListener to the JEditorPane.
- You can get the details from the Java API.

Details:

Write your browser to use Swing widgets, not AWT or SWT widgets.
Display the HTTP header as plain text, and display the body as HTML (in a JEditorPane).
Both the header and the body should be scrollable.
Use a JTextField for entering new URLs. Hitting Enter in this field should bring you to the new URL.
Clicking an absolute link in the displayed page should bring you to the new URL. (Relative links will not work.)
Implement a Back button. (Suggested implementation: Use a java.util.Stack.)
Use Java Preferences to remember window size, position, and current URL. When the browser is reopened, it should look just the same as when last closed (unless the information at the URL has changed, of course). The history (previous URLs) should not be remembered.

Supply good Javadoc documentation for all non-private elements of your program.

The Networking Examples page has all the bits and pieces you need. You are welcome to take whatever code fragments you need, and reassemble them into a program that meets the specifications of this assignment.

Due date:

Wednesday, October 24, before midnight. Zip the folder containing your complete program, including javadoc documentation, and submit via Blackboard.