1. Introduction

Have you ever heard about J2ME CDC?  Sun defines two different configurations when programming JAVA J2ME.The first one is called CLDC (Connected Limited Device Configuration), and the other one CDC (Connected Device Configuration). I will skip some details of both configuration, and if you want to know more about it, you can find lots of information on Sun web site.

For now, a simple and sufficient explanation for both configurations are: The CLDC is basically what we are used to see in the majority of cell phones. Most of them use this configuration, as the name suggest for "limited" devices. This configuration is intendend to phones with low memory and processing power capacity. In the other hand we have CDC. CDC aims to support smartphones, pdas or cell phones with higher processing power. The feeling that we have programming a CDC application, is almost the same as programming a normal java desktop application. Among several CDC compliant JVMs,  this article will show one of them, called CreMe Virtual Machine. This JVM runs under Windows Mobile and its big advantage is the possibility to use Swing for building you GUI. This Virtual Machine was the most stable and reliable that I tested so far(during a project that I was part of), however it is not free and you are allowed to try it for 30 days. Finally, let's move on. I'll show how to set up an evironment for creating mobile applications using Swing and Creme JVM.

2. Setting up the environment & Requirements

1. Netbeans IDE with Mobility Pack
2. Microsoft Activesync
3. Creme Developer Kit V4.12
4. Creme JVM 4 (Remember to select the appropriate processor and windows mobile version when downloading it)

Now you should perform a last step. Go to the following folder in your pc: "C:\Program Files\NSIcom\CrE-ME V4.12\lib" and copy the file swingall.jar to the following folder in your phone "windows\creme\lib".Without this library on the phone, any application written using Swing will fail to work.

Start your NetBeans.

1-Tools → Java Platforms

2-Click on "Add Platform" , select "Java Me Cdc Platform Emulator" and click "Next".

3 - The next screen asks the path to the folder. You should select the folder where your Creme Developer Kit is installed (the default folder is c:/program files/nsicom/CrE-ME V4.12) and click "Next".

Starting with the first application
Go to File-> New project

4 - Now select the platform (by default is called:"pJSCP V4.12 B142.190307").  Click on "Finish" .

Your new platform is now added to NetBeans. Now we are ready for our "Hello World" program .

On the "Choose Project" panel, select mobility (left panel) and CDC Application (on the right panel called "Project") .Click Next.

Now give a name to your project (e.g "Hello World"). Click Next.

The next screen , asks for a Java Platform

Make sure that the following configuration is applied.

Java Platform: pJSCP V4.12 B142.190307
Device: Default
Profile: PP-1.0

Click "Finish".

Your project is now done!

5. Testing the application

After all this steps, let's create a very simple code, to show two different ways to run our application.
Now you should see a form in the central panel of NetBeans.(if you see it , the "design" view is selected, otherwise should be on "source" view mode as shown:

On the right, select a jTextField and two jButtons, located at the bar named "Pallete".
Name the buttons "Exit" and "Hello World".
Add the both to the frame. Double click the button, and add the source code

jTextField1.setText = "Hello World" as shown in Fig 11.</p>

HINT: Creme Virtual Machine does not provide a form, with some usual windows functions like the close(exit) button, minimize and maximize.  That is the reason why i suggest to create the "Exit" button, with the code
System.exit(0);
Now just run it. Your application should be running well at NetBeans IDE.</p>

HINT: Creme Virtual Machine, runs very well and stable. However it is easy to realize, that the graphics are bad. My suggestion is to change them whenever possible, by your own graphics (e.g png, gif or jpg images).

4. Testing the software remotely

The second possibiliy for running and testing your applications, is doing it remotely.
Yes this is possible, and makes life much easier.By simply clicking the run button in NetBeans you should see the program running directly in your phone.
First make sure that your mobile is connected to your computer, and properly communicating(Microsoft ActiveSync should be activated).
Click with the right button in your project, and go to Properties. </p>

<p class="fign">Fig 1
<p>On the following screen(Fig 13) select running , and then click on the tab "NSIcom".
check the "Run in remote VM" box and click ok.</p>


Now press the run button in NetBeans IDE, wait for a while and your program should automaticaly start in your phone.

An application example
Here you can see 2 screenshots of an application that i made, running on my Smartphone. It is possible to realize, on the top of it, a grey menu bar, as well as labels, textboxes, and buttons. As i said before, i realized that the default graphics from creme look very bad, so i decided to change everything for my own graphics. The second picture, shows even more Swing components, as for example a tabbed menu.

Labels , backgrounds and buttons. Graphics can be modified, if you don't like the default grey from Creme