A JNI-bridged Java Desktop Application

摘要

I'm going to share my experience of enabling a graphics-oriented GIS visualization module with a C++ rendering engine for a Java desktop application using JNI technology. The solution was implemented in the GIS library TerraLib as part of the TerraLib Develoment Toolkit (Tdk), applying a JNI-bridged drawing canvas as part of the Components API used by the rendering engine. The solution gave the Java desktop application visualization module a native equivalent performance and saved a lot of duplicative effort in natively implemented rendering functionalities that could be accessed by the Java application layer. It also promoted full integration between the GIS visualization module and the application control peer. First I'll present the architecture and then discuss how JNI can be a great solution for a well-designed native layers integration. I'll also present, throughout the text, some third-party solutions currently available, giving references and links for more information on this still challenging matter.