Returning a value from a java web start application

Question

Wondering if anyone knows if there is a way to "return" something from a java web start application into the code on the website. For example say the user needed to select a location in the java application. This would then pass the location value back to the code on the webpage (which is php and javascript). I have figured out how to pass arguments into a program, but so far cannot figure out any way to get them out after much googling. Any help would be much appreciated, thanks.

Answer 1

In principle no, since the Webstart application can be running without any Website open at all.

But if your clients use the Java-plugin from 1.6.0_10 or later (and not Safari and some other browsers with special Java-handling), you can use a JNLP-enabled applet, which is able to do the same things as a Webstart application (ie loading files and such), and is always bound to a webpage. It then can use the Javascript-bridge, or simply a loadDocument with the right parameters to feed back information.

Answer 2

You can use URL or sockets to connect back to the "same-origin" host. You can also use BasicService to open a web page, possibly from a different server, in a browser (although this shouldn't be used to send information back, as it'll be a GET not a POST).