Using combit List & Label .NET Components in Java

This sample shows how to use combit List & Label .NET component from Java through Javonet

This sample includes the source code of strongly typed wrapper for the combit List & Label .NET component. It exposes only the key operations required for this sample:

  • using a List & Label .NET Dataprovider to connect to an Access database with OleDB and respond to an event of the Dataprovider
  • calling/opening the List & Label Designer; including real data preview
  • printing into the List & Label preview control on the form and respond to a preview control button click event
  • exporting into any of the supported List & Label export formats

You can further extend this wrapper to expose the strongly typed methods with signatures matching the combit List & Label .NET component (see also the .NET help at https://docu.combit.net/en) and forwarding the calls via Javonet. To learn more how to perform different types of calls from Java to .NET API using Javonet, go to Javonet Guides for Java developers (https://www.javonet.com/java-devs/guides/).

Requirements

You need to copy the .NET assembly combit.ListLabel23.dll into the sample folder. Also, make sure to get the latest Javonet JAR package for Java developers and trial or commercial license key from Javonet. To get the sample working, add your licensing information for activating Javonet in DataBindingJavaSample/Form1 main method. You can register for Javonet free trial and access download page by registering here (https://my.javonet.com/signup/?type=free).

How to Run the Sample Using Eclipse

In this section you will find step by step guide how to run this sample.

  1. Clone this repository – navigate with console window to the folder where you want to clone the repository and run the command below. Sample source code will be download to combit folder.
git clone https://github.com/Javonet/combit.git
  1. Open Eclipse IDE.

Because by default the source in the repository does not include Eclipse project files you need to create new workspace and import two projects.

  1. Create Eclipse Workspace in the combit folder created by git.
  2. Right click on Project Explorer and choose Import next General > Projects from Folder or Archive and press Next.
  3. Press Directory… and point to the DataBindingJavaSample within the combit folder. Project should be automatically detected. Press Finish to complete.
  4. Press Directory… and point to the combit.ListLabel23 within the combit folder. Project should be automatically detected. Press Finish to complete.

Now your project is ready, you only need to add missing dependencies and set Javonet activation key.

  1. Register for free trial Javonet key Signup for Javonet.
  2. After registration is completed download Javonet JAR and copy to the Eclipse project.
  3. Right click Javonet JAR in Eclipse Project Explorer and choose Build Path > Add to Build Path
  4. Right click combit.ListLabel23.jar in Eclipse Project Explorer and choose Build Path > Add to Build Path
  5. Set your email and Javonet license key in DataBindingJavaSample/src/Form1.java file:
ListLabelActivation.setLicense(*****your-email-here*****, *****your-license-key-here*****);
  1. Register for combit List & Label .NET free trial Register for combit.
  2. Download and install combit List & Label components and copy combit.ListLabel23.dll to your Java project root folder.

combit.ListLabel23.dll can be found in List & Label install directory by default C:\Program Files (x86)\combit\LL23\Redistributable Files\combit.ListLabel23.dll

  1. Run the sample.

Screenshots

combit List & Label Java Sample Main Window

combit List & Label Java Sample Designer

combit List & Label Java Sample Preview

Extending Strongly-Typed Wrapper

The combit.ListLabel23 project contains the source code of combit strongly-typed wrapper for Java. This is simple Java project which replicates the List&Label 23 .NET API in Java and routes the calls through Javonet to the .NET component implementation. This wrapper has been implement to expose only the functionality required for this sample application. If you need any additional features from List&Label component you should extend this wrapper.

To learn more how to use Javonet to perform different operations on .NET component go to Javonet guide for Java developers:
https://www.javonet.com/java-devs/guides/

Compiling Strongly-Typed Wrapper

The sample project is using the wrapper as compiled Jar file. Once you extend the wrapper with required features you should run the ready to use build_script.xml as Ant script to compiled the new Jar file. To recompile the wrapper in Eclipse follow these steps:

  1. Right click the “build_script.xml” choose “Run As” > “Ant Build”
  2. Copy the combit.ListLabel23.jar from “target” folder to the DataBindingSample
  3. Use your new features…

Troubleshooting

After importing the project to Eclipse each package in “src” is marked with red cross

It means that your Eclipse build path references non existing JRE or you did not copied and included in build path the Javonet JAR file.

When running the sample I get an exception “com.javonet.api.NException: Loading library failed. Library with name ‘combit.ListLabel23.dll’ was not found in current directory ‘combit\DataBindingJavaSample’ and in GAC.”

This means that the combit.ListLabel23.dll has not been placed in project root directory and cannot by resolved by Javonet.

When running the smaple I press “Design” button I get exception “com.javonet.api.NException: The ‘Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0’ provider is not registered on the local machine.”

This exception means that List & Label components cannot find the OLEDB driver. It might mean that you did not install the List & Label components on your machine or you are using the x64 (64 bit) JRE. For this component to work you need to run the application using x86 (32 bit) JRE.

When running the sample in the List & Label designer window the toolbar is displayed as standard menu instead of Ribbon menu

Ribbon menu requires the ComCtl32.dll in version 6 to be loaded. Java by default when running the application using javaw.exe is loading version 5 which does not support ribbon framework. To get modern ribbon menu you need to run the sample using java.exe. To setup Eclipse for running the project with java.exe follow these steps:

  1. Right click your project > Choose Run As > Select Run Configurations > Go to JRE tab
  2. Select Alternate JRE and choose x86 JRE from the list
  3. New section Java executable will appear below. Select there the Alternate option and type java instead of javaw

Download Sample Project

Checkout or fork the sample from our GitHub repository:
DataBindingJavaSample on Github

Download all combit samples for Java developers as ZIP:
combit Sample for Java ZIP