JUMBO2.0alpha

Version 2.0alpha, 199805

JUMBO 2 is a freeware, Java/JFC-based, SAX-compliant XML browser/editor and prototyping/development tool. It is developed with the following motivation:

Providing a simple reference wrapper for SAX implementations
Allowing authors and readers to navigate and debug XML files
Providing a core XML implementation for extension via namespaces and other mechanisms (especially in scientific, technical, medical (STM) applications).
Providing a core on which new X*L protocols (e.g. Xlink, XML-data) can be developed
Offering a free core with source as a centre for the collaborative development of XML tools and ideas in the tradition of Linux, tcl, LaTeX, perl, etc.

This is the alpha release of JUMBO2.0. It is primarily aimed at those who have some experience with both XML and Java. (The final 2.0 release will contain much more support material). The main motive of this release is to investigate portability of JUMBO across platforms and to get feedback from XML experts about the consistency of XML implementation. Feedback from previous JUMBO1 installers and Java/XML afficionados will be much valued.

JUMBO2 consists of the following:

jumbo.jar. Java classes for packages jumbo.xml and jumbo.xml.gui.
swing.jar. The JFC swingset (1.1.5). This is not formally part of the distribution and can be downloaded from the Sunsoft site or (possibly) from JUMBO site(s).
sax.jar. The SAX1.0 distribution from David Megginson. This is not formally part of the distribution and can be downloaded from the SAX site or (possibly) from JUMBO site(s).
aelfred.jar. The AElfred parser from David Megginson/Microstar (1.2). This is not formally part of the distribution and can be downloaded from the Microstar site or (possibly) from JUMBO site(s).
[class libraries or jar files for other parsers (Lark, MSXML, DXP, XP). These are not part of the distribution, but may be available from the JUMBO site].
a Java Virtual Machine and classes. If you do not have JDK1.1.5 or later installed, you should either install it or use JRE1.1.5 and the appropriate classes.zip
source code and ancillary files for JUMBO.
some test data

I plan shortly to release a CDROM with all this material conveniently packaged.

NOTE: JUMBO2.0 is very different from JUMBO1.0 and no compatibility will be supported. In particular the namespace, help, Xlink, XSL and other prototypes in JUMBO1 have or will be modified in response to public XML developments. Because JUMBO2 is built round the JFC classes (Swing) it is much faster, cleaner and can be used for much larger projects (e.g. up to 10K nodes). It reads and displays macbeth.xml or rec.xml in a few seconds. JUMBO2 also probes how far a browser can go without stylesheets. A list of differences is available with the distribution or on the site.