Applets

WeBWorK Applet interface

This page describes a common interface between WeBWorK questions and Java, Flash and Geogebra applets.

Preliminary documentation at:

http://webwork.maa.org/doc/cvs/pg_CURRENT/lib/Applet.html

and

http://webwork.maa.org/doc/cvs/pg_CURRENT/macros/AppletObjects.pl.html

The interface is still being developed and so expect minor changes to continue along

with significant new features.

Request additional features from the FlashObject working group:

http://webwork.maa.org/wiki/AIM07/Working_Groups

Applets should respond when called by these functions

1. getXML - the applet is asking for an XML description of the applet's state. The description is text -- it is not base64 encoded.
2. setXML - the applet is sending an XML description to reset the applet's state. The description is text -- it is not base64 encoded.
3. config - the applet is sending an initial configuration for the applet (should we use initialConfiguation or reset?) The description is text -- it is not base64 encoded.
4. isActive - a 1 or "true" response by the applet indicates that the applet is loaded, initialized and ready to go.
5. debug - set when the applet is called from WW. If debug=1 the WW question is in debug mode and if the applet has the ability to issue extra error messages these should be turned on. If debug=0 then these error messages should be turned off.

/////////////////////
// interface callbacks for PG question
/////////////////////

ExternalInterface.addCallback("getXML", getXML);
ExternalInterface.addCallback("setXML", setXML);
ExternalInterface.addCallback("config", config);
ExternalInterface.addCallback("isActive",isActive);
ExternalInterface.addCallback("debug",set_debug);

Demos of applets can be found at

http://hosted2.webwork.rochester.edu/webwork2/applet_dev

More specialized info at JavaApplets and FlashApplets