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How do you decrease the download time for the Notes Java applets?

From Brian Levine:

One way to avoid the download time associated with Java applets is to install the class files for those applets on the (browser) client machine. Following are instructions that describe how to manually install the Domino applets (Outline, View, Editor, Action Bar) locally.

Important: Once the Domino applets are installed on the client machine, these local applets will take precedence over those installed on the server. When installing a new Notes build, it is important to re-install the new class files using the procedure outlined below. Alternatively, you can delete the local class files which will cause the class files installed on the server to be used.

Browsers search for Java class files in the following order:

1. Locally, in directories as specified in the CLASSPATH environment variable.
2. Locally, in browser-specific directories.
3. On the server using the archive (.zip, .jar, .cab files) specified in the ARCHIVE or CABBASE tags.
4. On the server using the .class files if an archive is not specified or does not exist. In Internet Explorer 3.x, if a CAB file is specified and not found, an Exception is thrown and the applet is not loaded.

The archive files containing the Domino applet class files can be found in the <notes_data_directory>\domino\java directory. The archives for the view, outline, editor, and action bar applets are NVAPPLET.ZIP, OUTLINE.ZIP, EDITOR.ZIP, and ACTIONBAR.ZIP respectively. The .class files contained within these .zip files must be unzipped into the appropriate browser-specific directory as indicated in the following table. A utility such as PKUnzip or WinZip should be used. Be sure to specify that the directory structure stored in the .zip file should be maintained by adding the -d option in pkunzip or by checking "Use Folder Names" in WinZip.

After unzipping the .class files, a directory hierarchy starting with "lotus\notes" should be found in the appropriate directory.


Browser Directory
Internet Explorer 3.x Unsupported
Netscape 3.x+ (Windows 95/NT)* <netscape_install_dir>\program\java\classes Netscape 3.x+ (Mac)
<netscape_install_folder>\Java\netscape-classes Netscape 3.x+ (Unix)
class files must be installed in CLASSPATH (see below)
Internet Explorer 4.x (Windows 95) c:\windows\java\classes Internet Explorer 4.x (Windows NT)
c:\winnt\java\classes or c:\winnt\program\java\classes
Netscape 4.x Netscape 4.x also supports the JAR archive format. For Netscape 4.x on Windows only, the appropriate .jar file(s) (nvapplet.jar, outline.jar, editor.jar, actionbar.jar) can be copied to the browser-specific directory mentioned above as an alternative to the unzipped .class files.


Applies to Notes Versions: 5
Last Modified: April 27, 1999