Java 9 support for FXLauncher

[abhinayagarwal]

This PR makes sure FXLauncher works on both 8 and 9 without Multi-Release Jar support

[edvin]

Thank you! Will merge after testing :)

[jmerle]

Do you have an estimate on when we can expect this PR to be merged?

[abhinayagarwal]

@mordechaim You may be right since this isn't tested.

@edvin seems to be busy. If someone is willing to test the changes and come back with feedback, we could move things faster.

[mordechaim]

Take a look at my spinoff from this project. Fully compatible with Java 9. https://github.com/update4j/update4j

[xzel23]

This is already 11 months old, and the current LTS version Java 11 is not yet supported. Any chance to get this in? I'd volunteer to resolve conflicts if there's a chance to get this in.

[edvin]

Absolutely, resolve the conflicts and I'll merge :) Sorry, this fell off my radar. Too busy with other projects these days, but if you'll resolve the conflicts I'll merge and do a new release right away.

[abhinayagarwal]

I can most probably look at it sometime this week.

[xzel23]

I have looked into this and I think there are some things to consider:

• Removing use of internal API should be done anyway and shouldn't break compatibility with Java 8.
• To have a launcher that runs on Java 9+, both JAXB and JavaFX have to be on the classpath/module path.
• This pull request in its current form produces a jar that's not compatible with JDK 8 anymore, so a little more work is needed.
• IMHO it should be enough to ensure that fxlauncher works on JDK 8 and JDK 11+ given that Java 9 and 10 are already obsolete and not LTS. Java 8 will still be around for a long time, so it should be supported, and Java 11 is the actual version and the first LTS release to include the module system.

I think the first point should in any case already be adresses. I might find the time in the next days to factor this out so that it is ready for merging. There is however still a small problem: I have not found a solution to set the application name as there doesn't seem to be any public API that exposes this functionality.

[edvin]

OK, good work :) If there isn't a public API to set the app name (sounds strage) we could give it a shot using reflection in a try/catch block perhaps?

[xzel23]

@edvin I think there's no publich API because it's called from the Application Launcher and it seems no one thought there'd be a need to use a custom launcher.

I have just come home from my holiday. I will try to find the time to create a patch containing those parts of the pull request that IMHO should be merged anyway and will work for both JDK 8 and 9+ (i.e. remove use of private API where a public API is available).

I'd then look at the remainder of the patch to make sure it is compatible with 8 and 9+.

[edvin]

@xzel23 OK, super :)

[abhinayagarwal]

Since @xzel23 is already looking into this, can this PR be declined?