The 2009 Edition of BSF4Rexx Part I

In the past years BSF4Rexx, an external Rexx function package supplemented with a special ooRexx package allowing interfacing with Java, has been constantly improved. In todays world Java is usually installed on every PC or gets installed the moment, users download Java applets via their Internet browsers, which need Java for execution. BSF4Rexx allows to take advantage of any installed Java Runtime Environment (JRE) and use its incredible wealth of functionality as a huge external function library. The ooRexx package in addition camouflages Java as ooRexx, such that ooRexx programmers can easily create Java objects and interact with them sending ooRexx messages.

With the advent of ooRexx 4.0 there are many new welcomed features that BSF4Rexx can take advantage of, one very important area being the new ability to call back from C++ into a running instance of the Rexx interpreter, which eventually will allow BSF4Rexx to realize call backs from Java using C++ to bridge to ooRexx.

This presentation will introduce the BSF4Rexx architecture, give examples of ooRexx interacting with Java and Java deploying ooRexx scripts, and discusses new planned improvements and features, which ooRexx 4.0 will allow for.