CWASA Release Notes

JASigning 0.9.5g

These are the main differences between this version and JASigning 0.9.5.f:

Improvements to SiGML Processing: SiGMLInLib, the component which performs conversions from H-SiGML (HNS SiGML) to G-SiGML (Gestural SiGML), and also from G-SiGML back to H-SiGML or HamNoSys, performs these conversions consistently with one another, and some errors in the conversion from H- to G-SiGML have been fixed. CAS (animation) data is now output in a more compact format. CAS input and output are consistent, so re-exporting a previously imported CAS file generally produces a result whose format matches that of the original.

Improved CAS Input and Output: CAS (animation) data is now output in a more compact format. CAS input and output are consistent, so re-exporting a previously imported CAS file generally produces a result whose format matches that of the original.

Improved Handling of Apps' Initial Options: The initial option settings for a JASigning app are now handled more flexibly. In particular, different JNLP variants of the same underlying JASigning app can now use distinct initial options settings without confusion. Initial options properties files are cached on the client to support offline operation.

These are the main differences between this version and JASigning 0.9.5.e:

Ambient Motion: Some of the avatars, including the standard avatar Anna, are now capable of ambient motion, both when idle and when signing. This feature is demonstrated in some of the applications and applets. As yet the facilities for detailed control of this feature are quite limited, but both JASigning applications include menu items allowing ambient motion to be switched on and off.

Video Generation: JASigning now has an experimental video generation facility. Because it depends on an externally provided video processing software library, this facility depends on a supporting video generation service application (running on the client system), which must be downloaded separately. For details on the download and use of the video generation service application, see the JASigning Video Generator page.

Security Certificate: The JASigning software components are now signed with a certificate issued by GlobalSign (to our School's consulting company, SYS Consulting Ltd.). While this gives stronger assurances about the software's authenticity than previously, it has one possible drawback for those running the software on Mac OS X: there is a bug/issue in the Mac OS X Java implementation which requires the system to be online when a JASigning application is launched, in order that the OCSP security checks can be made (even though the application is marked as suitable for offline execution). This means that on Mac OS X the JASigning applications can not be launched while completely offline. (Although going offline once the application is successfully launched is not a problem.) The only way we can see of circumventing this problem is for us to provide an alternative, self-signed, copy of the software, which is not subject to this limitation (but which is correspondingly less secure). This self-signed version can be found at the URL obtained by inserting an extra step "ss/" into the path just before the version tag: http://vhg.cmp.uea.ac.uk/tech/jas/ss/std/

Java Security Checks: JASigning has been adjusted to take account of the fussier security régime introduced into the Java releases of recent months. In particular, the JASigning applications and applets should no longer give rise to Java security messages about "mixtures of signed and unsigned components".

Platform Independent Applet: The main SiGML Player Applet and its variants are now launched as JNLP Applets on platforms that support this mechanism, falling back to the use of the JNLP Applet Launcher on those that don't.

Windows Support: Although our testing is relatively limited, JASigning apparently runs successfully on Windows 7. But users of Windows XP should note that on that platform JASigning applications and applets (apart from the SiGML Service Client) now (since 2010-03) require prior installation of the freely available Microsoft Visual Studio C++ 2008 Redistributable Package - which may well be present already on many Windows XP systems.

64-bit Support: Support for 64-bit operation on versions of Windows, Mac OS X and the Java runtime that support this.

Improved HamNoSys/XML Input Error Handling: Recovery from HamNoSys and XML errors in SiGML input texts is now robust - i.e. it should no longer be necessary to re-launch a JASigning application or applet after feeding erroneous SiGML input to it.