A Simple Application Program Interface for Saving Java Program Data on a Wiki

A simple application program interface (API) for Java programs running on a wiki is implemented experimentally. A Java program with the API can be running on a wiki, and the Java program can save its data on the wiki. The Java program consists of PukiWiki, which is a popular wiki in Japan, and a plug-in, which starts up Java programs and classes of Java. A Java applet with default access privilege cannot save its data at a local host. We have constructed an API of applets for easy and unified data input and output at a remote host. We also combined the proposed API and the wiki system by introducing a wiki tag for starting Java applets. It is easy to introduce new types of applications using the proposed API. We have embedded programs such as a simple text editor, a simple music editor, a simple drawing program, and programming environments in a PukiWiki system using this API. 1. Introduction The Web is currently one of the most important infrastructures. However, managing a web site is not easy, and it is necessary to upload a file to a web server each time a new web page is created or an existing web page is modified. For example, teachers, including university instructors, often use web sites in class. However, preparing web-based learning materials is troublesome. In order to facilitate this task, we use a content management system (CMS), such as wiki software. A wiki [1] is a web site that allows the easy creation and editing of any number of interlinked web pages via a web browser and can be used as a means of effective collaboration and information sharing. Wikipedia [2] is a well-known wiki site. The Internet provides a large number of Java applets, through which multimedia data can be used. Such multimedia data can be used on wiki sites. As such, a number of wikis have extensions or plug-ins for embedding Java applets. Saving such Java applet data on a wiki site is advantageous, which makes the wiki more flexible and extensible. This allows more effective collaboration between users. PukiWiki [3] software is commonly used in Japan. We have constructed an API for applets in order to allow easy and unified data input and output at a remote host. Moreover, we have combined the API and the PukiWiki system by introducing a wiki tag for starting Java applets. The proposed API, which can be used to make the wiki more flexible and extensible, is referred to as the PukiWiki-Java Connector. The PukiWiki-Java Connector enables a number of Java programs to be easily embedded in PukiWiki. We have embedded programs such as a simple text editor, a simple