db4o sharpens its Image

Tony Austin
Friday, 23 May 2008 09:56

Opinion and Analysis

As of today, db4objects releases its Eclipse based Java to C# source code conversion tool "sharpen" as free software.

sharpen is the "secret sauce" that enables us to provide the [db4o object database engine] in native versions for the Java and .NET platforms from a single code base.

Features include: mapping between Java and .NET native type systems, compliance with C# coding conventions, user defined namespace/class/method mappings, method to property mappings, Generics support, partial conversions, mixing native and converted C# sources, VS solution file support, and Ant integration.

sharpen is used extensively in the db4o build system, generating most of the db4o engine core code and the unit test suites from the Java sources.

Before you start dreaming: sharpen is not a "magic wand". Don't expect to feed it an arbitrary Java app and receive a running .NET version at the push of a button. The translation process will require some design compromises on the Java side, and parts of the .NET code still have to be hand crafted and integrated into the converted sources. Still, we believe sharpen provides an amazingly smooth way to bridge the gap between Java and .NET and create real cross platform applications.

We are looking forward to see which sharpen propelled applications will cross the language chasm, and we're hoping on your feedback and your contributions that will help to cover automatic conversion of even more Java constructs and idioms, moving Java/.NET cross platform integration to a new level.

You can get started on how to use "Sharpen" with a sample application and short startup guide.

[Author comment] Despite my apparently cynical view on things -- as expressed in the comic, for example -- it's nothing more than my "tongue in cheek" tendency at times, or you might say  an my Australian deprecatory attitude crawling out. I actually reckon that it's super-dooper to see product announcements items like this!