Have any of you done any amount of development using
the webstart API?
<http://java.sun.com/products/javawebstart/1.0.1/javadoc/index.html>
(The FileService, ClipboardService, PersistenceService..)

I have found the development cycle to be a PITA, and am
looking for shortcuts.

The basic problem is that in order to access any of the
services, you cannot simply 'run your classes' in Java from
the command line - even if you add the JWS jar to the classpath,
the ServiceManager is not properly initialised, and
ServiceManager.getServiceNames()* returns a 0 length array.

*
<http://java.sun.com/products/javawebstart/1.0.1/javadoc/javax/jnlp/ServiceManage
r.html#getServiceNames()>

When launching via webstart itself, the application/applet
needs to be jar'd, and requires a JNLP file.

Fortunately, you can then test it from the command
line and local filesystem (avoiding the entire hassle of
uploading it to a server configured to send the correct
mime-type) by using the -codebase option on launch..
<http://java.sun.com/j2se/1.5.0/docs/guide/javaws/developersguide/javaws.html#options>

But.. I find that even using the sand-boxed (no need to sign the code)
methods in one part of an application, I often need other parts of the
application to have 'full access' (libraries and native libs etc.).

To add code signing to that development test cycle is a killer,
is there is any way to tell the javaws launcher (either via options,
system configuration, or voodoo) to 'ignore all restrictions'
and simply run test code as 'trusted'?

Or is this a case of
"(slap the OP) Use an advanced IDE with ANT and this is all easy"?

Andrew T.