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.NET support

JChem Version 5.1.2

The full JChem API is available in .NET through JNBridge.

JNBridge is a third-party tool. It translates any Java APIs to .NET API, so Java libraries can be used from within .NET. (JNBridge is also capable to do the opposite: translates .NET API to Java. But this is irrelevant for the current discussion.) The JNBridge tool lets ChemAxon generate native .NET objects which act as proxies of Java objects ChemAxon's Java libraries. .NET programmers create in their code the generated proxies and use them without leaving the .NET programming space.

The mapping from Java API to .NET API is relatively straightforward with the two programming environments sharing the same basic types with similar behaviours. The higher level language constructs of C# and Java also show many similarities. Due to these considerations, we currently do not provide a separate .NET API documentation. (Admittedly, while a C# programmer will read Java API documentations with relative ease, a Visual Basic programmer has to make somewhat more effort to understand them.)

JNBridge is the product of JNBridge LLC. JNBridge LLC and ChemAxon are two distinct business entities. JNBridge LLC develops and owns the JNBridge product. ChemAxon tested JNBridge with its own products and decided to provide support to .NET programmers in using JNBridge to access ChemAxon Java libraries from within their .NET programs. ChemAxon distributes the runtime components of the JNBridge product for use with its own products and provides technical support for its own customers in case they have problems with the JNBridge product when used with ChemAxon's products.

You need the following components to run JChem in a .NET runtime:

• .NET proxies for JChem
  We provide the jchem5.1.2_JnbProxies_1.1.dll and jchem5.1.2_JnbProxies_2.0.dll .NET assemblies for .NET 1.1 and .NET 2.0 runtimes respectively. These assemblies contain the type descriptors and .NET stubs which act in the .NET environment as proxies for the JChem Java classes. You can download them from our website. The mapping from the JChem API to the type information exposed in the JChem .NET proxies is exhaustive (fine grained) and very straightforward. For example: the package-qualified name of the Java class chemaxon.jchem.db.JChemSearch maps to the namespace-qualified name of .NET class chemaxon.jchem.db.JChemSearch.
• Java Runtime Environment (JRE)
  or the Java Development Kit for server use. The JRE 1.5.0 (Java Runtime Environment (JRE) 5.0 Update 6 or later) must be installed on your machine for client (GUI) applications. For server applications (ASP.NET), the Java Development Kit (JDK 5.0 Update 6 or later) is recommended.
• The JNBridge runtime system
  The SE version of JNBridge runtime has to be installed on your machine. It can be downloaded for evaluation from here. The evaluation period is 30 days. After expiration of the evaluation period, a license key is required. In case the JNBridge tool is used with ChemAxon products, ChemAxon (as a distributor of the JNBridge runtime components) provides license keys in return for payment of the license fee determined by JNBridge LLC. Note that ChemAxon's "Free Software" program currently does not cover the JNBridge product.
  

The JChem package provides an example application demonstrating how to use JChem in an ASP.NET application. GUI examples are available in the Marvin package.

The ASP.NET example demonstrates

• how to use JChem's database routines in order to maintain and search in a database of molecular structures;
• how to efficiently integrate JChem's database routines with the Marvin visualization components in a WEB-based application.