Extracted common Getdown applet config functionality so that it can be reused by applets that are doing more that just Getdown.

etc/getdown.pro

@@ -24,8 +24,12 @@
     *;
 }
 
+-keep public class com.threerings.getdown.data.Application {
+    *;
+}
+
 -keep public class com.threerings.getdown.launcher.Getdown {
-    public static void main (java.lang.String[]);
+    *;
 }
 
 -keep public class com.threerings.getdown.launcher.GetdownApp {
@@ -35,3 +39,11 @@
 -keep public class com.threerings.getdown.launcher.GetdownApplet {
     *;
 }
+
+-keep class * extends javax.swing.JApplet {
+    <methods>;
+}
+
+-keep public class com.threerings.getdown.launcher.GetdownAppletConfig {
+    *;
+}

src/java/com/threerings/getdown/launcher/GetdownApplet.java

@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 // $Id$
 //
 // Getdown - application installer, patcher and launcher
-// Copyright (C) 2004-2008 Three Rings Design, Inc.
+// Copyright (C) 2004-2009 Three Rings Design, Inc.
 //
 // Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without modification, are permitted
 // provided that the following conditions are met:
@@ -23,10 +23,8 @@
 // SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
 package com.threerings.getdown.launcher;
 
-import java.awt.Color;
 import java.awt.Container;
 import java.awt.Image;
-import java.awt.Rectangle;
 import java.io.File;
 import java.io.FileOutputStream;
 import java.io.IOException;
@@ -36,19 +34,10 @@ import java.net.URL;
 import javax.swing.JApplet;
 import javax.swing.JPanel;
 
-import java.util.Map;
-
-import com.samskivert.util.RunAnywhere;
-import com.samskivert.util.StringUtil;
-
-import com.threerings.getdown.data.Application;
-import com.threerings.getdown.util.ConfigUtil;
-
 import static com.threerings.getdown.Log.log;
 
 /**
- * An applet that can be used to launch a Getdown application (when signed and
+ * An applet that can be used to launch a Getdown application (when signed and given privileges).
- * given privileges).
  */
 public class GetdownApplet extends JApplet
     implements ImageLoader
@@ -56,74 +45,28 @@ public class GetdownApplet extends JApplet
     @Override // documentation inherited
     public void init ()
     {
-        // verify that we are not being hijacked to execute malicious code in the name of the
+        _config = new GetdownAppletConfig(this);
-        // signer
-        String appbase = getParameter("appbase");
-        String appname = getParameter("appname");
-        String imgpath = getParameter("bgimage");
-        String errorimgpath = getParameter("errorbgimage");
-        if (appbase == null) {
-            appbase = "";
-        }
-        if (appname == null) {
-            appname = "";
-        }
 
-        final RotatingBackgrounds bgimages;
-        if (imgpath == null) {
-            bgimages = new RotatingBackgrounds();
-        } else if (imgpath.indexOf(",") > -1) {
-            bgimages = new RotatingBackgrounds(imgpath.split(","), errorimgpath, this);
-        } else {
-            bgimages = new RotatingBackgrounds(loadImage(imgpath));
-        }
-
-        log.info("App Base: " + appbase);
-        log.info("App Name: " + appname);
-
-        File appdir = null;
         try {
-            appdir = initGetdown(appbase, appname, imgpath);
 
-            // record a few things for posterity
+            try {
-            log.info("------------------ VM Info ------------------");
+                // Check our permissions, download getdown.txt, etc.
-            log.info("-- OS Name: " + System.getProperty("os.name"));
+                _config.init();
-            log.info("-- OS Arch: " + System.getProperty("os.arch"));
+            } catch (Exception e) {
-            log.info("-- OS Vers: " + System.getProperty("os.version"));
+                _errmsg = e.getMessage();
-            log.info("-- Java Vers: " + System.getProperty("java.version"));
-            log.info("-- Java Home: " + System.getProperty("java.home"));
-            log.info("-- User Name: " + System.getProperty("user.name"));
-            log.info("-- User Home: " + System.getProperty("user.home"));
-            log.info("-- Cur dir: " + System.getProperty("user.dir"));
-            log.info("---------------------------------------------");
-
-        } catch (Exception e) {
-            _errmsg = e.getMessage();
-        }
-
-        // Pull out system properties to pass through to the launched vm if they exist
-        String params = getParameter("app_properties");
-        String[] jvmargs;
-        if(params == null){
-            jvmargs = new String[0];
-        } else {
-            jvmargs = params.split(",");
-            for (int ii = 0; ii < jvmargs.length; ii++) {
-                jvmargs[ii] = "-D" + jvmargs[ii];
             }
-        }
 
-        try {
             // XXX getSigners() returns all certificates used to sign this applet which may allow
             // a third party to insert a trusted certificate. This should be replaced with
             // statically included trusted keys.
-            _getdown = new Getdown(appdir, null, GetdownApplet.class.getSigners(), jvmargs) {
+            _getdown = new Getdown(_config.appdir, null, GetdownApplet.class.getSigners(),
+                _config.jvmargs) {
                 protected Container createContainer () {
                     getContentPane().removeAll();
                     return getContentPane();
                 }
                 protected RotatingBackgrounds getBackground () {
-                    return bgimages;
+                    return _config.getBackgroundImages(GetdownApplet.this);
                 }
                 protected void showContainer () {
                     ((JPanel)getContentPane()).revalidate();
@@ -132,55 +75,32 @@ public class GetdownApplet extends JApplet
                     // nothing to do as we're in an applet
                 }
                 protected boolean invokeDirect () {
-                    return "true".equalsIgnoreCase(getParameter("direct"));
+                    return _config.invokeDirect;
                 }
                 protected JApplet getApplet () {
                     return GetdownApplet.this;
                 }
                 protected void exit (int exitCode) {
                     _app.releaseLock();
-                    // Redirect to the URL in 'redirect_on_finish' if we completed successfully.
+                    _config.redirect();
-                    // This allows us to use some javascript on that page to close Getdown's
-                    // browser window.  I'd prefer to use the javascript bridge from the applet
-                    // rather than redirecting, but calling JSObject.getWindow(this).call("close")
-                    // doesn't seem to do anything.
-                    if (getParameter("redirect_on_finish") != null && exitCode == 0) {
-                        URL dest;
-                        try {
-                            dest = new URL(getParameter("redirect_on_finish"));
-                        } catch (MalformedURLException e) {
-                            log.warning("URL in redirect_on_finish param is malformed: " + e);
-                            return;
-                        }
-                        String target = getParameter("redirect_on_finish_target");
-                        if (target == null) {
-                            getAppletContext().showDocument(dest);
-                        } else {
-                            getAppletContext().showDocument(dest, target);
-                        }
-                    }
                 }
             };
 
-            // configure the status/progress text in case something goes horribly wrong before we
+            // set up our user interface
-            // get a chance to read getdown.txt (like when the user rejects write permissions)
+            _config.config(_getdown);
-            Rectangle statusBounds = Application.parseRect(getParameter("ui.status"));
-            if (statusBounds != null) {
-                _getdown._ifc.status = statusBounds;
-            }
-            Color statusColor = Application.parseColor(getParameter("ui.status_text"));
-            if (statusColor != null) {
-                _getdown._ifc.statusText = statusColor;
-            }
-
-            // set up our user interface immediately
             _getdown.preInit();
 
         } catch (Exception e) {
+            // assume that if we already encountered an error, that is the root cause that we want
+            // to report back to the user
+            if (_errmsg == null) {
+                _errmsg = e.getMessage();
+            }
             log.warning("init() failed.", e);
         }
     }
 
+    // implemented from ImageLoader
     public Image loadImage (String path)
     {
         try {
@@ -215,107 +135,6 @@ public class GetdownApplet extends JApplet
         _getdown._app.releaseLock();
     }
 
-    /**
-     * Does all the fiddly initialization of Getdown and throws an exception if something goes
-     * horribly wrong. If an exception is thrown we will abort the whole process and display an
-     * error message to the user.
-     */
-    protected File initGetdown (String appbase, String appname, String imgpath)
-        throws Exception
-    {
-        // getdown requires full read/write permissions to the system; if we don't have this, then
-        // we need to not do anything unsafe, and display a message to the user telling them they
-        // need to (groan) close out of the web browser entirely and re-launch the browser, go to
-        // our site, and accept the certificate
-        SecurityManager sm = System.getSecurityManager();
-        if (sm != null) {
-            try {
-                sm.checkWrite("getdown");
-                sm.checkPropertiesAccess();
-            } catch (SecurityException se) {
-                log.warning("Signed applet rejected by user", "se", se);
-                throw new Exception("m.insufficient_permissions_error");
-            }
-        }
-
-        // pass through properties parameters
-        String properties = getParameter("properties");
-        if (properties != null) {
-            String[] proparray = properties.split(" ");
-            for (String property : proparray) {
-                String key = property.substring(property.indexOf("-D") + 2, property.indexOf("="));
-                String value = property.substring(property.indexOf("=") + 1);
-                System.setProperty(key, value);
-            }
-        }
-
-        // when run from an applet, we install to the user's home directory
-        String root;
-        if (RunAnywhere.isWindows()) {
-            root = "Application Data";
-            String verStr = System.getProperty("os.version");
-            try {
-                if (Float.parseFloat(verStr) >= 6.0f) {
-                    // Vista makes us write it here....  Yay.
-                    root = "AppData" + File.separator + "LocalLow";
-                }
-            } catch (Exception e) {
-                log.warning("Couldn't parse OS version", "vers", verStr, "error", e);
-            }
-        } else if (RunAnywhere.isMacOS()) {
-            root = "Library" + File.separator + "Application Support";
-        } else /* isLinux() or something wacky */ {
-            root = ".getdown";
-        }
-        File appdir = new File(System.getProperty("user.home") + File.separator + root +
-                               File.separator + appname);
-
-        // if our application directory does not exist, auto-create it
-        if (!appdir.exists() || !appdir.isDirectory()) {
-            if (!appdir.mkdirs()) {
-                throw new Exception("m.create_appdir_failed");
-            }
-        }
-
-        // if an installer.txt file is desired, create that
-        String inststr = getParameter("installer");
-        if (!StringUtil.isBlank(inststr)) {
-            File infile = new File(appdir, "installer.txt");
-            if (!infile.exists()) {
-                writeToFile(infile, inststr);
-            }
-        }
-
-        // if our getdown.txt file does not exist, or it is corrupt, auto-/recreate it
-        File gdfile = new File(appdir, "getdown.txt");
-        boolean createGetdown = !gdfile.exists();
-        if (!createGetdown) {
-            try {
-                Map<String,Object> cdata = ConfigUtil.parseConfig(gdfile, false);
-                String oappbase = StringUtil.trim((String)cdata.get("appbase"));
-                createGetdown = (appbase != null && !appbase.trim().equals(oappbase));
-                if (createGetdown) {
-                    log.warning("Recreating getdown.txt due to appbase mismatch",
-                                "nappbase", appbase, "oappbase", oappbase);
-                }
-            } catch (Exception e) {
-                log.warning("Failure checking validity of getdown.txt, forcing recreate.",
-                            "error", e);
-                createGetdown = true;
-            }
-        }
-        if (createGetdown) {
-            if (StringUtil.isBlank(appbase)) {
-                throw new Exception("m.missing_appbase");
-            }
-            if (!writeToFile(gdfile, "appbase = " + appbase)) {
-                throw new Exception("m.create_getdown_failed");
-            }
-        }
-
-        return appdir;
-    }
-
     /**
      * Creates the specified file and writes the supplied contents to it.
      */
@@ -332,6 +151,9 @@ public class GetdownApplet extends JApplet
         }
     }
 
+    /** The Getdown configuration as pulled from the applet params */
+    protected GetdownAppletConfig _config;
+
     /** Handles all the actual getting down. */
     protected Getdown _getdown;
 

src/java/com/threerings/getdown/launcher/GetdownAppletConfig.java

@@ -0,0 +1,394 @@
+//
+// $Id$
+//
+// Getdown - application installer, patcher and launcher
+// Copyright (C) 2004-2009 Three Rings Design, Inc.
+//
+// Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without modification, are permitted
+// provided that the following conditions are met:
+//
+// 1. Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright notice, this list of
+//    conditions and the following disclaimer.
+// 2. Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright notice, this list of
+//    conditions and the following disclaimer in the documentation and/or other materials provided
+//    with the distribution.
+//
+// THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE AUTHOR ``AS IS'' AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES,
+// INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A
+// PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED.  IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHOR BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT,
+// INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED
+// TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS
+// INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT
+// LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS
+// SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
+
+package com.threerings.getdown.launcher;
+
+import java.awt.Color;
+import java.awt.Rectangle;
+import java.io.File;
+import java.io.FileOutputStream;
+import java.io.IOException;
+import java.io.PrintStream;
+import java.net.MalformedURLException;
+import java.net.URL;
+import java.util.Map;
+import java.util.Properties;
+
+import javax.swing.JApplet;
+
+import com.samskivert.util.RunAnywhere;
+import com.samskivert.util.StringUtil;
+import com.threerings.getdown.data.Application;
+import com.threerings.getdown.launcher.ImageLoader;
+import com.threerings.getdown.launcher.RotatingBackgrounds;
+import com.threerings.getdown.util.ConfigUtil;
+
+import static com.threerings.getdown.Log.log;
+
+public class GetdownAppletConfig
+{
+    public static final String APPBASE = "appbase";
+
+    public static final String APPNAME = "appname";
+
+    public static final String BGIMAGE = "bgimage";
+
+    public static final String ERRORBGIMAGE = "errorbgimage";
+
+    public static final String PROPERTIES = "properties";
+
+    public static final String PARAM_DELIMITER = ".";
+
+    public static final String APP_PROPERTIES = "app_properties";
+
+    public static final String DIRECT = "direct";
+
+    public static final String REDIRECT_ON_FINISH = "redirect_on_finish";
+
+    public static final String REDIRECT_ON_FINISH_TARGET = "redirect_on_finish_target";
+
+    public String appbase;
+
+    public String appname;
+
+    /** The list of background images and their display time */
+    public String imgpath;
+
+    /** The error background image */
+    public String errorimgpath;
+
+    public Properties properties = new Properties();
+
+    public File appdir;
+
+    public String[] jvmargs;
+
+    /** An optional URL to which the applet should redirect when done. */
+    public URL redirectUrl;
+
+    public String redirectTarget;
+
+    public String installerFileContents;
+
+    /**
+     * Indicates whether the downloaded app should be launched in the parent applet (true) or as a
+     * separate java process (false).
+     */
+    public boolean invokeDirect;
+
+    /** Optional default bounds for the status panel. */
+    public Rectangle statusBounds;
+
+    public Color statusColor;
+
+    public GetdownAppletConfig (JApplet applet)
+    {
+        this(applet, null);
+    }
+
+    public GetdownAppletConfig (JApplet applet, String paramPrefix)
+    {
+        _applet = applet;
+        _prefix = paramPrefix;
+
+        appbase = getParameter(APPBASE, "");
+        appname = getParameter(APPNAME, "");
+        log.info("App Base: " + appbase);
+        log.info("App Name: " + appname);
+
+        imgpath = getParameter(BGIMAGE);
+        errorimgpath = getParameter(ERRORBGIMAGE);
+
+        String props = getParameter(PROPERTIES);
+        if (props != null) {
+            String[] proparray = props.split(" ");
+            for (String property : proparray) {
+                String key = property.substring(property.indexOf("-D") + 2, property.indexOf("="));
+                String value = property.substring(property.indexOf("=") + 1);
+                properties.setProperty(key, value);
+            }
+        }
+
+        String root;
+        if (RunAnywhere.isWindows()) {
+            root = "Application Data";
+            String verStr = System.getProperty("os.version");
+            try {
+                if (Float.parseFloat(verStr) >= 6.0f) {
+                    // Vista makes us write it here.... Yay.
+                    root = "AppData" + File.separator + "LocalLow";
+                }
+            } catch (Exception e) {
+                log.warning("Couldn't parse OS version", "vers", verStr, "error", e);
+            }
+        } else if (RunAnywhere.isMacOS()) {
+            root = "Library" + File.separator + "Application Support";
+        } else /* isLinux() or something wacky */{
+            root = ".getdown";
+        }
+        appdir = new File(System.getProperty("user.home") + File.separator + root + File.separator
+            + appname);
+
+        installerFileContents = getParameter("installer");
+
+        // Pull out -D properties to pass through to the launched vm if they exist
+        String params = getParameter(APP_PROPERTIES);
+        if (params == null) {
+            jvmargs = new String[0];
+        } else {
+            jvmargs = params.split(",");
+            for (int ii = 0; ii < jvmargs.length; ii++) {
+                jvmargs[ii] = "-D" + jvmargs[ii];
+            }
+        }
+
+        String direct = getParameter(DIRECT, "false");
+        invokeDirect = Boolean.parseBoolean(direct);
+
+        String redirectURL = getParameter(REDIRECT_ON_FINISH);
+        if (redirectURL != null) {
+            try {
+                redirectUrl = new URL(redirectURL);
+                redirectTarget = getParameter(REDIRECT_ON_FINISH_TARGET);
+            } catch (MalformedURLException e) {
+                log.warning("URL in " + REDIRECT_ON_FINISH + " param is malformed: " + e);
+            }
+        }
+
+        // This allows us to configure the status panel from applet parameters in case something
+        // goes horribly wrong before we get a chance to read getdown.txt (like when the user
+        // rejects write permission for the applet)
+        statusBounds = Application.parseRect(getParameter("ui.status"));
+        statusColor = Application.parseColor(getParameter("ui.status_text"));
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Does all the fiddly initialization of Getdown and throws an exception if something goes
+     * horribly wrong.
+     */
+    public void init () throws Exception
+    {
+        securityCheck();
+        setSystemProperties();
+        ensureAppdirExists();
+        createFiles();
+
+        // record a few things for posterity
+        log.info("------------------ VM Info ------------------");
+        log.info("-- OS Name: " + System.getProperty("os.name"));
+        log.info("-- OS Arch: " + System.getProperty("os.arch"));
+        log.info("-- OS Vers: " + System.getProperty("os.version"));
+        log.info("-- Java Vers: " + System.getProperty("java.version"));
+        log.info("-- Java Home: " + System.getProperty("java.home"));
+        log.info("-- User Name: " + System.getProperty("user.name"));
+        log.info("-- User Home: " + System.getProperty("user.home"));
+        log.info("-- Cur dir: " + System.getProperty("user.dir"));
+        log.info("---------------------------------------------");
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Sets getdown status panel size and text color from applet params.
+     */
+    public void config (Getdown getdown)
+    {
+        if (statusBounds != null) {
+            getdown._ifc.status = statusBounds;
+        }
+        if (statusColor != null) {
+            getdown._ifc.statusText = statusColor;
+        }
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Gets the value of the named parameter. If the param is not set, this will return null.
+     */
+    public String getParameter (String param)
+    {
+        if (_prefix != null) {
+            return _applet.getParameter(_prefix + PARAM_DELIMITER + param);
+        }
+        return _applet.getParameter(param);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Gets the value of an optional Applet parameter. If the param is not set, the default value is
+     * returned.
+     */
+    public String getParameter (String param, String defaultValue)
+    {
+        String value = getParameter(param);
+        return value == null ? defaultValue : value;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Uses the Applet context to redirect the browser to a URL (intended for use when the applet
+     * is done downloading). If the redirect_on_finish parameter was not set, this does nothing.
+     */
+    public void redirect ()
+    {
+        if (redirectUrl != null) {
+            if (redirectTarget == null) {
+                _applet.getAppletContext().showDocument(redirectUrl);
+            } else {
+                _applet.getAppletContext().showDocument(redirectUrl, redirectTarget);
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    /**
+     *
+     */
+    public RotatingBackgrounds getBackgroundImages (ImageLoader loader)
+    {
+        if (bgimages == null) {
+            // Load background images
+            bgimages = getBackgroundImages(imgpath, errorimgpath, loader);
+        }
+        return bgimages;
+    }
+
+    public static RotatingBackgrounds getBackgroundImages (String imageParam,
+        String errorImagePath, ImageLoader loader)
+    {
+        // Parse the image parameter and load the background images
+        RotatingBackgrounds images;
+        if (imageParam == null) {
+            images = new RotatingBackgrounds();
+        } else if (imageParam.indexOf(",") > -1) {
+            images = new RotatingBackgrounds(imageParam.split(","), errorImagePath, loader);
+        } else {
+            images = new RotatingBackgrounds(loader.loadImage(imageParam));
+        }
+        return images;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * This checks whether the user has accepted our signed
+     */
+    protected void securityCheck () throws Exception
+    {
+        // getdown requires full read/write permissions to the system; if we don't have this, then
+        // we need to not do anything unsafe, and display a message to the user telling them they
+        // need to (groan) close out of the web browser entirely and re-launch the browser, go to
+        // our site, and accept the certificate
+        SecurityManager sm = System.getSecurityManager();
+        if (sm != null) {
+            try {
+                sm.checkPropertiesAccess();
+                sm.checkWrite("getdown");
+            } catch (SecurityException se) {
+                log.warning("Signed applet rejected by user", "se", se);
+                throw new Exception("m.insufficient_permissions_error");
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Dumps the contents of the <code>properties</code> into the System properties.
+     */
+    protected void setSystemProperties ()
+    {
+        System.getProperties().putAll(properties);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Makes sire that the appdir directory exists, creating it if necessary. Throws an exception if
+     * the directory does not exist and cannot be created.
+     */
+    protected void ensureAppdirExists () throws Exception
+    {
+        // if our application directory does not exist, auto-create it
+        if (!appdir.exists() || !appdir.isDirectory()) {
+            if (!appdir.mkdirs()) {
+                throw new Exception("m.create_appdir_failed");
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Writes the installer.txt and getdown.txt files to the local file system as needed.
+     */
+    protected void createFiles () throws Exception
+    {
+        // if an installer.txt file is desired, create that
+        if (!StringUtil.isBlank(installerFileContents)) {
+            File infile = new File(appdir, "installer.txt");
+            if (!infile.exists()) {
+                writeToFile(infile, installerFileContents);
+            }
+        }
+
+        // if our getdown.txt file does not exist, or it is corrupt, auto-/recreate it
+        File gdfile = new File(appdir, "getdown.txt");
+        boolean createGetdown = !gdfile.exists();
+        if (!createGetdown) {
+            try {
+                Map<String,Object> cdata = ConfigUtil.parseConfig(gdfile, false);
+                String oappbase = StringUtil.trim((String)cdata.get(APPBASE));
+                createGetdown = (appbase != null && !appbase.trim().equals(oappbase));
+                if (createGetdown) {
+                    log.warning("Recreating getdown.txt due to appbase mismatch",
+                                "nappbase", appbase, "oappbase", oappbase);
+                }
+            } catch (Exception e) {
+                log.warning("Failure checking validity of getdown.txt, forcing recreate.",
+                            "error", e);
+                createGetdown = true;
+            }
+        }
+        if (createGetdown) {
+            if (StringUtil.isBlank(appbase)) {
+                throw new Exception("m.missing_appbase");
+            }
+            if (!writeToFile(gdfile, "appbase = " + appbase)) {
+                throw new Exception("m.create_getdown_failed");
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Creates the specified file and writes the supplied contents to it.
+     */
+    protected boolean writeToFile (File tofile, String contents)
+    {
+        try {
+            PrintStream out = new PrintStream(new FileOutputStream(tofile));
+            out.println(contents);
+            out.close();
+            return true;
+        } catch (IOException ioe) {
+            log.warning("Failed to create '" + tofile + "'.", ioe);
+            return false;
+        }
+    }
+
+    /** A reference to the Applet in which Getdown is running */
+    protected JApplet _applet;
+
+    /** An optional prefix to prepend when looking for Getdown Applet params */
+    protected String _prefix;
+
+    /** The background images displayed on the status panel as Getdown is getting down. */
+    protected RotatingBackgrounds bgimages;
+}