Can you update DAB to be compatible with Java 11?

Dictionary App Builder DAB Feature Requests
1

In the next update, can you update SIL’s Dictionary App Builder (DAB) to be compatible with Java 11 and compile apps with Java 11?

Currently, DAB is compatible with Java 8 and compiles apps with Java 8.

However, according to the web page “End of Public Updates is a Process, not an Event” on Oracle’s website, “Java SE 8 was released on March 18th in 2014. By the time Oracle Java SE 8 reaches the end of public updates for commercial users in January 2019, Oracle will have provided almost five years of continuous, free public updates.”

It would be a good idea to have DAB use Java 11 instead of Java 8 because the the web page “End of Public Updates is a Process, not an Event” on Oracle’s website says “The next upgrade path from Oracle Java SE 8 leads to JDK 11. Oracle Java SE 11 is the next planned Long-Term Support (LTS) release and the first such release that’s part of the six-month cadence. Oracle Customers will, therefore, receive Oracle Premier Support and periodic update releases even after Java SE 12 is released. That makes Oracle Java SE 11 an attractive migration target for ISVs and other commercial users.”

Furthermore, according to the web page “Oracle Java SE Support Roadmap” on Oracle’s website, “Oracle provides Customers with Oracle Premier Support on Oracle Java SE products as described in the Oracle Lifetime Support Policy. For product releases after Java SE 8, Oracle will designate a release, every three years, as a Long-Term-Support (LTS) release. Java SE 11 is an LTS release.”

Therefore, I think that DAB should switch from Java 8 to Java 11 as soon as possible.

2

On Windows DAB can run with a Java JRE of 8, 9, or 10. But the build process is limited by what android.com supports. So currently that is Java JDK 8. It is not in our ability to change that part.

3

I see. Can you update DAB to be compatible with JRE 11?

4

I am installing a fresh an new setup of DAB today. I am using the installation instructions from 9 May 2019.

Now I also found glaring yellow warnings on the jdk download page: " The new Oracle Technology Network License Agreement for Oracle Java SE is substantially different from prior Oracle JDK licenses."

And for the first time ever, Oracle has forced me to create an account, just to download the most recent jdk-8u211-windows-x64.exe

This is no problem, the account is free but I had to fill out rather a lot of information about my “company”. So depending on who is installing DAB, this could delay or frustrate a user, a trigger spam from Oracle. I suggest that a note about this new procedure might be helpful in the next edition of the DAB instructions.