Question

I have a Java application that run as a background service, i.e. no GUI. But when starting it, say through a batch script, I have some preparation works to be done at the very beginning of my program (something like communicate with server).

I want a busy cursor appear at this busy moment. Is it possible to do this without using any Swing component? Thanks for any suggestion or alternative approach.

Answer 1

I’d go for a console-based “progress bar”. It’s possible to use Swing but it would render your solution useless in a headless environment. Drawing progress bars with characters in terminal is quite a common practice.

You can either implement it yourself or use a ready class. Just take a look at github or bitbucket and you’ll find something for sure.

A busy cursor could even be displayed as a caption with alternating last character (as simple as possible), with “frames” like these (rotating bar)

LOADING DATA /
LOADING DATA |
LOADING DATA \
LOADING DATA -

Implementing something like this wouldn’t take much time. We’re talking about minutes here.

If the only thing that prevents you from using Swing is an appearing window, you can change its appearance thanks to window translucency. This way you’d get an animated image overlaying your screen. It wouldn’t work in a terminal though.