[vtkusers] map vtkViewport to a JComponent?

[Steve M. Robbins]

The java wrapping of vtk requires use of a heavyweight Canvas subclass
if one wants to use AWT or Swing.

The list archives show a number of queries about using lightweight
components.  A typical answer is "sure, if you are willing to give up
on hardware acceleration and render into an offscreen buffer".  For
example:

  http://public.kitware.com/pipermail/vtkusers/2002-March/059773.html

I've had a quick look through the sources for vtkRenderWindow and
vtkViewport and a different solution presents itself.  

As I understand things, a vtkRenderWindow must be a top-level window
and a vtkViewport is just a piece of the vtkRenderWindow.  Is there
any reason we couldn't use a JFrame for the vtkRenderWindow, add some
lightweight JPanels to it, and use the bounds for the JPanel to set up
the region for the vtkViewport?  With appropriate listeners, I imagine
you could keep the vtkViewport up-to-date with the location and size
of the JPanel.  The upshot is that the lightweight JPanel basically
provides the screen region into which VTK renders.

I haven't tried this.  Is there reason to think it will/won't work?
Has anyone already tried this?

-Steve