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Introduction

Introduction. Applets and Swing/JFC Alternatives to Swing Look-and-Feel issues Example applet graphical user interfaces How do I build a GUI? Conclusion. Applets and Swing/JFC.

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Introduction

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  1. Introduction • Applets and Swing/JFC • Alternatives to Swing • Look-and-Feel issues • Example applet graphical user interfaces • How do I build a GUI? • Conclusion

  2. Applets and Swing/JFC • Swing is a kit of GUI “widgets” - it provides a simple way to create, position and interact with standard interface components • It is a major part of the Java Foundation Classes (c.f. MFC, Microsoft Foundation Classes)‏ • It is a “lightweight” component library, uses the MVC (model-view-controller) architecture design pattern • Applets may use most Swing components • For security reasons some are restricted (which ones?)‏

  3. Alternatives to Swing • The original GUI system for Java was called the “Abstract Windowing Toolkit” or AWT • NB Swing is based on many of the AWT components, either through compatible methods or through inheritance • AWT is a “heavyweight” component library, uses the widgets built into the underlying OS architecture • It has some OS-specific behaviour and thus some portability problems

  4. Alternatives to Swing • SWT is the Standard Widget Toolkit originally developed by IBM as part of the Eclipse project (see http://www.developer.com/java/other/article.php/2179061)‏ • It is seen a “thin wrapper” over the native GUI of the host OS – it is a “heavyweight” library • It is not OS-specific but was originally designed to run in MS Windows • SWT attempts to use the strengths of the Swing and AWT approaches while staying simple and quick

  5. Examples Simple visual applet with mouse-sensitive image-based components Note that the title bar is not settable This is a Swing-based Japplet running in Win XP

  6. Swing Example • Quite a lot of components in this simple applet • JLabel, JCheckBox, JTextArea, JComboBox, JButton, JRadioButton • This applet will look very similar in any graphical OS

  7. Swing Example • This example shows most of the simple Swing components • The GUI is X-Windows http://commons.wikimedia.org/ wiki/Image:Gui-widgets.png

  8. SWT platform-specific examples • The Standard Widget Toolkit (SWT) library uses heavyweight components • Tied to the look-and-feel of the host OS

  9. SWT – a familiar example • Eclipse has one of the best-known examples of SWT in action • Looks good and works well

  10. Building a GUI • Choose AWT, Swing (recommended) or SWT • Learn about component types, event handlers and layout options – documentation and examples • Design a user interface and critically evaluate it • Revise and repeat! • For background on development in AWT, with reference to Swing, see “Graphical User Interface (GUI) Fundamentals” (old article)[http://www.wirelessdevnet.com/channels/java/training/javagui.html]

  11. Conclusion • There are varied ways to build GUI applications in Java Applets • Different approaches have different strengths and weaknesses • Swing is often a good choice (widely supported, flexible, elegant but quite complex)‏ • Predefined widgets/components are available for most tasks • Designing a good interface is hard

  12. Optional Further Reading • Swing article on Wikipedia[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Java_Swing] • Applet article on Wikipedia[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Java_applet] • Standard Widget Toolkit article on Wikipedia[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standard_Widget_Toolkit] • Swing documentation (Sun)[http://java.sun.com/javase/6/docs/api/index.html] • How to make Applets (Sun)[http://java.sun.com/docs/books/tutorial/uiswing/components/applet.html]

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