Jformdesigner 4.0 Manual
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
JFormDesigner 4.0.2 Manual JFormDesigner 4.0 Manual Version: 4.0.2 Copyright © 2004-2008 FormDev Software GmbH. All rights reserved. Contents JFormDesigner ........................................................................................................................... 2 1 What's New ........................................................................................................................ 3 2 User Interface .................................................................................................................... 6 2.1 Menus ......................................................................................................................... 7 2.2 Toolbars ..................................................................................................................... 10 2.3 Design View ................................................................................................................ 11 2.3.1 Headers ................................................................................................................ 13 2.3.2 In-place-editing ..................................................................................................... 15 2.3.3 Keyboard Navigation .............................................................................................. 16 2.3.4 Menu Designer ...................................................................................................... 16 2.3.5 Button Groups ....................................................................................................... 18 2.3.6 JTabbedPane ......................................................................................................... 19 2.3.7 Events .................................................................................................................. 20 2.4 Palette ....................................................................................................................... 23 2.5 Structure View ............................................................................................................ 27 2.6 Properties View ........................................................................................................... 29 2.6.1 Property Editors ..................................................................................................... 32 2.6.2 Layout Properties ................................................................................................... 42 2.6.3 Constraints Properties ............................................................................................ 43 2.6.4 Client Properties .................................................................................................... 44 2.7 Error Log View ............................................................................................................ 45 2.8 Localization ................................................................................................................ 46 2.9 Projects ...................................................................................................................... 52 2.10 Preferences ............................................................................................................... 54 3 IDE Integrations ............................................................................................................... 71 3.1 Eclipse plug-in ............................................................................................................ 72 3.2 IntelliJ IDEA plug-in ..................................................................................................... 76 3.3 JBuilder plug-in ........................................................................................................... 81 4 Layout Managers .............................................................................................................. 85 4.1 BorderLayout .............................................................................................................. 87 4.2 BoxLayout .................................................................................................................. 88 4.3 CardLayout ................................................................................................................. 89 4.4 FlowLayout ................................................................................................................. 90 4.5 FormLayout (JGoodies) ................................................................................................ 91 4.5.1 Column/Row Templates .......................................................................................... 93 4.5.2 Column/Row Groups ............................................................................................... 94 4.6 GridBagLayout ............................................................................................................ 96 4.7 GridLayout .................................................................................................................. 99 4.8 GroupLayout (Free Design) ......................................................................................... 100 4.9 HorizontalLayout (SwingX) .......................................................................................... 103 4.10 IntelliJ IDEA GridLayout ............................................................................................ 104 4.11 null Layout .............................................................................................................. 106 4.12 TableLayout ............................................................................................................ 108 4.13 VerticalLayout (SwingX) ............................................................................................ 110 5 Java Code Generator ....................................................................................................... 111 5.1 Nested Classes .......................................................................................................... 112 5.2 Code Templates ......................................................................................................... 114 5.3 Command Line Generation .......................................................................................... 115 6 Runtime Library .............................................................................................................. 117 7 JavaBeans ...................................................................................................................... 119 8 JGoodies Forms & Looks ................................................................................................... 122 - 1 - JFormDesigner 4.0.2 Manual JFormDesigner Introduction JFormDesigner is an innovative GUI designer for Java Swing user interfaces. Its outstanding support for JGoodies FormLayout, GroupLayout (Free Design), TableLayout and GridBagLayout makes it easy to create professional looking forms. JFormDesigner is available in four editions: as stand-alone application and as IDE plug-ins for Eclipse, IntelliJ IDEA and JBuilder. This documentation covers all editions. If there are functional differences between the editions, then they are marked with: Stand-alone, Eclipse plug-in, IntelliJ IDEA plug-in , JBuilder plug-in or IDE plug-ins. Key features Easy and intuitive to use, powerful and productive JFormDesigner provides an easy-to-use but powerful user interface. Easily drag and drop components, resize components, set properties, etc. Powerful features like in-place-editing, drag and drop of columns/rows, bean morphing, layout manager changing increase your productivity. IDE plug-ins and stand-alone application JFormDesigner is available as IDE plug-ins for Eclipse, IntelliJ IDEA and JBuilder and as stand-alone application. GroupLayout (Free Design) support GroupLayout support brings the "Free Design" paradigm to JFormDesigner (as in NetBeans GUI Builder; formerly Project Matisse). You can lay out your forms by simply placing components where you want them. Visual guidelines suggest optimal spacing, alignment and resizing of components. This makes it easy to design professional-looking GUIs. JGoodies FormLayout and TableLayout support These open-source layout managers allow you to design high quality forms. JGoodies FormLayout support includes column/row specifications (alignment, size, resize behavior), IntelliGap (automatically handles gap columns/rows) and column/row grouping (makes widths/heights equal). Also other parts of the JGoodies Forms framework are supported (DLU borders, component factory). TableLayout is fully supported (column/row size, gaps, alignment). Advanced GridBagLayout support The advanced GridBagLayout support allows the specification of horizontal and vertical gaps (as in TableLayout). JFormDesigner automatically computes the GridBagConstraints.insets for all components. This makes designing a form with consistent gaps using GridBagLayout much easier. No longer wrestling with GridBagConstraints.insets. Column and row headers The column and row headers (for grid-based layout managers) show the structure of the layout (including column/row indices, alignment, growing, grouping) and allow you to insert or delete columns/rows and change column/row properties. It's also possible to drag and drop columns/rows (incl. contained components and gaps). This allows you to swap columns or move rows in seconds. Localization support Localizing forms using properties