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JFC Swing Tutorial, The: A Guide to Constructing GUIs
- By Kathy Walrath, Mary Campione
- Published Jun 17, 1999 by Addison-Wesley Professional. Part of the Java Series series.
Book
- Sorry, this book is no longer in print.
Description
- Copyright 1999
- Edition: 1st
- Book
- ISBN-10: 0-201-43321-4
- ISBN-13: 978-0-201-43321-0
From the authors of the best-selling Java(TM) Tutorial , here is a guide to using the new Swing components, which are provided by the Java(TM) Foundation Classes (JFC). Developed and co-written by the lead writer on the Swing team, this book covers everything you need to know to write GUIs that use Swing components. The JFC Swing Tutorial uses a task-oriented, example-driven approach to introduce you to fundamental concepts and applications.
Designed to be read either cover-to-cover or as a quick reference, this book explains how to use each Swing component, perform layout, do basic drawing, and convert 1.1 AWT programs to Swing. This book covers Swing 1.1.1, which is available both as an extension to JDK(TM) 1.1 and as a core part of the Java(R) 2 Platform.
Chapters include:
- A quick start chapter, including a tour of a Swing application's code
- Swing features and concepts
- How-to information for all the Swing componentslabels, tool tips, buttons, menus, tables, scroll panes, text components, and more
- Instructions on how to write event handlers
- How to use layout managers
- Tips on solving common problems
- Guidance on working with graphics
- How to convert from AWT components to Swing components
An appendix lists the complete source code for dozens of example applications and applets. The accompanying CD-ROM includes Swing 1.1.1, JDK 1.1, the Java 2 Platform, and the hypertext version of all three Java Tutorial books.
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Sample Content
Table of Contents
GETTING STARTED WITH SWING.
1. About the JFC and Swing.2. Compiling and Running Swing Programs.
3. Running Swing Applets.
4. A Quick Tour of a Swing Application’s Code.
FEATURES AND CONCEPTS.
5. Components and the Containment Hierarchies.6. Layout Management.
7. Event Handling.
8. Painting.
9. Threads and Swing.
10. More Swing Features and Concepts.
11. The Anatomy of a Swing-Based Program.
USING SWING COMPONENTS.
12. A Visual Index to Swing Components.13. The JComponent Class.
14. Using Top-Level Containers.
15. Using Intermediate Swing Containers.
16. Using Atomic Components.
17. Solving Common Component Problems.
LAYING OUT COMPONENTS.
18. Using Layout Managers.19. Creating a Custom Layout Manager.
20. Doing Without a Layout Manager (Absolute Positioning).
21. Solving Common Layout Problems.
USING OTHER SWING FEATURES.
WRITING EVENT LISTENERS.
22. Some Simple Event-Handling Examples.23. General Rules for Writing Event Listeners.
24. Listeners Supported by Swing Components.
25. Implementing Listeners for Commonly Handled Events.
26. Summary of Listener API.
27. Solving Common Event-Handling Problems.
WORKING WITH GRAPHICS.
28. Overview of Custom Painting.29. Using Graphics Primitives.
30. Using Images.
31. Performing Animation.
32. Solving Common Graphics Problems.
CONVERTING TO SWING.
33. Why to Convert.34. How to Convert.
35. Conversion Resources.
36. Solving Common Conversion Problems.
Appendix A: Code Examples.
Appendix B: Reference.
Index. 0201433214T04062001
Preface
This volume of The Java(TM) Tutorial tells you how to write GUIs that use the Java(TM) Foundation Classes (JFC) "Swing" components. You can use the information in this book both with the Java 2 platform (Standard Edition, v 1.2 and compatible versions) and with JDK(TM) 1.1 (with additional JFC 1.1 libraries).
The online form of The Java(TM) Tutorial has covered the Swing components since their first public early access release--Swing 0.2, which came out in July, 1997. Through the many early access releases, the Tutorial kept pace with API changes and additions. Readers and reviewers kept us on our toes, helping us improve each page tremendously. However, readers often requested a printed version of the online material. This book is that version.
About This Book's StructureThe hyperlinked origins of this book may be evident as you read it. For instance, underlined phrases throughout this book mimic online links. A link to material within this book is followed by the appropriate page number. A link to material outside this book, such as to the JDK API documentation, is accompanied by a footnote that contains a URL. Other evidence of this book's online origin can be found on the first page of each lesson and major section, which provides the URL where the lesson or section can be found in the online Tutorial.
You might be wondering why we use the terms "trails" and "lessons." We know that people don't learn linearly. People learn by posing a problem, solving it, uncovering other problems, solving them, and learning information as the need arises. Our original vision for the online Tutorial was to encourage and enable this type of thinking and learning. We envisioned a mountain of ski trails, where at any junction, a reader could choose the most interesting or appropriate path at that time. But we also needed some sort of structure and organization, so we created a two-tiered hierarchy: trails at the top level and lessons within them. This book consists of the largest Tutorial trail, Creating a GUI with JFC/Swing.
AcknowledgmentsWe would like to thank every member of the Swing project. They're a great team of people who do excellent work and are fun to be around. For help with general technical issues, we depended on two people. Hans Muller, the Swing project lead, provided not only reviews of individual sections, but also gave sound advice and help with overall issues. Amy Fowler reviewed individual sections and, as someone with broad knowledge of both the AWT and Swing, helped us to correctly describe such architectural features as graphics support.
Reviewers of individual how-to sections include Philip Milne, who gave masterful reviews of the table and list portions and supplied the sorter example. Georges Saab reviewed the menu- and action-related discussions. Scott Violet provided invaluable help with the text and tree pages. Jeff Dinkins reviewed several sections and also provided quality-of-life enhancements such as tile samples and miniature phone lists.
Earl Johnson and Peter Korn, from the accessibility team, gently prodded us into covering accessibility well. Their demos, coaching, and careful review of the accessibility section helped us improve it greatly.
It's always a pleasure working with Pat Chan, whose early review of this book helped us determine its scope and approach.
Other reviewers and Swing team members that we'd like to thank include Mike Albers, Tim Prinzing, Tom Santos, Steve Wilson, Rich Schiavi, Tom Ball, Jim Graham, and Hania Gajewska. Rick Levenson, the original manager of the Swing project, was very supportive. We look forward to working with the new manager, Howard Rosen.
Alison Huml performed production duties on this book, juggling coursework, paid work, RSI, and a household move. Without her, this book wouldn't exist. She also drew most of the pictures in this book, with the exception of the cartoony ones, which were drawn by Kathy's sweetheart Nathan.
Jennifer Ball helped us at crucial points, doing such tasks as checking API tables and code snippets, and converting graphics examples.
Lisa Friendly, our manager and series editor, gave us the freedom and support necessary to do our work--and enjoy it. Stans Kleijnen and Jon Kannegaard, respectively the director of product engineering and the vice president of the Java platform, also contributed to an atmosphere that let everyone do their best.
We'd also like to thank the team at Addison-Wesley: Mike Hendrickson, Sarah Weaver, Evelyn Pyle, Jacquelyn Young, Marina Lang, and Julie DeBaggis. They've been a pleasure to work with.
Finally, thank you to our readers.
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