1. Week 8 Swing NetBeans GUI Builder
PROG21478
Week 8
Swing
NetBeans GUI Builder
2/21/2019
Wendi Jollymore, FAST

2. Swing A toolkit used to develop Uis (User Interfaces)
GUI = Graphical User Interface
Part of Java since version 1.2
Most classes in javax.swing package
Many classes start with “J”
E.g. JTextField, JLabel, JPanel, JButton
2/21/2019
Wendi Jollymore, FAST

3. AWT vs. Swing AWT = Abstract Windowing Toolkit
For GUI development before Swing
Heavy-weight components
Not as platform-independent
Relies on platform’s native code
Affects reliability/efficiency of app
Affects functionality/appearance
E.g. button functionality/appearance limited by platform’s definition of a button
Transparency, rounded corners, etc
2/21/2019
Wendi Jollymore, FAST

4. AWT vs. Swing Light-weight components Written in Java code
Except JApplet, JDialog, JFrame
Written in Java code
Not platform’s native code
Allows for extra functionality, appearance, etc.
2/21/2019
Wendi Jollymore, FAST

5. Swing API See Figure 12.1 in text, page 447 3 Categories of classes
Component classes
Container classes
GUI Helper classes
2/21/2019
Wendi Jollymore, FAST

6. Component Classes Anything that can be displayed on the UI
java.awt.Component
Parent of all component classes, including containers
javax.swing.JComponent
Parent of Swing light-weight components
2/21/2019
Wendi Jollymore, FAST

7. Container Classes java.awt.Container
Can hold instances of Component and Component children
Top-Level containers
Containers that can be displayed without being contained inside another container
E.g. JFrame, JPanel
Note that Container is a child of Component
2/21/2019
Wendi Jollymore, FAST

8. GUI Helper Classes java.awt package
Graphics, Font, FontMetrics, Color, Dimension, LayoutManager, etc
Used to describe properties of GUI components
E.g. colours, fonts, layouts
2/21/2019
Wendi Jollymore, FAST

9. JFrame Class The main container that you’ll use
The main window for your GUI
You can then add other components:
JLabel
JTextField
JButton
Etc…
2/21/2019
Wendi Jollymore, FAST

10. NetBeans GUI Builder
In Class Demo!!
2/21/2019
Wendi Jollymore, FAST