What Tools that you usually use for developing Swing application?

[Leonardo Carreira]

Hi Friends..

I'm wondering about what tools that you usually use for developing Swing application..
current, i use Netbeans..

How about you?..
i'm longing for other tools that more comfortable..
but it doesn't mean i don't like Netbeans.. I really like it..

Thanks for share..

[Maneesh Godbole]

Paper/Pencil
Whiteboard/Marker
Eclipse (hand coding)

[Pari Nanoti]

1) Star UML
2) Eclipse

[Leonardo Carreira]

Paper/Pencil
Whiteboard/Marker
Eclipse (hand coding)

Hi Maneesh..,
do you usually use hand coding with Eclipse for develop Swing application?..
Why don't you use GUI builder (drag n drop components as what netbeans do)?..

I've ever created a Swing application only with a Crimson Editor..
but i think its a boring task.. , especially when arrange the size and position of each components on JFrame..

so, i choose to use Netbeans.. ..
how do you arrange the size of each components?..

Thanks..

[Maneesh Godbole]

Not usually, always.
DnD style editors are at best suitable for a quick UI mockup. They do not offer finer level of control like hand coding does. DnD editors, invariably use GroupLayout which generates code which is difficult to follow. DnD style code from one editor (say eclipse) is not compatible with another (say Netbeans). The list goes on.

I never need to specify the size or position of the components because I use LayoutManagers.

[Leonardo Carreira]

Not usually, always.

waw.. its really surprising me..

DnD style editors are at best suitable for a quick UI mockup. They do not offer finer level of control like hand coding does. DnD editors, invariably use GroupLayout which generates code which is difficult to follow. DnD style code from one editor (say eclipse) is not compatible with another (say Netbeans). The list goes on.

Yes you're right..
i feel comfort use DnD style editors, and i want to use other approach for developing Swing application..
sometimes its difficult to arrange the space between each components in DnD style editors..

I never need to specify the size or position of the components because I use LayoutManagers.

is it easier while we use LayoutManagers for develop Swing app?..
now, i'm wondering about it.. how to getting started with it?..

Thanks in advance..

[Rob Spoor]

I'm with Maneesh on this one. Nothing beats writing your own GUI from hand. Yes it is boring, but you will understand exactly what the EDT and layout managers are doing. And the most boring tasks may be put in a utility class you can use over and over.

Leonardo Carreira wrote:

is it easier while we use LayoutManagers for develop Swing app?..
now, i'm wondering about it.. how to getting started with it?..

http://java.sun.com/docs/books/tutorial/uiswing/layout/index.html

[Leonardo Carreira]

Thanks Rob Prime with your reply..
Okay.. i'll learn about it..

[Pari Nanoti]

I agree with Maneesh and Rob.

Hand coding not only helps you know what exactly you are doing, it also helps improve your knowledge

[Gerardo Tasistro]

I use JFormDesigner. It gets the job done well and it is not intrusive in the project. I don't agree with the hand coding philosophy. How many times do you have to put a label before you've learned what there is to learn? A table? What about internationalization. JFormDesigner as well as such tools have features to help you handle all the bundles easily. IMHO hand coding quickly becomes a waste of time.

[Carey Brown]

At home, I use the Jigloo DnD layout manager to get a project up and running quickly. It is an Eclipse plug-in. It handles a certain amount of code editing, that is, it will re-parse the code and adjust the Swing layout accordingly. However, after a fair amount of editing and tweaking it gets lost. So, at that point, I abandon Jigloo and build on the source code by hand. One of the things I like about Jigloo the most is its handling of GridBagLayout.

[Maneesh Godbole]

Gerardo Tasistro wrote: IMHO hand coding quickly becomes a waste of time.

Interesting. I have used DnD only once (long time back, when Visual Cafe' was prominent) out of curiosity.

If I remember correctly, for each and every component, you have to
1) DnD and place it on the screen
2) Select component->Move mouse to the properties window->Scroll and select the property you want to change->Set the value
3) Repeat for every component.
All of this using the mouse (move,select) and the keyboard (set the value)
Is this still the same nowadays?

This might be OK for a small UI like say a login screen (not really it would have a minimum 6 components excluding the title and icon.) In any enterprise level UI nowadays, you have a lot more components. This magnifies the above mentioned process to that scale.

On the other hand, using a keyboard is anytime faster. That is why mnemonics and accelerators are used so much. Also, you can design a framework for the UI. Once that is in place, the amount of hand coding comes down drastically.

[mark goking]

i use netbeans and while i agree hand coding has a huge advantage in knowing what you are actually doing, swing design is made easier when you use softwares like netbeans.

i never like using GUIs but once I started using one a month ago for swing design and layout, it made creating layouts much easier. of course, i know the ins and outs. if you have no idea how they work in depth, then it can take time to finish what you're doing