Migration guide
Author: Dafe Simonek,
Sun Microsystems/NetBeans
- Abstract:
- Window system migration guide for module owners, version 3.5 -> 3.6
Follow the instructions below to enable your module work smoothly with
redesigned window system in Netbeans 3.6 release.
- Document History:
- $Revision: 1.7 $
available in CVS
Contents:
1. Border Policy
The goal of the border policy is to have clean and smooth borders without
duplication, across the whole system. A common problem in Swing applications is
"border buildup." Enforcing a border policy and some simple guidelines
about how and when to use borders eliminates this problem and enables NetBeans
to look modern and pleasant.
The next paragraphs will tell you what to do in your module's code.
1.1 No outer borders for TopComponent
If your module defines its own TopComponent, say YourTC extends TopComponent,
ensure that
it has no outer border. "Outer border" means outer in
visual sense, usually attached to some inner subcomponent, not YourTC
directly. The window system handles borders around TopComponents itself; internal
borders will cause visually ugly duplication.
Here is an example constructor:
YourTC () {
....
JPanel content = new JPanel();
setLayout(new BorderLayout());
add(content, BorderLayout.CENTER);
}
YourTC () {
....
JPanel content = new JPanel();
content.setBorder(new EtchedBorder());
setLayout(new BorderLayout());
add(content, BorderLayout.CENTER);
}
1.2 Remove JScrollPane's default border
We are again talking about TopComponents, now with scrollable content.
JScrollPane has non-null border by default.You need to remove its default
border to get clean borders.
Example of good YourTC with JScrollPane usage:
YourTC () {
....
JPanel content = new JPanel();
JScrollPane scroll = new JScrollPane(content);
// winsys handles outer borders itself, remove JScrollPane's border
scroll.setBorder(null);
setLayout(new BorderLayout());
add(scroll, BorderLayout.CENTER);
}
YourTC () {
....
JPanel content = new JPanel();
JScrollPane scroll = new JScrollPane(content);
setLayout(new BorderLayout());
add(scroll, BorderLayout.CENTER);
}
A note about JTable - If your component embeds a JTable in a
JScrollPane, the method JTable.configureEnclosingScrollPane()
will add a border to your scroll pane whether you want one there or not.
This can be worked around either by using a JScrollPane subclass that makes
setting the border a no-op, or subclassing JTable and overriding
configureEnclosingScrollPane() to do everything it does by
default except set the border.
1.3 Add border into explorer views in dialogs
BeanTreeView, ListView and TreeTableView have changed their border defaults.
They now have no border by default, which is OK for their usage as
TopComponents. In dialogs, it may be desirable to put ScrollPane's default
border around them:
YourDialogContent () {
.....
BeanTreeView btv = new BeanTreeView();
btv.setBorder((Border)UIManager.get("Nb.ScrollPane.border")); // NOI18N
add(btv);
....
}
You can of course use regular Swing's borders, "Nb.ScrollPane.border"
is a border provided by the core window system, designed to harmonize well
with the rest of the window system. It will be
different for different Look and Feels, as is the default Swing
JScrollPane border.
Note that UIManager.get("Nb.ScrollPane.border") can
return null in future, although it's unlikely. To be absolutely sure that your
explorer view in a dialog will have some border, use a fall-back to some
regular Swing border:
YourDialogContent () {
.....
BeanTreeView btv = new BeanTreeView();
Border btvBorder = (Border)UIManager.get("Nb.ScrollPane.border");// NOI18N
// fallback if Netbeans.ScrollPane.border isn't available
if (btvBorder == null) {
btvBorder = new EtchedBorder();
}
btv.setBorder(btvBorder);
add(btv);
....
}
