Nimbus:Making Swing Look Sexy!

Jasper PottsPeter ZhelezniakovSun Microsystems

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Abstract

Get acquainted with the new Nimbus Look andFeel, and learn some ways to customize it

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Agenda

> Overview> Architecture> Customizations> Tool Support

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Nimbus Overview

> A Synth descendant> Cross platform> Vector based> Painters based> Highly customizable> Now in JDK7!

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Its Default Look

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Agenda

> Overview> Architecture> Customizations

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Vector Based

> All Nimbus components are purely vector based● Scalable: larger or smaller

> No images used● Allows us to participate in solution for hi-DPI● Allows color theming for branding

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Vector Based

> Heuristic based image caching● Cache is invalidated if the sizes change

dramatically● Or colors, fonts, etc change

> 9-Square technique resizes vector shapes● Move control points based on location in grid

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Bitmap Scaling

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Vector Scaling

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9 SquareHow vectors are resized dynamically

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Painters

> Component rendering is delegated to Painters● javax.swing.Painter● Stateless● Extend AbstractRegionPainter

to get scaling and caching

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Painters

public interface Painter { public void paint( Graphics2D g, JComponent c, int width, int height);}

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Now in JDKTM7

> javax.swing.plaf.nimbus> javax.swing.Painter> Some old com.sun.java.swing stuff

preserved for backward compatibility:● Painter● plaf.nimbus.NimbusLookAndFeel

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Agenda

> Overview> Architecture> Customizations

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Scalable Components

> Support for small and large components● For use in palettes or toolbars

> Supply a client property to the component● “JComponent.sizeVariant”● Either “large”, “small”, or “mini”

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Scalable Componentshttps://laffy.dev.java.net

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Color Themes

> Most colors are derived from a set ofbase colors

> Derived colors are updated automatically whentheir parent colors change

> Derived colors refer to parent colors indirectly viaUI property name

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Color Tree

nimbusBase

nimbusBlueGrey nimbusSelection

nimbusBorder

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Creating Derived Colors

> NimbusLookAndFeel.getDerivedColor(String uiDefaultParentName,float hOffset, float sOffset,float bOffset, int aOffset,boolean uiResource)

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Customizing Colors

UIManager.put("nimbusBase", new Color(...));UIManager.put("nimbusBlueGrey", new Color(...));UIManager.put("control", new Color(...));

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DEMO: Custom Color Theme

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Everything is in UIDefaults

> All customizations are exposed via UIDefaults● Button.foreground

> Properties can be state dependent● Button[Disabled].foreground

> States can be combined● Button[Default+Focused].foreground

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Selectors

> Region names● ComboBox

> Component names● “ComboBox.renderer”

● Applies to all components with that name> Hierarchical

● MenuBar:Menu● Applies to all Menus whose parent is a MenuBar

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Cascading Defaults

> Most specific default wins> Example:

● foreground = Color.BLACK● Label.foreground = Color.BLUE● Label[Disabled].foreground = Color.GRAY● “SomeLabel”[Disabled].foreground = Color.WHITE

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Customizations

> States> Fonts and colors> Standard components

● Replace painting code and change defaults● For all components of a single type (ie: JButton)● For a single component instance● For all components with a specific name

> Add support for 3rd Party components

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Per-instance Customization

> Create a UIDefaults Map> Load the map with all overrides of global values> Set map on target component

● Nimbus.Overrides> Ignore UIManager defaults if necessary

● Nimbus.Overrides.InheritDefaults

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Custom Painters

> Button[Enabled].backgroundPainter● Used by buttons when enabled

> Button[MouseOver].borderPainter● Used by buttons when mouse over

> Button.foregroundPainter● Used by default

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DEMO: Missile Control Login

> TODO add some demo slides

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Further Development

> Publish Synth delegates: 6827653> Fix startup performance: 6802944

● Fixed in 6u14> Open Designer source code

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More Information

> http://openjdk.java.net> https://laffy.dev.java.net> http://www.jasperpotts.com/blog

Jasper.Potts@Sun.comPeter.Zhelezniakov@Sun.com