ScreenGen - Visual GridBag Screen Generator

Here is some stuff that I have been playing arround with. GridBagLayout is the layout manager that I have to use for cross platform support but I have been frustrated by the lack of support for it in the major tools.  So I've hacked together my own.

I've put a new version of the software up.  The new version does menus, packages and a few other things as well as general bug fixes.  The code has been cleaned up a bit, but still resembles to some degree the overgrown hack prototype to explore some of the new features of java that it started life as (Thats my cop out since I do this professionally and  wouldn't like someone to think that this is actually how I like code to look).

The current version has used some of the classpath browse stuff from the buildtools code based arround Slava Pestov's  wonderful jEdit project at http://sourceforge.net/project/?group_id=588 .

Regards

Mark 18-5-00
 

My work environment is currently linux, and IBM JDK 1.3 but it also works with the Blackdown 1.2.2 releases.

Im developing this purely for my own use at the moment as in both work and study I often have the need to generate gridbag style screens, but I am quite happy to give the code to anyone for their own use or incorperation into another project, as long as it's a GPL style project.

I use this program to generate a class file with all the components, then my real class inherits from the generated class (which is usually in a .gen subpackage of the real package).  All the attributes, edit fields, buttons are public so the parent can attach listeners to them.

Currently I generate the .java file and when I need to reedit it I load in the compiled .class file, fiddle around with it and save it again.

Features

• Support for JMenus
• Support for JDialogs, splitter planes and some other components
• Support for packages
• Support for classpath browsing
• Fixed various bugs
• Better program source code structure

Original Features

• Support for GridBaglayout, you change the value you see the result

 
• Support for generating swing borders (including nested borders)

 
• Support for moving whole subtrees around and even between Frames

• Generation of .java file (with only non default attributes set)

 
• Load and display swing .class files (then edit and save them)

Future Features

• Generate awt style screens (this is pretty hot need on my list)
• Fix edit of component attributes, currenty the "editable set" are hardcoded in a big case stmt.  This should be user configurable.
• Allow users to add their own beans to pallete.  Again the current lot are a harcoded list,  and it should be user configurable.
• Support some other layout managers (this is getting there).  This should be a generic base "layout manager" interface with each manager having its own implementation of "constraints edit screen", generate and read code modules.
• Support gridbag multicomponent operations such as bulk moves, and bulk constraint updates,
• Support some preformatted forms and user specifiable defaults, adding the spacing between components getts pretty boring after a while.
• Generate standard "formatted" java code and naming convensions
• Fix all those small anoying bugs, and add some functions behind some of the empty buttons.
• For real persistant support I think the swing xml  save/load stuff will eventually be used, until then the current load from a .class file suffices.
• 
  

•   screengen_bin.tar.gz - ScreenGen Swing constructor program

If you fail to get any images for the toolbar along the top, you need to ensure that the jdk file jdkXXX/lib/dt.jar is
in the classpath or the appropriate autoload area.  These are where the Swing bean icons are held. ( A note for IBM Jdk 1.3 release candiate users, you will need to use the dt.jar from somewhere else (probably backdown jdk1.2.2), as they forgot to put it in the package.

To get started highlight the "Windows" tag (in the tree view) and then press the "add Frame" button.  You can then highlight the created frame (in the tree view) and add components, and nested components.

Development will of course be sporadic, as I have other things I should really be doing instead.

screengen_src.tar.gz - ScreenGen java source code

• The program is at a very early stage, however it currently can build a swing gui and generate a .java file.

• Only the GridBagLayout manager is currently supported.

• Most gui generators keep the screen generated stuff seperately (the program also does this) but internally it can build the gui from a raw class file, which would be a nice way to suck in gui's.

• Depending upon your configuration you may need to include an additional JDK .jar file to get the Swing bean icons.

And some things to watch out for

• To add items, highlight the item in the tree and press the icon that you want as a child (Frame and Panel are needed at the top level).
•  You can only select on the tree, not on the screen you are building.
• The right mouse button gives you delete & generate on items
• You can move window components around with the command buttons below the tree (you can even move components from one screen to another this way)
• You have to press return to get most of the changes to text to to stick in the tree and table views.
• You may have to move the screen to view the latest changes.
• Most of the changes are committed after the edit field looses focus (try the tab key)
• To save a gui setup (in a compressed objectstore) you need to have the Frame highlighted that you want to save.
• Not all the buttons work (the color and font ones in the screen shot below for instance)

Comments are welcome to : mark.odonohue@gmail.com
 
 

I developed screengen because the systems I have developed often needed gridbag screens and I got frustrated with the current tools.
 
 

Korfe- another screen generator you may be interested in

Freebuilder - visual gui develper project (still at an early stage)

If you have comments or suggestions, email me at mark.odonohue@gmail.com