Re: SWT or Swing GUI?

[Jayakumar <djayakumar@bellsouth.net>]

Starting from 1.4.2 the JDK incorporates Windows XP look and feel and 
File Dialog mirroring windows [long time request].

Also still you are not satisfied with the Sun look and feel 
implementation, please check this out www.jgoodies.com.

Jay

Stefan Baramov wrote:

>These lines of code are well know. Do they work under XP? I guess with JDK
>1.5 they will. But I bet you they do not work well with KDE or Gnome.
>
>- stefan
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Ed Jenkins [mailto:andexor@yahoo.com]
>Sent: Monday, August 18, 2003 10:07 AM
>To: Ajug Members
>Subject: RE: SWT or Swing GUI?
>
>
>Swing can also be made to have a native look-and-feel with just a few extra
>lines of code.  I
>haven't seen much of SWT, so I don't know whether it looks more native than
>Swing or not.
>
>The trained eye of a programmer can tell that some things are not quite
>right with Swing's native
>look-and-feel, but for most users it's close enough and they can't tell the
>difference.
>
>Here is some Swing code you can put in a class that inherits from JFrame.
>Lines 1 and 3 are the
>most important.  Lines 4 and 5 are for when you want to change the
>look-and-feel on the fly, while
>the window is visible.
>
>String strSkin = UIManager.getSystemLookAndFeelClassName();
>Class.forName(strSkin);
>UIManager.setLookAndFeel(strSkin);
>SwingUtilities.updateComponentTreeUI(this);
>pack();
>
>Another reason to use Swing is for its built-in support for accessibility.
>If your app needs to
>be able to work with screen readers, this may be the way to go.
>
>Ed
>
>--- Stefan Baramov <s_baramov@bellsouth.net> wrote:
>  
>
>>Why I would you SWT:
>>- Native look and feel - it looks like your OS native GUI. Consider XP,
>>Gnome and KDE. All of them have their own skin engine. In this case Swing
>>looks ...... different. No consistence
>>
>>Why I would you Swing/JFC:
>>- Deployment platform may vary, no resources for platform testing are
>>available.
>>- Custom ( and OS different) look and feel is required.
>>
>>But in both case you have to be very careful with GUI resources such as
>>pictures, dialog boxes, windows and so one. With both libraries it is
>>    
>>
>quite
>  
>
>>easy to create a "fat" application that sucks up all you resources.
>>
>>On a side note, GUI Designers:
>>- Swing - JBuilder personal edition
>>- SWT - Advance SWT Designer http://www.swt-designer.com/
>>
>>
>>Historical note:
>>http://www.mail-archive.com/jug-discussion@tucson-jug.org/msg00355.html
>>
>>Good luck Lee,
>>Stefan Baramov
>>
>>-----Original Message-----
>>From: Lee Chalupa [mailto:lchalupa@seelink.org]
>>Sent: Saturday, August 16, 2003 3:37 PM
>>To: Ajug Members
>>Subject: SWT or Swing GUI?
>>
>>
>>Hello.
>>
>>I need to start development of a thick client for an application and I am
>>debating whether to use SWT or Swing.  I presently use swing in the
>>MagicDraw UML product and I use SWT in Eclipse so I have some significant
>>experience as a user in each.
>>
>>I'm very pleased with the MagicDraw application and have no complaints
>>    
>>
>with
>  
>
>>it's interface.  Though I do appreciate what people describe as "spongy"
>>swing controls.  This is a noticable problem but not a significant problem
>>for me in the MagicDraw swing application but I can't speak for other
>>users.
>>
>>My application will be competing against other vendor's gui products that
>>are best of breed so I really want to avoid any potential performance
>>issues with the gui from the start. In this case, it's not so much an
>>    
>>
>issue
>  
>
>>of Swing versus SWT it's one of these products versus VB or Delphi.
>>
>>The application is designed for use in a small office so we will have the
>>ability to control the deployment of the application thus using add-ons to
>>the JDK like SWT would not be an issue.
>>
>>As long as SWT still provides platform independence, what is the downside
>>of using SWT?  One maybe the lack of gui tools?  One maybe the risk that
>>Sun will improve swing in the future and eliminate the benefits SWT
>>provides making the need obsolete?  One maybe lack of educational
>>materials?  One maybe the limited variety of widgets offered in the
>>toolkit.
>>
>>I'm currently reading information on various web sites.
>>
>>Does anyone have any other advice on managing this issue?
>>
>>Thanks
>>
>>lee
>>
>>
>>--
>>Lee Chalupa
>>Something Else Enterprises, Inc.
>>lchalupa@seelink.org
>>770 318 2377
>>    
>>
>
>
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