Re: Netbeans "form" code is uneditable unless copy/paste into new java file

From:
Lew <noone@lewscanon.com>
Newsgroups:
comp.lang.java.programmer
Date:
Sun, 26 Aug 2012 20:40:42 -0700
Message-ID:
<k1eq7g$5hg$1@news.albasani.net>
markspace wrote:

clusardi2k@aol.com wrote:

How can I modify the code automatically created by Netbeans. Some of
that code appears to be uneditable.

Instead, I can copy the code, delete the form file it was in, and
paste the code into a new class. But, the form disappears. At this
code I have all the code, but I lose the "Design" view entirely.

Ok experts, what can I do.

The reason I want to do this is the Swing pallet (in design view)
doesn't have things that I need such as modal window capabilities
(jdialogs), and Jlayer capabilities (for a light box effect). Am I
wrong about this.


First, don't make JFrames forms. Make JPanels. You can add a JPanel to a
JDialog. I haven't played with JLayer, but a quick read-through of their docs
makes it appear that you can reasonably expect to add a JPanel to one as well.

Then, when you still need to modify code for you JPanel forms, just don't
modify the code the IDE generates. There's an initComponents() method where
all the non-modifiable code goes. After initComponents() method is called,
put your code there.

   MyJPanel() {
     initComponents();
     ... add your code here...
   }

   initComponents() {
     ... can't modify this ..
   }

Likewise, you can just add arbitrary methods to the JPanel to do whatever you
need.

   void changeMyProperty( SomeProperty p ) {
      // ... do stuff...
      jLabel1.setText( p.someString() );
      jTextField1 = new JTextField();
   }

   // Instance fields added by NetBeans
   private void JLabel jLabel1;
   private void JTextField jTextField1;

Basically you have to know Java programming, and then just do the obvious
thing. But I realize it can be hard to get started sometimes, so the above
few hints should help you out.


Apropos of markspace's advice, the NetBeans GUI builder lets you link your
custom methods to the events you want to handle via the properties pages for
your screens. So you wire up those arbitrary methods to be called by the
uneditable parts that MB provides. Best of both worlds.

--
Lew
Honi soit qui mal y pense.
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