About JDeveloper's User Interface Design Tools

With JDeveloper tools, you can visually design and program Java classes to produce new compound or complex components.

JDeveloper UI design tools include the following:

A Java Visual Editor in which you create and arrange panels and other UI components inside a frame or other UI container. You access the Java Visual Editor by right clicking the file in the Navigator and choosing Open. Click the Design tab to work the visual editor.
A Menu Editor in which you create and edit a menu bar, menus, menu items, and popup menu components. You access the Menu Editor when you have the Java Visual Editor open by dropping a menu component into your UI container from the Component Palette. You can also edit an existing menu component by clicking the menu component in the Structure window.
A Component Palette containing visual and nonvisual components. You display the Component Palette for components that you select in the Java Visual Editor. To display the Component Palette for an open file, choose View Component Palette.
A Structure window that displays a hierarchical view of all the components in your source file, and their relationships. You access the Structure window below the Navigator window or if docked, by choosing View Structure.
The Property Inspector, used to inspect and set component properties and to attach methods to component events. Changes made in the Inspector are reflected visually in the Java Visual Editor and source code. You display the Property Inspector for a particular file that you open in the Java Visual Editor. To display the Property Inspector for an open file, choose View Property Inspector.

Requirements for Visually Designing a Class in JDeveloper

If you want to use the UI design tools on a file, it must meet the following requirements:

It must be a Java file.
It must be free from syntax errors.
It must contain a public class (the file name must be the same as the name of the public class).
It must follow JDeveloper coding conventions:

All UI controls are declared as class members or as local variables within jbInit().
All UI property settings done in jbInit(). This is necessary in order for the JDeveloper Java Visual Editor and Property Inspector to reflect the settings.
All property settings set as expressions involve only member UI controls or static values.

It must have a default constructor.

Any file that meets the above requirements can be visually designed using the Java Visual Editor and the Property Inspector. You can also visually design a non-UI class.

Note: These requirements are satisfied when you create your files with any of the JDeveloper dialogs.

When you first add a component to your design, the JDeveloper Java Visual Editor ensures that your class has a default constructor, a private jbInit() method, and that this jbInit() method is called correctly from the default constructor. If JDeveloper does not find this code, it will add it. It will also add any imports needed by the component.

When you open the file in the Java Visual Editor, JDeveloper updates the Structure window tree. For example, if your class has a frame and a menu, there will be subtrees for UI and Menu. If you drop any other JavaBeans components into the Structure window, an 'Others' folder appears so you can select and edit these components in the Property Inspector.