extending groovys swing user interface in builder to build richer applications

Extending Groovys Swing User Interface in Builder to Build Richer Applications

Danno Ferrin, Intelligent Software Solutions, Inc.James Williams, Spatial Networks, Inc.

BOF-5110Speaker’s logo here

(optional)

2008 JavaOneSM Conference | java.com.sun/javaone | 2

Learn how to customized Groovy’s SwingBuilder to add custom widgets and non-visual components.


Not always an enterprise question…

BUT WILL IT

S C A L E?


Agenda

Ways to Extend SwingBuilderFactoryBuilderSupport OverviewCase Study: SwingXBuilder


First some Terminology

nodeName( argument, attr : value, attr2 : value) { … }

Node• Syntactically a method call, but it represents a widget or

bean

Argument• The un-named method argument for the node• As of Groovy 1.5 there can be only one

Attribute• Any named parameter in the node• Names cannot be duplicated – enforced by the Compiler

Child Content• The closure after the method• Usually executed by the builder


Agenda

Ways to Extend SwingBuilderFactoryBuilderSupport Overview Case Study: SwingXBuilder


Issues of ScaleHow you extend should be driven by how much the extension is used

Magic Nodes• bean(), widget(), container()

Individual Factory Registration• Automatic Bean Factory• Custom Factory

Builder Suite• Example: SwingXBuilder

CompositeBuilder• <Coming Soon>

Single use of particular widgets

Multiple uses of a few types

Multiple use of a lot of types

Multiple uses from multiple suites


Magic Nodes

bean(…) • Accepts any object • Not added to parent • No child content

widget(…) • Accepts any java.awt.Component• Added to parent java.awt.Container• No child content

container(…)• Accepts any java.awt.Container• Added to parent java.awt.Container• Accepts child content


Magic Nodes

An instance of the object must be passed in as the argumentAttributes are applied as JavaBeans properties

Semi-Magic Nodes • Most existing nodes can become magic nodes • Argument must match node type


Magic Nodes Example

bean(model, propertyChanged: { panel.repaint() } )

widget(new JXMonthPanel(), selectedBackground:Color.YELLOW)

container(new JXTitlePane(), title:"Demo”) { // whatever you would add in the JXTitlePane}


Individual Factory Registration

First, what are the characteristics of the Widget?

Well behaved JavaBeans• No-args constructor• Bean can be fully configured via properties

Complex Beans/Objects• Only constructors with arguments• Some features configured only by constructor

• Example: JFrame, JWindow, JDialog owner

• Non-JavaBeans style properties/configuration


Individual Factory Registration

Well behaved JavaBeans may use registerBeanFactory(…)• All lifecycle methods are automated• No fancy processing• Child nodes added via JComponent.add(child [,constraints])

Complex Beans/Objects must use registerFactory(…)• Must implement groovy.util.Factory• May extend groovy.util.AbstractFactory• newInstance(builder, name, arg, attrs)

is the only unimplemented method


Builder Suite

Logical progression from creating factories

Subclass SwingBuilder• Do magic in the Constructor• SwingBuilder factories can be over-ridden• SwingBuilder factories can be renamed –

getFactories().each {k, v -> registerFactory("j" + k, v)}


Builder Suite

But what if I want multiple suites?• JideSplitButton • JXMap • JRibbon

Ways to Add more than one suite• Manually add via magic nodes• Manual add factories after construction• Hand roll a custom suite

This can be burdensome….


Composite Builder

Coming Soon• Won’t be in Groovy 1.6 core

The Idea• Declare a builder that is a composite of other builders• Have each builder use a common Binding• Allow children of one builder to nest inside another

• Widgets from different libraries• Nesting non-GUI Widgets

tree() { rootFolder { treeNode(); treeNode(); treeNode(); }}


The Vision

def builder = new CompositeBuilder(SwingBuilder, ogb:ObjectGraphBuilder,jx:SwingXBuilder, jide:JIDEBuilder,fl:FlamingoBuilder,nodeName: randomFactory)

builder.jxframe {ribbon {

editActionsGroup, saveActionsGroup}jidepopup(visible:false) { … popup contents

… }}


The code as of Today

Called ‘UberBuilder’• Available on SVN (only for the brave…)• https://svn.codehaus.org/groovy/trunk/groovy/modules/

griffon/

GUIBuilder is an auto composite of a few builders• SwingBuilder• SwingXBuilder• JIDEBuilder• GraphicsBuilder

Not quite soup yet…


Agenda



Factory Lifecycle


Delegate Closures

Some steps can be intercepted without a Factory• addPreInstantiateDelegate, addPostInstantiateDelegate,

addAttributeDelegate• {FactoryBulderSupport builder, Object node, Map attributes ->

… }

• addPostNodeCompleteDelegate • {FactoryBulderSupport builder, Object parent, Object node -> … }

Delegates handle all nodes• No picking and choosing, each closure must handle every call

Some built-in tasks done via delegates• Handling of constraints: attributes• Handling of id: attributes• Handling of bind() and attributes


Agenda



SwingXBuilder

Google Summer of Code 2007 project• James Williams – Nova Southeastern University, FL

Proof of concept for SwingBuilder extension

First Groovy builder in 100% Groovy• SwingBuilder later ported to Groovy


Summary

SwingBuilder extension is easyChoose your extension method based on frequency of useFactoryBuilderSupport FTWLook to SwingXBuilder to see how it’s been done


For More Information

TS-5098• Friday at 12:10 in EP 305• Covers more of the SwingBuilder basics not covered here

Groovy• http://groovy.codehaus.org

Builders mentioned in this presentation• http://groovy.codehaus.org/Swing+Builder• http://groovy.codehaus.org/SwingXBuilder• http://groovy.codehaus.org/JideBuilder• http://groovy.codehaus.org/GraphicsBuilder

Groovy Swing team blogs• http://jroller.com/aalmiray• http://www.jameswilliams.be/blog• http://www.shemnon.com/speling


Danno Ferrin, Intelligent Software Solutions, Inc.

James Williams, Spatial Networks, Inc.

BOF-5110

Speaker’s logo here (optional)

extending groovys swing user interface in builder to build richer applications

Technology

groovy builder

groovy swingbuilder

composite builder

factorybuldersupport

magic nodes bean

magic nodes argument

groovys swingbuilder

randomfactory builder