Java Swing (Java (O'Reilly)) [Illustrated] (Paperback)

Swing is completely written in Java to avoid platform dependencies and is designed to make interfaces to Java programs easy to create; but in itself it's complex. The authors take 1200 pages to explain it all, beginning with an apology for any confusion on version numbering and availability - Swing is still a moving target.

Java Swing starts by describing changes from the AWT classes. It also introduces, describes and provides usage examples of the new Swing classes and interfaces. Along with the basics are a number of complete Swing applications, including a text editor. By the time you reach the end of the book you're already modifying the basic interface to provide a customised look and feel for applications.

The authors claim there will be a new version when Swing settles down with final package names and a "finished" release for JDK 1.1. Don't wait. You need Java Swing now. --Steve Patient

Product Description
The Swing classes eliminate Java's biggest weakness: its relatively primitive user interface toolkit. Swing provides many new components and containers that allow you to build sophisticated user interfaces, far beyond what was possible with AWT. The old components have been greatly improved, and there are many new components, like trees, tables, and even text editors. It also adds several completely new features to Java's user interface capabilities: drag-and-drop, undo, and the ability to develop your own "look and feel," or the ability to choose between several standard looks. The Swing components are all "lightweight," and therefore provide more uniform behavior across platforms, making it easier to test your software. All these new features mean that there's a lot to learn. Swing is undoubtedly way ahead of AWT -- or, for that matter, any widely available user interface toolkit -- but it's also a lot more complicated. It's still easy to do simple things. But once you've seen what's possible, you won't want to do the simple things. Java Swing gives you in-depth coverage of everything you need to know to take full advantage of Swing, providing detailed descriptions of every class and interface in the key Swing packages. It shows you how to use all of the new components, allowing you to build state-of-the-art user interfaces. It also discusses how the components implement the MVC (Model View Controller) architecture, so you can understand how the components are designed and subclass them intelligently. Finally, it shows how to create your own "look and feel." Throughout, Java Swing focuses on giving you the context you need to understand what you're doing. It's more than documentation; Java Swing helps you develop code quickly and effectively. Whether you're a serious Java developer, or just trying to find out what Java can do, you'll find Java Swing an indispensable guide.

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