Re: Swing Java components in ImageJ plugin frames?

Posted by ctrueden on May 11, 2009; 9:03pm
URL: http://imagej.273.s1.nabble.com/Swing-Java-components-in-ImageJ-plugin-frames-tp3692563p3692573.html

Hi Bill,

ImageJ uses predominantly AWT components (the old toolkit), though as you
say there are a small number of places where Swing (the new toolkit) is
used. The two toolkits can be mixed, but there are some gotchas:

  http://java.sun.com/products/jfc/tsc/articles/mixing/

You should be fine to use a JSpinner in your frame.

The only other reason not to mix the two toolkits is aesthetics, since they
can look quite different on different platforms. Swing supports a pluggable
look and feel, but any AWT components you use won't respect that setting, of
course.

-Curtis

On Mon, May 11, 2009 at 3:50 PM, Bill Mohler <[hidden email]>wrote:

> Dear All:
>
> I'm confused by what's "allowed" or doable in writing code for ImageJ
> plugins.
>
> I am interested in adding some JSpinner components to my plugin frame, to
> save space instead of using sliders and to allow text input from the user as
> a shortcut.
>
> I know that JSpinner is a Swing component, and I recall hearing/reading
> that ImageJ was not designed to use Swing.  Does this mean that the Swing
> libraries are not included in the bundled version of Java that comes with
> ImageJ?  Or is this just a limitation on what classes are used in the base
> code of ImageJ?...
>
> Wait a minute...
>
> Searching through the ImageJ website, I just realized that javax.swing.
> libraries are used in a number if classes in the ImageJ source!  So, is
> there actually no limit on using swing components? Was there ever?  That
> would certainly make things much easier.
>
> Hoping for a quick and certain answer.
>
> Bill
>