Tweak UI pluggability [Was: Re: Serious Squeak (other "survey")]

Milan Zimmermann milan.zimmermann at sympatico.ca
Tue Oct 17 17:56:07 UTC 2006


On 2006 October 15 07:08, Lord ZealoN wrote:
<<snip>>
>
> I think, the problem is not only about morphic as is. The problem is a
> GUI building. Something like Matisse (NetBeans 5), would be great.
>

I ment to ask this for a long time, but did not know how to without bringing 
the J-word. Once we did :) my fear is gone (ok just kidding, on to the 
question) : Basically, Java Swing has something they call "L&F pluggability", 
essentially extension points that allow to create new L&F (not only skins). 
(I think it was devised from older Smalltalk UI ideas but not sure).

While I am not sure how good or useful the "pluggable L&F" of Swing it is in 
practice, as I remember reading to achieve Mac L&F, Apple added something 
like 1500 classes, and when NetBeans implemented Vista L&F, it took a whole 
release, it is a interesting path that allows cross-platform UI along with 
somewhat native-looking abilities without native widgets, which is an 
approach I like. 

Although I did not have time to play with it too much, I love Tweak, so it is 
without knowledge: Has Tweak widgets been built with a similar "L&F 
pluggability" intended, and if so are there some simple examples to play 
with?

Thanks Milan




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