With Java Look and Feel Design Guidelines, Second Edition, Sun's Java Look & Feel group delivers powerful guidance for building cross-platform Java applications and applets that are consistent, attractive, and offer outstanding usability and productivity. This brand-new, 4-color Second Edition is fully updated for Java 1.3 Standard Edition (Java 2), and contains a new CD-ROM packed with code developers can use to incorporate the design standards quickly and easily. Heavily endorsed and promoted by Sun, the book starts with a visual tour of a Java application and applet utilizing the Java Look and Feel and built with Java Foundation Classes (JFC) components. Next, it shows how to design user interfaces that work in heterogeneous environments, are easily internationalized, and offer outstanding usability. It includes detailed coverage of "look" issues (color, graphics, layout, typography and animation) and "feel" issues (how users and computers interact). It contains a detailed glossary of terms, JFC keyboard navigation and activation sequences, and more.The CD-ROM includes all samples from the printed book, 75 additional code samples, a repository of icon samples, plus electronic versions of the book in HTML and PDF formats.
Java Look and Feel Design Guidelines, from Sun Microsystems, provides programmers with the requirements for creating user interfaces using the Java Foundation Classes (JFC). This handsomely printed book uses rich colour on every page while demonstrating how you can create Java programs that will look great on any computer.
The book focuses on the built-in Java look-and-feel (called Metal). Early sections discuss the philosophy of Java user interfaces, which include excellent support for different languages and accessibility, keeping disabled users in mind.
Much of this text covers Java UI elements offering advice on creating more intuitive interfaces. Sections of the book look at the rudimentary, visual sensibilities needed for using colours and text appropriately, including how to design artwork (like icons and graphics) that fits in with the rest of the JFC interface. One example shows the step-by-step creation of a proper Java icon. Other sections propose standards for the number of pixels that should be used to separate onscreen elements. Sections on mouse, keyboard and drag-and-drop user operations make clear how your Java programs should handle user actions.
Later this text surveys JFC components beginning with basic windows, dialogue boxes, menus and toolbars. Next it's on to individual components from basic controls (like buttons, checkboxes and text controls) to more advanced components (like tables and tree controls). (This section, which lists the extensive options for selecting data and resizing table columns, shows the real sophistication of today's JFC package.)
Though it contains no actual Java code, Java Look and Feel Guidelines defines the visual design standard for the next generation of Java programs. It will useful for anyone who builds user interfaces during the software design process. --Richard Dragan, Amazon.com
