Java Swing, 2nd Edition

Developing GUIs in Java (Covers Java 2 SDK 1.4)

Swing is a fully-featured user interface development kit for Java applications. Building on the foundations of the Abstract Window Toolkit (AWT), Swing enables cross-platform applications to use any of several pluggable look-and-feels. Swing developers can take advantage of its rich, flexible features and modular components, building elegant user interfaces with very little code.

This second edition of Java Swing thoroughly covers all the features available in Java 2 SDK 1.3 and 1.4. More than simply a reference, this new edition takes a practical approach. It is a book by developers for developers, with hundreds of useful examples, from beginning level to advanced, covering every component available in Swing.

All these features mean that there's a lot to learn. Even setting aside its platform flexibility, Swing compares favorably with any widely available user interface toolkit--it has great depth. Swing makes it easy to do simple things but is powerful enough to create complex, intricate interfaces.

Whether you're a seasoned Java developer or just trying to find out what Java can do, you'll find Java Swing, 2nd edition an indispensable guide.

Java Swing, 2nd edition includes:

• A new chapter on Drag and Drop
  
• Accessibility features for creating a user interface meeting the needs of all users
  
• Coverage of the improved key binding infrastructure introduced in SDK 1.3
  
• A new chapter on JFormattedTextField and input validation
  
• Mac OS X coverage and examples
  
• Coverage of the improved focus system introduced in SDK 1.4
  
• Pluggable Look-and-Feel coverage
  
• Coverage of the new layout manager, SpringLayout, from SDK 1.4
  
• Properties tables that summarize important features of each component
  
• Coverage of the 1.4 Spinner component
  
• Details about using HTML in components
  
• A new appendix listing bound actions for each component
  
• A supporting web site with utilities, examples, and supplemental materials

About The Authors
Marc Loy is a trainer and media specialist in Madison, WI. When he's not working with digital video and DVDs, he's programming in Java. He can still be found teaching the odd Perl and Java course out in Corporate America, but even on the road he'll have his PowerBook and a video project with him.

Robert Eckstein has worked with Java since its first release. In a previous life, he has been an editor for O'Reilly Media, Inc. and a programmer for Motorola's cellular technology division. He has authored, co-authored, or edited a number of books, including Java Swing, Java Enterprise Best Practices, Using Samba, XML Pocket Reference, and Webmaster in a Nutshell. In his spare time he has been known to tinker with filmmaking and digital photography, as well as collecting vintage video game consoles. He currently lives in Austin, Texas with his wife Michelle, his children Lauren and Nathan, and their talking dog Ginger.

Dave Wood, co-author of O'Reilly's Java Swing, has been a Java Guy since he went to work for Sun Microsystems in 1997, and has been involved in object-oriented design and development his entire career. He left Sun to make his millions in the dot-com boom, and is currently a thousandaire. Dave recently finished up technical review duty for the third book in O'Reilly's Head First series: Head First Servlets and JSP.

When he's not in front of a keyboard, Dave spends as much time as possible with his wife, Shannon, their twins, Aidan and Ailie, and their five dogs and cats. Dave's hobbies include cycling, golf (he's terrible), and playing Texas Hold'em.

James Elliott is a senior software engineer at Berbee, with fifteen years' professional experience as a systems developer. He started designing with objects well before work environments made it convenient, and has a passion for building high-quality Java tools and frameworks to simplify the tasks of other developers.

Brian Cole has been working with Java since its early days and teaches the language at venues ranging from Sun Microsystems to public high school. He has a BA from Oberlin College and an M.S. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.