Graphical User Interface

Graphical User Interface

1. interaction channel between user and the system

   • inactive and active panels
   • handles message management
     • error, warning, and info messages
   • allows for data input by user to occur

2. can be

   • standalone - run on your computer
   • web - run in a browser
   • mobile - run in your cell phone

3. Containers

   • Panels
     • used to group GUI elements based on their purpose, easing how quickly a user can access them
     • Used to contain and divide GUI elements within the Frame
   • Layouts
     • ever container needs specification of layout to organize elements
       • setLayout(..);
         • 2 distributors
           • BorderLayout
             • organized based on compass rose
               • setLayout(new BorderLayout()); add(GUI component, BorderLayout.NORTH);
           • GridLayout
             • matrix organization
               • setLayout(new GridLayout(rows, collumn)); add(GUI component);
   • Frame
     • main container for all the graphical elements of our app
       • Key: minimize, close, move, maximize
     • The frame → JFrame
       • JFrame Methods:
         • setSize(width, height):
           • set the frame’s width and height
         • setResizable(boolean input):
           • sets if the user can or can’t modify the frame’s size
         • setDefualtCloseOperation(EXIT_ON_CLOSE)
           • Tells that the application will end its execution (destroy the process in memory) when clicking the “exit” button of the frame. EXIT_ON_CLOSE is a constant in the class
         • setVisible(boolean input)
           • Sets the frame (and all of its components) visible or invisible to the use - beware - doesn't end the applications execution
         • add(GUI component):
           • Adds a GUI component (element or container) to the frame