com.jgoodies.forms.factories

Class FormFactory


public final class FormFactory
extends java.lang.Object

A factory that creates instances of FormLayout for frequently used form layouts. It makes form creation easier and more consistent.

I consider removing the FormLayout factory methods. These seem to be less usefull and may lead to poor layout readability. If you want to use these methods, you may consider copying them to your codebase.

The forms are described by major and minor columns. Major columns consist of a leading label and a set of related components, for example: a label plus textfield, or label plus textfield plus button. The component part of a major column is divided into minor columns as shown in this layout:

 <-    major column 1        ->  <-     major column 2       -> 
 label1 textfield1a textfield1b  label2 textfield2a textfield2b
 label3 textfield3a textfield3b  label4 textfield4
 label5 textfield5               label6 textfield6
 

Many forms use 1, 2, 3 or 4 major columns, which in turn are often split into 1, 2, 3 or 4 minor columns.

Version:
$Revision: 1.1 $
Author:
Karsten Lentzsch
See Also:
FormLayout, ColumnSpec

Field Summary

static ColumnSpec
BUTTON_COLSPEC
Describes a logical horizontal column for a fixed size button.
static ColumnSpec
DEFAULT_COLSPEC
An unmodifyable ColumnSpec that determines its preferred width by computing the maximum of all column component preferred widths and its minimum width by computing all column component minimum widths.
static RowSpec
DEFAULT_ROWSPEC
An unmodifyable RowSpec that determines its preferred height by computing the maximum of all column component preferred heights and its minimum height by computing all column component minimum heights.
static ColumnSpec
GLUE_COLSPEC
An unmodifyable ColumnSpec that has an initial width of 0 pixels and that grows.
static RowSpec
GLUE_ROWSPEC
An unmodifyable RowSpec that has an initial height of 0 pixels and that grows.
static ColumnSpec
GROWING_BUTTON_COLSPEC
Describes a logical horizontal column for a growing button.
static ColumnSpec
LABEL_COMPONENT_GAP_COLSPEC
Describes a logical horizontal gap between a label and an associated component.
static RowSpec
LINE_GAP_ROWSPEC
Describes the logical vertical default gap between two rows in the grid.
static ColumnSpec
MIN_COLSPEC
An unmodifyable ColumnSpec that determines its width by computing the maximum of all column component minimum widths.
static RowSpec
MIN_ROWSPEC
An unmodifyable RowSpec that determines its height by computing the maximum of all column component minimum heights.
static RowSpec
NARROW_LINE_GAP_ROWSPEC
Describes a logical vertical narrow gap between two rows in the grid.
static RowSpec
PARAGRAPH_GAP_ROWSPEC
Describes the logical vertical default gap between two paragraphs in the layout grid.
static ColumnSpec
PREF_COLSPEC
An unmodifyable ColumnSpec that determines its width by computing the maximum of all column component preferred widths.
static RowSpec
PREF_ROWSPEC
An unmodifyable RowSpec that determines its height by computing the maximum of all column component preferred heights.
static ColumnSpec
RELATED_GAP_COLSPEC
Describes a logical horizontal gap between two related components.
static RowSpec
RELATED_GAP_ROWSPEC
Describes a logical vertzical gap between two related components.
static ColumnSpec
UNRELATED_GAP_COLSPEC
Describes a logical horizontal gap between two unrelated components.
static RowSpec
UNRELATED_GAP_ROWSPEC
Describes a logical vertical gap between two unrelated components.

Method Summary

static FormLayout
createColumnLayout(int majorColumns, int minorColumns, ColumnSpec labelColumnSpec)
Creates and returns an instance of FormLayout to build forms with the specified number of major and minor columns.
static FormLayout
createColumnLayout(int majorColumns, int minorColumns, ColumnSpec labelColumnSpec, ColumnSpec componentColumnSpec, ConstantSize indent, ConstantSize majorColumnGap, ConstantSize minorColumnGap)
Creates and returns an instance of FormLayout to build forms with the given number of major columns.
static FormLayout
createColumnLayout(int majorColumns, int minorColumns, ColumnSpec labelColumnSpec, ConstantSize indent, ConstantSize minorColumnGap)
Creates and returns an instance of FormLayout to build forms with the given number of major columns.
static ColumnSpec
createGapColumnSpec(ConstantSize gapSize)
Creates and returns a ColumnSpec that represents a gap with the specified ConstantSize.
static RowSpec
createGapRowSpec(ConstantSize gapSize)
Creates and returns a RowSpec that represents a gap with the specified ConstantSize.

Field Details

BUTTON_COLSPEC

public static final ColumnSpec BUTTON_COLSPEC
Describes a logical horizontal column for a fixed size button. This spec honors the current layout style's default button minimum width.

Note: In a future version this constant will likely be moved to a class LogicalSize or StyledSize.


DEFAULT_COLSPEC

public static final ColumnSpec DEFAULT_COLSPEC
An unmodifyable ColumnSpec that determines its preferred width by computing the maximum of all column component preferred widths and its minimum width by computing all column component minimum widths.

Useful to let a column shrink from preferred width to minimum width if the container space gets scarce.


DEFAULT_ROWSPEC

public static final RowSpec DEFAULT_ROWSPEC
An unmodifyable RowSpec that determines its preferred height by computing the maximum of all column component preferred heights and its minimum height by computing all column component minimum heights.

Useful to let a column shrink from preferred height to minimum height if the container space gets scarce.


GLUE_COLSPEC

public static final ColumnSpec GLUE_COLSPEC
An unmodifyable ColumnSpec that has an initial width of 0 pixels and that grows. Useful to describe glue columns that fill the space between other columns.
See Also:
GLUE_ROWSPEC

GLUE_ROWSPEC

public static final RowSpec GLUE_ROWSPEC
An unmodifyable RowSpec that has an initial height of 0 pixels and that grows. Useful to describe glue rows that fill the space between other rows.
See Also:
GLUE_COLSPEC

GROWING_BUTTON_COLSPEC

public static final ColumnSpec GROWING_BUTTON_COLSPEC
Describes a logical horizontal column for a growing button. This spec does not use the layout style's default button minimum width.

Note: In a future version this constant will likely be moved to a class LogicalSize or StyledSize.


LABEL_COMPONENT_GAP_COLSPEC

public static final ColumnSpec LABEL_COMPONENT_GAP_COLSPEC
Describes a logical horizontal gap between a label and an associated component. Useful for builders that automatically fill a grid with labels and components.

Note: In a future version this constant will likely be moved to a class LogicalSize or StyledSize.

Since:
1.0.3

LINE_GAP_ROWSPEC

public static final RowSpec LINE_GAP_ROWSPEC
Describes the logical vertical default gap between two rows in the grid. A little bit larger than the narrow line gap.

Note: In a future version this constant will likely be moved to a class LogicalSize or StyledSize.


MIN_COLSPEC

public static final ColumnSpec MIN_COLSPEC
An unmodifyable ColumnSpec that determines its width by computing the maximum of all column component minimum widths.

MIN_ROWSPEC

public static final RowSpec MIN_ROWSPEC
An unmodifyable RowSpec that determines its height by computing the maximum of all column component minimum heights.

NARROW_LINE_GAP_ROWSPEC

public static final RowSpec NARROW_LINE_GAP_ROWSPEC
Describes a logical vertical narrow gap between two rows in the grid. Useful if the vertical space is scarce or if an individual vertical gap shall be small than the default line gap.

Note: In a future version this constant will likely be moved to a class LogicalSize or StyledSize.


PARAGRAPH_GAP_ROWSPEC

public static final RowSpec PARAGRAPH_GAP_ROWSPEC
Describes the logical vertical default gap between two paragraphs in the layout grid. This gap is larger than the default line gap.

Note: In a future version this constant will likely be moved to a class LogicalSize or StyledSize.


PREF_COLSPEC

public static final ColumnSpec PREF_COLSPEC
An unmodifyable ColumnSpec that determines its width by computing the maximum of all column component preferred widths.

PREF_ROWSPEC

public static final RowSpec PREF_ROWSPEC
An unmodifyable RowSpec that determines its height by computing the maximum of all column component preferred heights.

RELATED_GAP_COLSPEC

public static final ColumnSpec RELATED_GAP_COLSPEC
Describes a logical horizontal gap between two related components. For example the OK and Cancel buttons are considered related.

Note: In a future version this constant will likely be moved to a class LogicalSize or StyledSize.


RELATED_GAP_ROWSPEC

public static final RowSpec RELATED_GAP_ROWSPEC
Describes a logical vertzical gap between two related components. For example the OK and Cancel buttons are considered related.

Note: In a future version this constant will likely be moved to a class LogicalSize or StyledSize.


UNRELATED_GAP_COLSPEC

public static final ColumnSpec UNRELATED_GAP_COLSPEC
Describes a logical horizontal gap between two unrelated components.

Note: In a future version this constant will likely be moved to a class LogicalSize or StyledSize.


UNRELATED_GAP_ROWSPEC

public static final RowSpec UNRELATED_GAP_ROWSPEC
Describes a logical vertical gap between two unrelated components.

Note: In a future version this constant will likely be moved to a class LogicalSize or StyledSize.

Method Details

createColumnLayout

public static FormLayout createColumnLayout(int majorColumns,
                                            int minorColumns,
                                            ColumnSpec labelColumnSpec)
Creates and returns an instance of FormLayout to build forms with the specified number of major and minor columns.

The layout will use default values for all gaps.

This method may be removed from a future version.

Parameters:
majorColumns - the number of used major columns
minorColumns - the number of used minor columns
labelColumnSpec - specifies the label columns
Returns:
a prepared FormLayout

createColumnLayout

public static FormLayout createColumnLayout(int majorColumns,
                                            int minorColumns,
                                            ColumnSpec labelColumnSpec,
                                            ColumnSpec componentColumnSpec,
                                            ConstantSize indent,
                                            ConstantSize majorColumnGap,
                                            ConstantSize minorColumnGap)
Creates and returns an instance of FormLayout to build forms with the given number of major columns. Major columns consists of a label and a component section, where each component section is divided into the given number of minor columns.

The layout will use the specified gaps to separate major columns, minor columns, and the label and component section.

This method may be removed from a future version.

Parameters:
majorColumns - the number of major columns
minorColumns - the number of minor columns
labelColumnSpec - specifies the label columns
componentColumnSpec - specifies the label columns
indent - an optional ConstantSize that describes the width of the leading indent column
majorColumnGap - a ConstantSize that describes the gap between major columns
minorColumnGap - a ConstantSize that describes the gap between minor columns
Returns:
a prepared FormLayout

createColumnLayout

public static FormLayout createColumnLayout(int majorColumns,
                                            int minorColumns,
                                            ColumnSpec labelColumnSpec,
                                            ConstantSize indent,
                                            ConstantSize minorColumnGap)
Creates and returns an instance of FormLayout to build forms with the given number of major columns. Major columns consists of a label and a component section, where each component section is divided into the given number of minor columns.

The layout will use the specified gaps to separate major columns, and the label and component section.

This method may be removed from a future version.

Parameters:
majorColumns - the number of major columns
minorColumns - the number of minor columns
labelColumnSpec - specifies the label columns
indent - an optional ConstantSize that describes the width of the leading indent column
minorColumnGap - a ConstantSize that describes the gap between minor columns
Returns:
a prepared FormLayout

createGapColumnSpec

public static ColumnSpec createGapColumnSpec(ConstantSize gapSize)
Creates and returns a ColumnSpec that represents a gap with the specified ConstantSize.
Parameters:
gapSize - a ConstantSize that specifies the gap
Returns:
a ColumnSpec that describes a horizontal gap

createGapRowSpec

public static RowSpec createGapRowSpec(ConstantSize gapSize)
Creates and returns a RowSpec that represents a gap with the specified ConstantSize.
Parameters:
gapSize - a ConstantSize that specifies the gap
Returns:
a RowSpec that describes a vertical gap

Copyright © 2002-2006 JGoodies Karsten Lentzsch. All Rights Reserved.