JavaFX

Rich Client

Programming on the

NetBeans Platform

Gail Anderson • Paul Anderson

/Addison-Wesley
Saddle River, NJ •
Boston •
Indianapolis • San Francisco
New York • Toronto •
Montreal •
London • Munich • Paris • Madrid

Capetown •
Sydney •
Tokyo •
Singapore • Mexico City
 Contents

Foreword xvii

Preface xix

About the Authors xxiii

Chapter 1 A Tour of the NetBeans Platform 1

What You Will Learn I

I. I Background Basics 2

JavaFX Integration 2

1.2 The NetBeans Platform: The Big Picture 3

Module System API 3

Lookup API 5
Window System API 5

File System API 7

Nodes and Explorer Views 7

But Wait... There's More 8

1.3 FamilyTreeApp Reference Application 10

FamilyTreeApp and JavaFX 11

JavaFX 3D Integration Possibilities 15

1.4 Documentation 17

1.5 How to Get Java and the NetBeans Platform Software 17

1.6 Example Software Bundle 18

1.7 Key Point Summary 18

Chapter 2 Background Basics 1 9

What You Will Learn 20

2.1 JavaBeans and Properties 20

Creating a Java Application 25

Bound Properties 29

v
vi Contents

Coarse-Grained Notification for JavaBean Objects 33

2.2 Lambda Expressions 38

Lambda Expressions with Functional Interfaces 38

Functional Data Structures 39

2.3 Swing Basics 40

Creating a GUI-Form Project 41

Swing Form Designer 44

Program Structure 47

Single-Threaded Model 49

Java Logging Facility 51

Using Swing Components 54

Event Handlers and Loose Coupling 59

2.4 Improving the User Experience 63

2.5 Concurrency and Thread Safety 68

Thread-Safe Objects 68

Adding Listeners and Thread Safety 71

Concurrency in Swing 72

2.6 Swing Background Tasks 73

Introducing SwingWorker 73

Monitoring SwingWorker Status 76

2.7 Key Point Summary 80

What's Next? 81

Chapter 3 Introduction to JavaFX 83

What You Will Learn 83

3.1 What Is JavaFX? 84

A Bit of History 84
The Scene Graph Metaphor 85

Single-Threaded Model 86

3.2 Building JavaFX Programs 87

Creating a JavaFX Application 88

Java APIs 88

Creating a JavaFX FXML Application 93

CSS Files 98
Animation 100
 Contents vii

3.3 JavaFX Properties 103

What Is a JavaFX Property? 103

Using Listeners with Observable Properties 105

Read-Only Properties 109

Binding 109

3.4 Putting It All Together 120

3.5 Key Point Summary 128

What's Next? 129

Chapter 4 Working with JavaFX 131

What You Will Learn 131

4.1 Creating JavaFX Properties 132

JavaFX Properties with Lazy Evaluation 133

Object Properties 134

Immutable Properties 135

Computed Properties 135

Methods equals() and hashCode() 138

4.2 Using JavaFX Properties in a JavaFX Application 139

Creating a JavaFX FXML Application 139

4.3 Observable Collections 148

4.4 JavaFX Applications 153

Program Structure 154

Scene Builder and FXML 155

JavaFX Controls 160

JavaFX Controller Class 165

4.5 Concurrency and Thread Safety 172

Concurrency in JavaFX 173

Observable Properties and Thread Safety 173

4.6 JavaFX Background Tasks 176

Worker and Task 176

Progresslndicator 178

4.7 Monitoring Background Tasks 182

Using Method updateValue() 183

Updating a Read-Only JavaFX Property 187

viii Contents

Updating the JavaFX Scene Graph from a Background Task 191

4.8 Key Point Summary 195

Chapter 5 A Taste of Modularity 199

What You Will Learn 199

5.1 Modular Architecture 199

Modules 200
NetBeans Runtime Container 201

5.2 Creating a NetBeans Platform Application 203

5.3 Creating Modules 208

Creating a NetBeans Module 209

Creating Additional Modules 211

5.4 Configuring a Module with Public Packages 211

5.5 Registering a Service Provider 214

Global Lookup 218

5.6 Configuring a Window for Selection 219

Porting Swing Ul Code to a TopComponent 223

Lookup API 224

Configuring the TopComponent 227

5.7 Configuring a Window with Form Editing 231

Another Look at Lookup 239

5.8 Module Life Cycle Annotations 242

Using @OnStart 242

Using @OnStop 243

5.9 What We Know So Far 244

5.10 Key Point Summary 245
What's Next? 247

Chapter 6 JavaFX Integration 249

What You Will Learn 249

6.1 JavaFX and the NetBeans Platform 250

Java 8 and JavaFX 8 Enhancements 251
Create a NetBeans Platform Application 252
 Contents ix

Create a NetBeans Module 253

Add a Window to the Module 255

Add JavaFX Content to the TopComponent 256

The Magic of JFXPanel 259

SwingNode 260

6.2 Communication Strategies 261

Accessing the JavaFX Controller Instance 264

6.3 Integrating with the NetBeans Platform 265

Create a NetBeans Platform Application 267

Create NetBeans Platform Modules 268

Configure a Module with Public Packages 269

Register a Service Provider 271

Configure a Window with JavaFX for Selection 275

Configure a Window with JavaFX for Form Editing 283

6.4 Key Point Summary 289

Chapter 7 Nodes and Explorer Views 291

What You Will Learn 291

7.1 The NetBeans Model View Controller 292

7.2 Nodes 293

NodeListener and PropertyChangeListener 295

Building a Node Hierarchy 295

Displaying the Node Hierarchy 303

A Multi-Level Node Hierarchy 304

Using BeanNode 310

Creating Your Own Property Sheet 314

Using FilterNode 317

7.3 Explorer Views 323

Quick Search 323
BeanTreeView 324

OutlineView 324
Master-Detail View 327

PropertySheetView 331

7.4 Creating a Selection History Feature 332

Add Features to Your Application 335
X Contents

7.5 Point Summary 338

Key

341
Chapter 8 NetBeans Platform Window System
What You Will Learn 342

Window Framework Overview 342

8.1
Window Layout 342

Window Modes 345

TopComponents 346

Window Operations 346

Behavior 349
Limiting the Window System's
Window Switching 350

Window Tab Customization 350

Window Manager 350

8.2 TopComponent Basics 352

356
TopComponent Java Code
Window Header Animated Notifications 360

8.3 TopComponent Persistence 361

Windows2Local Folder 363

8.4 TopComponent Client Properties 363

8.5 Creating Non-Singleton TopComponents 364

Opening Windows from User Code 367

8.6 Window System Life Cycle Management 369

Using the Window Manager 373

Using @OnShowing 374

8.7 TopComponent Modes 376

8.8 Window Groups 381

Window Group Example 382

8.9 Window Layout 387

Creating TopComponents 395

A View-Only Window Layout 395

8.10 Window Layout Roles 401

RoleExample Application and Role-Based TopComponents 404

Credential Checking and Role Assignments 405

LoginTopComponent 408
 Contents xi

8.11 Key Point Summary 410

Chapter 9 Action Framework 413

What You Will Learn 413

9.1 Type of Actions 414

Always- Enabled Actions 414

9.2 Actions and Lookup 421

Callback Actions 422
Context-Aware Actions 428

9.3 Editing the Node Hierarchy 444

Group Window Node Actions 445

Reorder and Index.Support 451

Implementing Drag and Drop 453

Implementing Cut, Copy, Paste, Delete 456

9.4 Inter-Window Drag and Drop 458

Trash Window Node Actions 458

Implementing Drag and Drop Delete 463

9.5 Key Point Summary 468

Chapter 10 Building a CRUD Application 471

What You Will Learn 471

10.1 Create-Read-Update-Delete Application 472

Defining Capabilities 474

Implementing Read 475

Implementing Delete 480

Implementing Create 482

Implementing Update 488

10.2 Using CRUD with a Database 501

Create Wrapped Libraries 502

JavaDB Server and Database 505

Implement FamilyTreeManager 506

10.3 Concurrency in the FamilyTreeApp Application 516

Concurrency with Read 517

Concurrency with Delete and Create 520

xii Contents

Concurrency with Update 522

10.4 Key Point Summary 523

Chapter 11 Dialogs 525

What You Will Learn 525

11.1 Dialog Overview 526

11.2 Standard Dialogs 527

NotifyDescriptor.Message 527

NotifyDescriptor.Confirmation 529

NotifyDescriptor.lnputLine 531

11.3 Customizing Standard Dialogs 531

11.4 Custom Dialogs 533

Error Handling 535

11.5 Custom Login Dialog 539

11.6 Putting It All Together 544

RoleExample Application 545

11.7 Key Point Summary 548

Chapter 12 Wizards 551

What You Will Learn 551

12.1 Wizard Overview 552

12.2 The Wizard Wizard 554

A Bare-Bones Wizard 555

Registering a Wizard's Action 558

12.3 Wizard Input 561

12.4 Wizard Validation 565

Coordinating Input with Other Panel Wizards

Visual Panel Updates 574

12.5 Simple Validation API 577

Prepare to Use the Validation Library 578

Using the Simple Validation API Library 580

Using a Custom Validator 583

12.6 Finishing Early Option 587

 Contents xiii

12.7 Asynchronous Validation 592

12.8 Dynamic Sequence Wizards 598

Building the Dynamic Step Wizard 600

The PizzaWizardlterator 605

IdentifyCustomer Panel 609

BuildPizza Panel 610

Create the OrderPizzaAction 612

12.9 Wizard Instantiating Iterators 614

12.10 Key Point Summary 620

Chapter 13 File System 623

What You Will Learn 623

13.1 File System API 624

13.2 The File System API Overview 624

Exploring the FileSystem API 625

The Output Window 628

Create a Folder 630
Get or Create a File in a Folder 631
Write to and Read from Files 632

Rename and Delete Files 634

File System API Useful Methods 635

13.3 Monitoring File Changes 636

FileObject Attributes 637

Favorites Window 637

Implementing the FileChangeListener 646

13.4 Including a File with Your Application 649

Install a File in a Module 650

Using the InstalledFileLocator Service 653

Installing an NBM in NetBeans IDE 654

13.5 The Layer File and System FileSystem 654

Layer Files and Configuration 655

Exploring the System FileSystem 661

Using the Layer File for Inter-Module Communication 665

13.6 Key Point Summary 668

xiv Contents

Data System 671

Chapter 14
What You Will Learn 671

Data API Overview 672

14.1 System
and Node 673
FileObject, DataObject,
MIME and Lookup 674
FileObject Type
675
DataObject Factory and DataObject Lookup
676
Accessing FileObjects from DataObjects
DataObjects and Nodes 676

DataNode and Lookup 677

Using
14.2 New File Type 678
Creating a

Create a New File Type 681

Create and Edit a New FTR File 688

Provide Child Nodes Based on Content 694

697
14.3 Working with MultiView Windows
699
Using the Visual Library

Using JavaFX 708

14.4 XML-Based File Type 721

Creating an

Create a New XML File Type 725

Add the XML Text Editor 731

Add JavaFX Content 735

14.5 Key Point Summary 740

Chapter 15 JavaFX Charts 743

What You Will Learn 743

Charts and the NetBeans Platform 744

15.1 JavaFX
Overview 746
Application
Working with AbstractTableModel 748

Working with Swing JTable 752

Integrating JavaFX Charts 755

15.2 Introducing JavaFX Charts 759

JavaFX Chart Overview 759

15.3 Data Visualization with JavaFX Charts 764

Line Chart 764

Scatter Chart 767

 Contents xv

Bar Chart 768

Area Chart 770

Stacked Area Chart 771

Stacked Bar Chart 772

Bubble Chart 773

Pie Chart 776

15.4 Adding Behaviors to JavaFX Charts 781

Accessing JavaFX Chart Nodes 782

Adding PieChart Features 784

15.5 Saving Charts 789

15.6 Key Point Summary 795

Chapter 16 Using Web Services 799

What You Will Learn 799

16.1 RESTful Web Services and the NetBeans Platform 800

16.2 Creating RESTful Web Services 802

Create Database 802

Create RESTful Web Service Application 803

RESTful Services from Database 804

Entity Classes and JavaFX Properties 807

Test the Web Services 809

16.3 A Java Application Web Service Client 810

16.4 RESTful Web Services in a NetBeans Platform Application 817

Generate RESTful Web Service Clients 817

Application Overview 821

Using JavaFX Services 821

RESTful Client Service Provider 827

Implementing a

JavaFX TableView 831

Chart Module 840

JavaFX
16.5 Key Point Summary 845

Chapter 1 7 Branding, Distribution, and

Internationalization 847
What You Will Learn 847
xvi Contents

17.1 What Is Branding? 848

Using the Branding Menu 848

Customizing the Application Title 852

Customizing the Splash Screen 855

17.2 Application Updates 857

Enable Updates of Your Application 857
Create an Update Center 858

Dynamically Uninstall a Module (Plugin) 860

Adding Modules to an Application 861

Install a Plugin 863

17.3 Application Distribution 864

Create an Installer 865

Installing the Application 867

Customizing the Installer Images 867

17.4 Application Internationalization 868

Internationalization and Java 869

Internationalization and the NetBeans Platform 870

Number Formatting 872

Editing Properties Files 873

Internationalization and JavaFX 873

Testing Target Locales 876

NetBeans Platform Application Internationalization 876

Customizing Resource Bundles 881

17.5 Key Point Summary 883

Index 885