Java(TM) Look and Feel Design Guidelines [Paperback]

Sun Microsystems (Author)

Book Description

Series: Java Series | Publication Date: July 1999

Java Look and Feel Design Guidelines provides essential information for anyone involved in the process of creating cross-platform Java(TM) applications and applets. Offering design guidelines for software that uses the Java(TM) Foundation Classes (JFC) together with the Java look and feel, this book offers designers and software developers an unparalleled resource. The book addresses: *Design concepts underlying the Java look and feel *The JFC and effective ways to use JFC components *Techniques for handling the design challenges posed by cross-platform delivery, applets, accessibility issues, and internationalization and localization requirements *The flush 3D effect, drag texture, color model, and other graphical hallmarks of the Java look and feel *Windows, dialog boxes, menus, and toolbars *Basic controls *Display and editing of text *Tables, toolbars, and tree views *Keyboard navigation As the Java language has matured, designers and developers have come to recognize the need for consistent, compatible, and easy-to-use cross-platform Java applications.The Java look and feel meets that need by providing a distinctive platform-independent appearance and standard behavior for the enterprise environment. The use of this single look and feel reduces design cost and development time, and lowers the cost of training and documentation for all users. Written by the experts at Sun Microsystems, Inc., this timely book provides many useful recommendations to designers for the use of the Java look and feel. By following these powerful guidelines, you can create Java applications with the flexibility, visual appeal, and consistency you need. 0201615851B04062001

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

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 color 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 colors 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, dialog 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

Review

Overall impression: this is a lovely book. It's going to look very pretty sitting open on a desk. It will become a must-have for anybody developing Java GUIs. The material overall is very good. I particularly like the coffee-cup tips. I think that they are the most important part of the book. The list of suggested reading is _fabulous_. Also excellent is the listing of standard components, along with pictures, as an index. I'd like to see this reproduced in some prominent place, such as the inside covers. I really like the overall look of JLF. It's very clean. -- excerpt from review by Joshua Engel, Laurel, MD [e-mail]

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Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Addison-Wesley Pub (Sd); 1 edition (July 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0201615851
• ISBN-13: 978-0201615852
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.3 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,356,354 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent resource for web developers, July 27, 1999

By 

Gerry Gaffney (Melbourne, Australia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Java(TM) Look and Feel Design Guidelines (Paperback)

Whereas Windows developers usually have a copy of Microsoft's 'Windows Interface Guidelines for Software Design' to turn to for advice on behaviour and usage of Windows elements, such a resource has been sorely lacking for developers of applications for the internet.

This book fills the gap admirably.

It provides a comprehensive set of guidelines on the use of the various components of an internet application (windows, dialogs, menus, buttons and so on), with detailed descriptions of their appearance and behaviour.

As with any set of guidelines, there are individual elements and recommendations with which one could disagree.

This is an eminently practical and useful book, and I believe it should be on the bookshelf of every developer of internet applications - whether using Java or another tool.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book!, June 9, 1999

By 

Theo Mandel, Ph.D. (theomandel@interface-desi... (Austin, Texas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Java(TM) Look and Feel Design Guidelines (Paperback)

I reviewed this book when it was being written and I wanted to share my thoughts.

- The book's approach is VERY useful and appropriate for the intended audience

- Programmers, developers, designers, user interface professionals, graphic designers, technical writers, and managers.

- It is a needed book in the Java world. There are no competitors in the Java platform. Similar books are the Microsoft "Windows Interface Guidelines - A guide for Designing Software" for the DOS, OS/2 and Windows platform, and the Apple "Mac OS Human Interface Guidelines" for the Mac platform.

- This book fills a void in the Java world. The Windows and Macintosh platforms both have industry guidelines documents that serve as the seminal reference books for developers on each platform.

- This book is necessary reading for all Java developers, designers, and interface designers. - I would recommend this book to my many colleagues who are developing Java applets and applications. It is a critical addition to our programming library and list of programming and design books.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Expert advice for GUI creation in Java, March 11, 2002

By 

Charles Ashbacher (Marion, Iowa United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Java(TM) Look and Feel Design Guidelines: Advanced Topics (Java (Addison-Wesley)) (Paperback)

Creating clean, intuitive interfaces is a complex task using any set of tools. It is further complicated by the significant differences between the tools, both in appearance and performance, where a significant difference can be a rather small thing. The Java Swing toolkit and supporting classes differs from others and if it is your platform, then you should take a look at this book. Written by the interface experts at Sun Microsystems, this is as good as it gets.
At the meta-level, the guidelines are no different from those in any other language. The best designs are patterns that should be followed independent of the platform and some of the book is devoted to following those "universal" designs. From that perspective, the book is just another description of interfaces. However, the real value is at the specific level, where the reader is taken down to the point where Java differs from other platforms. All of the examples are demonstrated using a combination of point-by-point descriptions with supporting color figures.
I teach corporate training courses in Java, including one about designing interfaces and I write my own material for the classes. As I was reading the book, I went back through those lessons and made some alterations based on the guidelines. After following this up with a series of before and after contrast examinations, it was clear that the after was better than the before. I am confident that your experience will be the same.