Java FX may be one, I am not sure of the look and feel or how better it is from swing though.
As far as RIA(Rich Internet Applications) you could go for Adobe Flex, GWT. I am sure Flex can be used for standalone applications, I am not sure about GWT - but worth a look if its possible. On Fri, Jun 12, 2009 at 8:46 AM, Martin Makundi < [email protected]> wrote: > > Well really OFF-TOPIC: > > > > I've deal sometime with SWING layout, and it's difficult. > > I would recommend using Instantiations' WindowBuilder > http://www.instantiations.com/windowbuilder/ > > It has a lot of featues that automate painting Swing layouts. > Snap-to-position, align, etc. with your scalable controls as well. > Really boosts productivity. > > Furthermore, perhaps the Awt Robot feature could be used for TDD with > Swing: > * http://www.javaworld.com/javaworld/jw-07-2007/jw-07-fest.html > > ** > Martin > > > > > My last experience (a couple of years ago) was with a new layout, only > > available on JAVA 6 (it can be added to java 5), > > of which I can't remember the name., GroupLayout or something similar. > > > > At that time the only IDE that can deal with it was NetBeans 6 or more, > it > > was a really > > nice way of constructing layouts (forget to do it without and ide really > > difficult), and it > > resulted in a nice working experience. > > > > hope it can helps > > tonio > > > > > > On Thu, Jun 11, 2009 at 6:54 PM, Jeremy Thomerson < > [email protected] > >> wrote: > > > >> I would like to build a nice-looking java desktop application. I hope > >> that isn't an oxymoron :). I have built some desktop apps before - a > >> lot of command line utilities in various languages, and some GUI apps > >> (perl, java, python, php, even vb (yikes!), c# etc...). > >> > >> The question is - what framework do you use for your UI components and > >> layout on a desktop app? I would like to use Java because I'll be > >> most efficient with it and it will work for me on linux machines and > >> others on Windoze, etc.. But when I've built Swing apps in the past, > >> I have hated having to layout everything in the code and I can never > >> make anything aesthetically pleasing. So.... > >> > >> 1 - do you have any recommendations on a good framework for nice > >> looking desktop apps? > >> 2 - any other recommendations for desktop apps in general? > >> 3 - It should be a lightweight, easy install - and I would prefer to > >> stay away from using the Eclipse framework for building the app (I use > >> the IDE but it doesn't need to be something that heavy for the GUI) > >> 4 - I have even thought about building an app that opens a swing > >> window that contains an embedded browser and jetty servlet running the > >> app so that I can use Wicket. Has anyone thought of or done this > >> before? > >> > >> Basically, it's a CRUD application, but containing personal data that > >> the user should not store on someone else's server. I would use an > >> embedded database that stores the data with encryption. > >> > >> Ideas? > >> > >> -- > >> Jeremy Thomerson > >> http://www.wickettraining.com > >> > >> --------------------------------------------------------------------- > >> To unsubscribe, e-mail: [email protected] > >> For additional commands, e-mail: [email protected] > >> > >> > > > > --------------------------------------------------------------------- > To unsubscribe, e-mail: [email protected] > For additional commands, e-mail: [email protected] > >
