JBuilder plug-in
This plug-in integrates JFormDesigner into JBuilder 2006.
For JBuilder 2007 (or later) use the Eclipse
plug-in. For JBuilder 2005 use JFormDesigner 4.
Benefits
Using this plug-in has following benefits compared to JFormDesigner
stand-alone edition:
- Fully integrated as editor for JFormDesigner .jfd files. Create
and design forms within JBuilder. No need to switch between
applications.
- Uses the source folders and classpath of the
current JBuilder project. No need to specify them twice.
- The Java code generator updates the .java file in-memory on each
change in the designer. You can design forms and edit its source
code without the need to save them (as necessary when using
JFormDesigner
stand-alone edition).
- Folding of generated GUI code in Java editor.
- Go to event handler method in Java editor.
- Two-way synchronization of localized strings in designer and in
properties file editors. Changing localized strings in the designer
immediately updates the .properties file in-memory and changing the
.properties file updates the designer.
- Copy needed libraries (JGoodies Forms, TableLayout, etc) to the
project and add them to the classpath of the current JBuilder
project. Optionally include source code
and javadoc.
- Convert JBuilder forms (jbInit() methods) to JFormDesigner .jfd
files.
User interface
The screenshot below shows the JBuilder main window editing a
JFormDesigner form.

A JFormDesigner editor consists of:
- Toolbar: Located at top of the
editor area.
- Palette: Located at the left
side.
- Design View: Located at the
center.
- Structure View: Located
at the lower left.
- Properties View: Located
at the right side.
- Bindings View: Located
below the Design view. This view is not visible by default. Click the Show
Bindings View button (
) in
the toolbar to make is visible.
- Error Log View:
Automatically opens on errors in a tool window at the bottom. This view
is not visible in the above screenshot.
Creating new forms
You can create new forms using JBuilder's object gallery. Click the New
arrow in the toolbar and choose JFormDesigner Form.

In the New JFormDesigner Form dialog, enter the form name
(which is also used as class name), choose a superclass, a layout manager and set localization options.
Open forms for editing
You can open existing forms the same way as opening any other file
in JBuilder. Locate it in JBuilder's project view and
double-click it.
Go to Java code / Go to form
JFormDesigner adds a button to JBuilder's main toolbar that
enables you to switch quickly from a JFormDesigner form editor to its
Java editor and vice versa. If a form editor is active, then the button
is named Go to Java code (
). If
a Java editor is active, then it is named Go to JFormDesigner form
(
).

Code folding
To move the generated code out of the way, JFormDesigner folds it in
the Java editor.

Convert JBuilder forms
You can convert existing JBuilder forms to
JFormDesigner forms. Right-click on the Java file and select Convert
to JFormDesigner Form.

Note: JFormDesigner
inserts its own generated GUI code into the existing Java class, but
does not remove JBuilder's GUI code. You have to remove JBuilder's
component
variables and initialization code yourself.
Preferences
The JFormDesigner preferences are fully integrated into the
JBuilder preferences dialog. Select Tools > Preferences from
the menu to open it. See Preferences
for details.
Unsupported features
Following features from other editions are not supported by the
JBuilder plug-in:
- Convert NetBeans, IntelliJ IDEA and Abeille forms to
JFormDesigner forms.
- Use look and feels in Design
view.
- Import and export of preferences.