program to assist in planning forms

**shags_j** · 11-02-2009, 05:06 AM

Hi All,

Just started programming in Java using eclipse (with the jigloo plugin). Been programming in VB for years.

Love the Java environment however since it's a lot harder to update forms and change stuff around willy nilly I have taken to pre-planning forms on paper.

Just wondering if there is a peice of software that will help me plan the layout of my forms before I start creating them in eclipse (hope that makes sense).

Cheers,

J

**Fubarable** · 11-02-2009, 05:49 AM

Java doesn't really have "forms" per se, and perhaps you're talking about Swing GUI programs? If so, I think that most of us use nested components (such as JPanels) that allow use of nested layout managers for complex "forms". This tutorial would help you learn these beasts: Layout Managers Tutorial

**shags_j** · 11-02-2009, 05:50 AM

I was actually looking for something (an external program) that lets me just arrange controls on a form so that when I come to actually do it in eclipse i have a layout already in mind.

**Fubarable** · 11-02-2009, 05:55 AM

but are you talking about using absolute positioning here, such as setLocation?

**Fubarable** · 11-02-2009, 05:56 AM

the reason I mention this, if you use layout managers, you don't really need this type of tool since all of the layouts are relative.

**shags_j** · 11-02-2009, 05:58 AM

No, just almost a graphical application to assist in layout. I'm actually using jigloo in eclipse (swt) and just find it a little painful to fix up a mistake if I screw up.

Basically I am drawing on paper a layout that I want to implement to get it all in my head first before I even open up eclipse (imagine it like pseudo code just for form layout).

Is cool if there isn't anything (maybe i'm the only tool that can't do this on the fly).