FormLayout Beta Available for Pro Users (v1.2.1)

[Eric Clayberg]

Click on the Beta link on the SWT Designer web site to access a beta of the upcoming v1.2.1 release. The primary new major feature is support the FormLayout layout manager. Intelligent snap points are available to create widget, percentage and margin attachments. The beta also includes improved Linux support (it actually works fairly well under Motif now) and lots of bug fixes.

Note that this beta is only available to SWT Designer Professional users.

[rgallen]

Only had a quick look (20 minutes) so far, but it looks very cool. I haven't used anything but percentage anchors, which work marvelously, what do the other icons mean (i.e. what is the # ?)

[Eric Clayberg]

Only had a quick look (20 minutes) so far, but it looks very cool. I haven't used anything but percentage anchors, which work marvelously, what do the other icons mean (i.e. what is the # ?)

"#" is used to indicate a fixed offset (either to the edge of the container, to a widget or to a percentage line). For example...

means a fixed offset from the left side of the window
means a fixed offset from the right side of the window
means a percentage offset
means a fixed offset from a percentage point (e.g., 5 pixels from the window centerline)
means a fixed offset from a widget

Additional info is available on the FormLayout Preview page on the SWT Designer web site.

BTW, watch the beta page as we are updating it frequently. Another update went out this evening. The final 1.2.1 GA release should go out some time next week.

[rgallen]

OK,

I have a problem. I am using Eclipse 3.0M3, and 1.2.1 beta. I did the following.

1. New SWT Application.
2. Layout Manager -> FormLayout.
3. Add Sash.
4. Add Tree to Sash.
5. Add Table to Sash.
6. Add a couple of buttons below Sash.

Designer generates the following:

Code: Select all

      SashForm sashForm_1;
      {
         sashForm_1 = new SashForm(shell, SWT.NONE);
         sashForm_1.setWeights(new int[] { 1, 1 });
         {
            new Tree(sashForm_1, SWT.BORDER);
         }
         {
            final Table table = new Table(sashForm_1, SWT.BORDER);
            table.setLinesVisible(true);
            table.setHeaderVisible(true);
         }
         final FormData formData = new FormData();
         formData.bottom = new FormAttachment(100, -38);
         formData.right = new FormAttachment(100, -5);
         formData.top = new FormAttachment(0, 5);
         formData.left = new FormAttachment(0, 5);
         sashForm_1.setLayoutData(formData);
      }


The problem is with the call to sashForm_1.setWeights(new int[] { 1, 1 }). This generates a runtime error:

Code: Select all

java.lang.IllegalArgumentException: Argument not valid
   at org.eclipse.swt.SWT.error(SWT.java:2353)
   at org.eclipse.swt.SWT.error(SWT.java:2297)
   at org.eclipse.swt.custom.SashForm.setWeights(SashForm.java:430)
   at tests.TestFormLayout.main(TestFormLayout.java:37)
Exception in thread "main"


I have tried to find the JavaDoc for .setWeights with no luck, so I have no idea what is illegal about the argument, but in any case, I must comment out this line in order to be able to run the generated code.

[Eric Clayberg]

The problem is with the call to sashForm_1.setWeights(new int[] { 1, 1 }). This generates a runtime error

It is interesting that it causes a runtime error and not a compile time error. Apparently, the call to setWeigts() must take place after the children have been added to the SashForm. I would have thought that the SashForm class could have been made a bit more intelligent. In any case, the easy workaround is to move the call to setWeights() to after the addition of the children. E.g.,

Code: Select all

      SashForm sashForm_1;
      {
         sashForm_1 = new SashForm(shell, SWT.NONE);
         {
            new Tree(sashForm_1, SWT.BORDER);
         }
         {
            final Table table = new Table(sashForm_1, SWT.BORDER);
            table.setLinesVisible(true);
            table.setHeaderVisible(true);
         }
         sashForm_1.setWeights(new int[] { 1, 1 });
         final FormData formData = new FormData();
         formData.bottom = new FormAttachment(100, -38);
         formData.right = new FormAttachment(100, -5);
         formData.top = new FormAttachment(0, 5);
         formData.left = new FormAttachment(0, 5);
         sashForm_1.setLayoutData(formData);
      }

We will look into makiing sure that the Designer generates the code this way as well.

[Eric Clayberg]

The 1.2.1 Beta has been significantly updated and stabilized. SashForms are fixed; Undo/Redo/Revert integration has been added; FormLayout support is essentially done; etc. The GA release will occur by the end of this week. Enjoy!

Note that this beta is only available to SWT Designer Professional users.