fields of costum components in inspector?

[dulcet]

Hi,

I'm new to Java, Eclipse and the Designer Editor.
I use a class MyTextField that extends JTextFields that lets me set the maxLength and allowedChars of that TextField.

I can create it like this:

Code: Select all

txtFoo = new MyTextField(100,CHAR_ALL);
// user can enter up to 100 characters


or I could do this:

Code: Select all

// user can enter up to 30 characters (a-Z0-9-_.@)
txtFoo = new MyTextField();
txtFoo.setMaxLength(30);
txtFoo.setAllowedChars(CHAR_EMAIL);


I have two problems:

1: I can choose the maxLength in the inspector and it will use the setter (setMaxLength). That's great. But when I set it in the sourcecode using the constructor it will not be recognized by the designer. It sometimes mistakes it for the property columns. Why is that so? Other components like JTextField can be created with arguments (e.g. the text) that will be recognized by the designer. How can I tell the designer what will be set by the constructor?

2: Since allowedChars is a String I'd like to use constants (see above) but they can not be selected using the inspector. But it often is possible to choose from constants, e.g. when selecting a color.

Claude

[Eric Clayberg]

1: I can choose the maxLength in the inspector and it will use the setter (setMaxLength). That's great. But when I set it in the sourcecode using the constructor it will not be recognized by the designer. It sometimes mistakes it for the property columns. Why is that so? Other components like JTextField can be created with arguments (e.g. the text) that will be recognized by the designer. How can I tell the designer what will be set by the constructor?

Designer does not understand your special constructor syntax for MyTextField as it does not conform to normal bean info usage. Designer has special built-in knowledge of JTextField and its non-standard constructors because that widget is built into Swing. Note that while Designer can understand that code, it does not generate code in that style.

2: Since allowedChars is a String I'd like to use constants (see above) but they can not be selected using the inspector. But it often is possible to choose from constants, e.g. when selecting a color.

You would need to define your own bean info for the class and set up your own custom cell editors. Designer understands standard bean info, so you can define cell editors, widget customers, etc. See the Swing bean info spec for details.