Java Reference
In-Depth Information
C H A P T E R 1
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JavaFX Design Considerations
This topic was written to demonstrate how JavaFX can be used to create visually rich applications. It
does so by presenting a number of techniques and explaining how they work in JavaFX. Before we
explore the code, it is worth our time to look at the design of applications. Design is the process of
planning what the application will do, how it will look, and how it will be implemented. This chapter
starts with some thoughts on creating the content of applications in general, and ends with specifics
related to working with JavaFX.
When exploring the creation of content, we will look at both the details of the workflow as well as
why the content is created the way that it is. We will also look at design from a usability perspective,
exploring how the workflow of the application you create is as important as the rest of the design. Lastly,
we will look how JavaFX can be used to turn a design into an application.
Graphics and Animations in Applications
Graphical user interfaces (GUIs) are so common now, it is sometime hard to explain to people that it was
not always this way. A screen, keyboard, and mouse are how most people interact with computers. But
graphics in general are used in several different ways. The most basic way is to simply show the user
something on the screen. This might be as simple as displaying an image or drawing a chart.
But GUIs are more than just displays; they also allow the user to interact with the content on the
screen. In order to enable the user to accomplish a task, controls must be presented that they
understand. Each control must be drawn on the screen, and how these controls are drawn can have a
surprising effect on the user. Attention must be given to the quality of the rendering, consistency, and
the look of the applications as whole.
The term
look and feel
is often used to describe the GUI as a whole. The set of controls used and how
they are drawn comprise the
look
of the application. Once the user starts actually using the application,
the
feel
becomes important.
The following sections explore the controls used in an application, how they are drawn, and how
animations combine to create the complete
look and feel
.
Controls and Layout
As time marches forward, the set of controls that are common on the desktop changes. Exploring the
default components that come with a particular UI technology shows us what users expected when that
