Eclipsegui Visual development tool plug-in

Features of a variety of GUI development plugins

Eclipse does not own GUI-based visual development tools, so if you want to visualize the GUI development in eclipse, you need to rely on third-party plug-ins.

1. Visual Editor

Eclipse officially provides an open-source GUI plugin called Visual Editor (VE), which is still relatively powerful. The corresponding Java code can be generated automatically according to the GUI design of user interface. It is also possible to generate a matching visual GUI editing interface with the corresponding Java code. But ve shortcomings are relatively large, I have been using VE since 3.1 to 3.2, not much change. ve is to emulate the class that executes the GUI by starting another JVM, and then generate a visualization within Eclipse's interface.

A review of other Ides, such as Visual C++,netbeans, for GUI visualization is based on another interface to manage resource files that non-users can modify directly. The GUI editor, which manages the visualization directly through program code, requires a strong code parse capability. It is a pity that ve wanted to do so, and I have not been able to do so.

ve used a lot of problems, online users have direct evaluation said VE is "usability is not strong." My own use of the feeling, the problem is in a few ways:

1). In addition, starting the JVM is slow, and if you want to open several visual classes at the same time, start a few JVMs and memory consumption is large. And, sometimes, repeatedly opening and closing a visual CLASS,JVM also does not start up.

2). The parse ability is weak for user-edited visual Java code. The common mistake is that obviously the correct visual GUI code, but ve inside the window open half a day, the results can only show a fork. In many cases, it is not possible to display a complete visual window at all. And for a control on the window's positioning ability is not strong, the user's own code to a few corner, ve do not know where the control is generated, at most can only be displayed, but can not be visualized editing.

4). 3.1 Of the VE Editor's code into the 3.2 ve inside, the display is completely different.

5). Installation is cumbersome and requires users to install more than one additional plug-in.

In summary, ve really "usability is not strong"

2. Swt-designer

Swt-designer is universally recognized as the strongest plug-in for GUI development under Eclipse http://www.swt-designer.com/. Many eclipse books take swt-designer directly to explain how to develop GUI interface programs in Eclipse. But Swt-designer is a plug-in fee. The basic version is not charged, and the functionality is greatly limited. Of course, there is a full version of the cracked version of the Internet. Swt-designer, 6.0 The latest installation file has dozens of M, can think of its powerful features.

3. Jigloo

Jigloo is also strictly a charge, but he provides non_commercial version, and this version of the function and commercial is exactly the same http://www.cloudgarden.com/jigloo/. As a personal development, there is no limit. Jigloo is very small, the latest version is more than 3MB, installation is relatively simple.

Jigloo supports both SWT and swing.

Jigloo is also completely Java-based, but its code parse is far more capable than ve and fast. At least I have a lot of problems in the VE, the visual class can not be displayed in a good Jigloo edit, so far has not encountered Jigloo cannot edit, parse error. Jigloo can also integrate a well-written Java GUI style code support, more powerful than the VE.

Of course, 3MB more plug-in, strong is also strong but Swt-designer full version, but better than its basic version of much better. And Swt-designer is not entirely Java-based, such as the version of Windows, but also carry DLL files. Jigloo is completely Java-based and downloads only one class zip file, and it also supports Eclipse's online installation.

Installation and use of two Jigloo

The installation of Jigloo is simple, just like any other eclipse plugin, without the need for any installer to extract it directly.

Create a new window and enter File->new->others->gui forms directly.

If you want to open a visual Class that already exists, you can right-click on it and choose Open With->form Editor. When opened, the code parse is the first, but this is fast and does not need to start a jvm like ve.

Three. Summary

Based on the 3 Eclipse GUI development plugin, it can be seen that the basic Java code-based GUI editing management. This type of editor management, of course, is much more difficult than the previous Visual C + + management of Windows interface programs. However, many of the existing Ides, such as Visual Studio net,2005, are still able to do it more quickly. The main thing is to look at the power of code parsing.

ve in front of the shortcomings have been summed up more, do not know this official plug-in when can let people really rest assured. As a developer, the heart is still the most want to add strength, after all, ve is open source, casual use.

Swt-designer features the most powerful, but the price is not low. And Jigloo is in between, for the individual developer, can be free to use, and its function is enough to develop a variety of large GUI applications, should be a suitable choice.

Eclipsegui Visual development tool plug-in