CODEWITHSUNDEEP
javaswinguser-interfaceawt
user3002166
user3002166

Reputation: 730

make a glossy JFrame and JDialog

I was reading through the java docs and found that it is easy to make a shaped windows, making them translucent and coloured as long as the platform is supporting such feature, but I couldn't find anything about making them glossy.

Is it possible in either awt or just swing to give frame or a panel a metallic look?

I know this might be a horrible idea from cross platform point of view, but I wanted to know if it's possible somehow without resorting to some third party libraries?

I have found a button gloss example here: http://www.andygibson.net/blog/tutorial/glass-button-tutorial-in-java/ But it is not exactly a metallic look and if I replicate the method to use rectangles instead of circles it may scale poorly.

I've been looking at JavaFX but it seems to be a massive multipurpose package - an overkill if I just want one eyecandy.

note - if you give a minus, be so kind to explain why - else its just being a jerk. I see nothing wrong with this post and I did indicate what I looked at. From what I see I've fulfilled all formal requirements and this is not a subjective type of question.

Upvotes: 0

Views: 677

Answers (1)

Rekin
Rekin

Reputation: 9971

What your requesting can only be handled by calling the Windows native API. You'd have to cooperate with the Windows DWM (Desktop Windows Manager) facility. Typically it's handled by calling the DwmExtendFrameIntoClientArea function.

MSDN Sample for Sheet of Glass effect

Long time ago, I tried to mimic the glass (AKA Aero/Frost) effect using Swing. It was partially possible. One can easily write drawing code which handles this (and surprisingly even quite performant), providing that the drawing happens on the Java side.

That was possible with Swing (see Glass effect for internal panes) and should be even simpler with JavaFX.

However, to handle your precise request - the windows borders - one has to use the native WinApi. From my little research, I only found that SWT does this in limited way (but doesn't expose as publically accessible methods).

I tried to call the Windows Shell API through the JNA project. I successfully managed to change the glass area, but the effect was unpleasant: the Swing wasn't really well prepared (~JDK 7u5) to handle partially transparent JFrames. I remember, that the JFrame code, during a repaint, was clearing the Window using some color. I had to forcefully change it to other one (which matched the one I specified by calling the Windows API), but ended up in a visual mess.

I tried to debug it and I found that certain versions of Java have different code to clear the JFrame's content. So, even if I managed to correctly set the wanted color, it could easily break with the JDK update.

Upvotes: 1

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