Re: Launching JFrame Outside NetBeans Window

--- ccocco <[email protected]> wrote:
> 
> Hi, I'm interested in using NetBeans for the mere
> purpose of modularizing and
> bundling my existing Java source code.  I may
> eventually incorporate some of
> the features of the NetBeans Platform, but for now,
> I'd just like to just
> use it to build my application as a distributable
> .exe.  I have my own
> JFrame that I'd like to launch and I do not want to
> have to use the
> TopComponent or Windowing API to do so.  I cannot
> find an easy way to do
> this.  Can anyone tell me how to specify my own
> JFrame class as the one to
> launch when I create a Module Suite, Module Project,
> and Module Wrapper
> Library around my exixting code?  I'd like to use
> the "Build Distribution
> ZIP" feature to create the launch executable, which
> should in turn launch my
> JFrame, not the default NetBeans main window. 


In the future please ask questions related to the
Netbeans Platform on the [email protected]
mailing list and regular user questions on
[email protected] as this list (nbui) is purely
devoted to improving the user interface of the IDE and
Platform specifically and not to user support.

On with your question for now (please reply on nbusers
or openide):
You can visit:
http://dvbcentral.sourceforge.net/netbeans-runtime.html

for an example of how to use the module system
independently: it doesn't have a Window or UI at all I
believe.  You can also create your own WindowManager
replacement and register it.  You can then make your
window be the main window and do what ever you want. 
You do not have to use all the features the Platform
provides.  I do not have an example of doing this
handy, but it is suppose to be possible.  You will not
however get the benefits of the layer.xml UI
registration doing this.  You can see:
http://wiki.netbeans.org/wiki/view/DevFaqWindowsInternals

for more information and:
http://wiki.netbeans.org/wiki/view/NetBeansDeveloperFAQ#section-NetBeansDeveloperFAQ-WindowSystem

for possibly more.  It might be easier to look at your
current application then look at replacing the Tab
container in the middle of the application and adding
your main UI to this replacement.  You then gain your
menu registration etc without having to write all that
code custom.  You would then move your event handlers
for menus into actions.  It just depends on what you
find will be easier really.

Wade



==================
Wade Chandler
Software Engineer and Developer

Netbeans Community and Dream Team Member:
http://wiki.netbeans.org/wiki/view/NetBeansDreamTeam

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