Java applications, in particular those written with the Swing toolkit,
have a reputation for feeling clunky and out of place, as if they don't
belong on your computer. Often your users can't put their finger on
what it is that doesn't feel quite right. It is often the look of the
buttons, subtle menu bar differences, and a lack of a good launching
mechanism. Swing applications often look and feel different than native
applications.
This is the first of a three part
article series in which we will build a simple application from the ground up
and make it look and feel native. This article will cover designing the
menus and adding visual alerts. The second article will focus on
building native executables and adding file type associations. The third
part will complete the series with icons, dialog boxes, splashscreens,
and a checklist of finishing touches. Throughout the series, we will
make use of several libraries and techniques that automate the process
and make building high-quality Swing applications as easy as
possible.
