The Java Developer ConnectionSM (JDC)
presents a Short Course introducing the Abstract Window Toolkit (AWT) technology
written by JavaTM Software licensee jGuru
(formerly named the MageLang Institute). A leading-edge Java developer
community, jGuru has contributed regularly to the JDC since 1996.
jGuru has been dedicated to promoting the growth of the Java technology
community through evangelism, education, and software since 1995. You can find
out more about their activities, including community-driven FAQs and online
learning, at jGuru.com.
Please send comments about the course to jdc-tutorial-feedback@jguru.com.
The AWT is the window to the world for Java technology. This module will
teach you how to use the Abstract Window Toolkit (AWT) to allow your programs to
create a Graphical User Interface (GUI) to interact with your users. With this
tutorial, you will learn how to use components or "widgets" (windows, buttons,
checkboxes, scrollbars, menus, and so forth) to display your graphical interface
and how to work with events to respond to input from the user. For information
on positioning these components in a platform independent manner, please see the
Effective Layout Management tutorial also on the JDC from jGuru.
If you are interested in using the second-generation components, built on top of
AWT, you can try out the two-part JFC/Swing tutorials: Part 1 and Part 2.
Concepts
After completing this module you will understand:
- What AWT components
are available for creating GUIs
- What the event
delegation model is for creating responsive GUIs
Objectives
By the end of this module you will be able to:
- Build graphical user
interfaces using AWT
- Display all of the
Java graphical components,
called widgets
- Make widgets respond
to physical events such as
mouse clicks, key presses, or button pushes
- Create windows and
menus for standalone Java applications
Prerequisites
A general familiarity with object-oriented programming concepts, the Java
programming language,
and the ability to modify and build simple Java programs. If you are not
familiar with the Java
Programming Language and object-oriented concepts, see Sun's
online Java Tutorial or
the Object-Oriented Programming
lesson in the Java Programming Language Basics, Part 2 offering.
About the Authors
Scott Stanchfield is the AWT and Swing FAQ guru at jGuru.com and a
strong
advocate of layout manager use, hunting developers who use absolute positioning
for sport.
He is the author of the Effective VisualAge for Java book from
Wiley, and
and maintains the VisualAge for Java Tips
and Tricks
resource.
John Zukowski is the Content Czar at jGuru.com.
He is the author of John Zukowski's
Definitive Guide to Swing for Java 2 and Mastering Java
2,
as well as many other technical publications and articles. He serves on
the Senior Advisory Board at JavaWorld
and as the Focus on Java
guide at About.com.
Start the Short Course
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