Eclipse Designer Plugin

This is a plugin for the Eclipse platform which allows visual designing for SWT applications. Project

License

CPL.

Limitations

Designer is on very early stage. Don't expect, that I will publish any version before at least 1 Jul 2003. And of course any assistance gratefully received. I keep all sources in sourceforge CVS.
Another limitation is that to receive good look, I use small native code, which can make screenshots, so you always see real images of controls, not "fakes". This topic was many times discussed in forum, I found solution for Windows, for other platforms, other solutions are needed.

Main planned features

0. SWT and JFace only. I don't like SWING, and currently use only SWT, so this is tool to help me and my colleagues.
1. Two way. I don't like one way tools, when you can not change code by hands. Of course, designer will understand only limited set of syntax structures, i.e. code should not contain IF, FOR, etc. This should be just direct execution 'new' and setting of properties.
2. GEF is used for visialization and editing.
3. Special property editor. I think, that this editor is ready. It is flexible enough and convinient - you can do all using only keyboard. No more "triple" click for opening combo as in standard Eclipse "Properties" (I always hate it). Complex properties can be expanded using Space or Plus, collapsed using Space or Minux, also Space can be used to toggle Combo properties.
4. Editor for event handling. Most probably you will have option - generate anonymous class and write code inside of it, or use this class only to forward execution flow to method of main class.
5. Wizard for standard visual elements - "Simple SWT application", "JFace ApplicationWindow", "JFace Dialog".

Shot guide through existing functions

Here you can see initial code (it was written by hands).

Fig. 0. Initial code.
And here you can see, how this looks in designer.

Fig. 1. Visual view.
Then I use property table and change style of button to Check.

Fig. 2. Check button.
...and set selection to true. All changes visible directly after hitting of "Enter".

Fig. 3. Selected button.
Here is how code looks after changes.

Fig. 4. Changed code.
Then I switch to Designer and set selection to false. Designer know, that false is default value for selection, so it just removes call of method setSelection.

Fig. 5. Remove selection.
You can resize shell directly in Designer and see, how you design will behave in this case.

Fig. 6. Resize.