how to customize the title bar of a JInternalFrame

[Keristufer Blaze]

Does anyone know how to customize the title bar of a JInternalFrame? I'm using the JInternalFrame.setBorder(border) to change most of the frame and setFrameIcon to change the icon but I can't figure out how to customize the title bar. I want to customize the whole title bar including its color, the minimize, maximize, and close buttons.
Thanks.

[clio katz]

Keristufer,

I don't know of a way to do this using a specific API call.

I believe (someone pls correct me if i'm wrong), this falls into the class of a Look and Feel change.

On that topic I can give you more info than you probably want:

(1) you can write a custom LAF
(2) you can play 'home alchemist' with the swing properties for
the default LAF

Option #1 is time consuming: you could subclass the Metal LAF and override settings for InternalFrame. You will have to enforce the loading of your custom LAF when your app starts, ie:

try {
    UIManager.setLookAndFeel(lnfClassName);
    SwingUtilities.updateComponentTreeUI(rootComponent);
} catch (ClassNotFoundException e) {
    // where'd it go?
} catch ( // tons of other exception types...

Option #2 is a risky, not really production-strength solution. if the app is just-for-you, you can play with the UIManager properties for internal frame:

First you can review the properties for InternalFrame:

Object[] objs =
    javax.swing.UIManager.getLookAndFeel().
        getDefaults().keySet().toArray(); 
 
    for( int i = 0; i < objs.length; i++ ) { 
        if (objs[i].toString().startsWith("InternalFrame")) {
            System.out.println(objs[i] + " : " +
                javax.swing.UIManager.getDefaults().get(objs[i]));
        }
    }

Dump may produce something like:

InternalFrame.borderColor : javax.swing.plaf.ColorUIResource[r=204,g=204,b=204]
InternalFrame.inactiveTitleBackground : javax.swing.plaf.ColorUIResource[r=204,g=204,b=204]
InternalFrame.maximizeIcon : javax.swing.plaf.metal.MetalIconFactory$InternalFrameMaximizeIcon@961dff
InternalFrame.minimizeSound : sounds/FrameMinimize.wav
InternalFrame.borderDarkShadow : javax.swing.plaf.ColorUIResource[r=102,g=102,b=102]
InternalFrame.optionDialogBorder : javax.swing.plaf.metal.MetalBorders$OptionDialogBorder@1fc6e42
InternalFrame.inactiveTitleForeground : javax.swing.plaf.ColorUIResource[r=0,g=0,b=0]
InternalFrame.iconifyIcon : javax.swing.plaf.metal.MetalIconFactory$InternalFrameMinimizeIcon@1a082e2
InternalFrame.border : javax.swing.plaf.metal.MetalBorders$InternalFrameBorder@1f297e7
InternalFrame.paletteBorder : javax.swing.plaf.metal.MetalBorders$PaletteBorder@ac6a45
InternalFrame.paletteTitleHeight : 11
InternalFrame.restoreDownSound : sounds/FrameRestoreDown.wav
InternalFrame.minimizeIcon : javax.swing.plaf.metal.MetalIconFactory$InternalFrameAltMaximizeIcon@42552c
InternalFrameUI : javax.swing.plaf.metal.MetalInternalFrameUI
InternalFrame.closeIcon : javax.swing.plaf.metal.MetalIconFactory$InternalFrameCloseIcon@8ee016
InternalFrame.titleFont : javax.swing.plaf.FontUIResource[family=Dialog,name=Dialog,style=bold,size=12]
InternalFrame.activeTitleForeground : javax.swing.plaf.ColorUIResource[r=0,g=0,b=0]
InternalFrame.borderShadow : javax.swing.plaf.ColorUIResource[r=153,g=153,b=153]
InternalFrame.paletteCloseIcon : javax.swing.plaf.metal.MetalIconFactory$PaletteCloseIcon@11563ff
InternalFrame.closeSound : sounds/FrameClose.wav
InternalFrame.icon : javax.swing.plaf.metal.MetalIconFactory$InternalFrameDefaultMenuIcon@1f06dc3
InternalFrame.borderHighlight : javax.swing.plaf.ColorUIResource[r=255,g=255,b=255]
InternalFrame.activeTitleBackground : javax.swing.plaf.ColorUIResource[r=204,g=204,b=255]
InternalFrame.maximizeSound : sounds/FrameMaximize.wav
InternalFrame.restoreUpSound : sounds/FrameRestoreUp.wav
InternalFrame.borderLight : javax.swing.plaf.ColorUIResource[r=255,g=255,b=255]

Now you can use UIManager to put your preferred values in place.

viva la pluggable ui!^?

hth