NX: GUI Design - need opinions

[Bill Robertson]

I am done with the functionality of the project but I am worried about my
GUI.
I have the Bodgitt and Scarper, LLC. and it states:

1 It must allow the user to search the data for all records, or for records where the name and/or location fields exactly match values specified by the user.
2. It must present search results in a JTable.
3. It must allow the user to book a selected record, updating the database file accordingly.
Your user interface should be designed with the expectation of future functionality enhancements, and it should establish a framework that will support this with minimal disruption to the users when this occurs.

I have all of the functionaly and my interface is laid out such that the ability to search on name and location is located at the top left corner, right next to it on the right is the ability to search on any string. Below these searches is the table, and below the table are the table buttons for performing tasks (for now just book). It is very
nice looking and I had many people who know about GUI design look
it over and all of them said its very neat and clean.
BUT, As the above qoute states: You should design you GUI thinking of future
enhancements.
For adding more buttons to perform more tasks, like change, unbook, delete the interface is easily updatable - you just add the button to the area below the table that is reserved for more button operations. I have already
done this while I was testing my new record, delete, and update functionality.
MY PROBLEM:
If they want to search on new fields later on down the road I am in trouble.
I do not have enough space to add new fields to search on in the search area of my screen (top of screen) Should I be concerned with this? Am I looking to deep into what they are saying?
What have other people done? All opinions are greatly appreciated!
And thanks in advance.

[Michael Fitzmaurice]

Hi Bill
I just interpreted this instruction as a strong hint that you should be using MVC. I hope they just mean that you can change the GUI code without having it mess up your business logic, rather than suggesting that it should be easy to physically add things to the GUI.
I think it is not all that important if future developers have to add panels or shuffle things around on your GUI - so long as the changes are constrained only to the presentation layer.
What does everyone else think?

[Dave Knipp]

I would tend to agree with Mike, I think sun just wants you to abstract all your business functionality away from the gui(MVC) so your gui can be easily manipulated in the future. I would just stick to MVC and maybe read about some user interface design if you are really worried about how your gui is setup, but like its been said i dont think that is going to be an issue when the examiner is grading your assignment.
Dave

[Bill Robertson]

I guess everyone else pretty much agrees. thanks

[Jim Yingst]

The other aspect of this is it just re-enforces the idea that your code should be written to be easy to understand and maintain in general. Using MVC is one big example of how to help achieve this, but there are lots or other little things that have little to do with MVC. E.g. using good class and method names, and not letting any one method or class get too big and complex (well, I guess MVC helps there too...). And many more.
[ October 24, 2003: Message edited by: Jim Yingst ]

[Bill Robertson]

thanks Jim for reconfirming!!! thankfully I got the anwsers I was hoping
for