GUI requires MDI or Tabbed Pane?

[Robert Konigsberg]

I know there are all these conversations about the GUI framework, and I've only skimmed them, so let me just ask this: has anyone successfully passed the exam by writing a GUI that leverages neither the MDI / Desktop style nor the Tabbed Panel style?

I've got to think there's an easy way to do this with frames/etc without coming off like a rookie. After all, the user interface is worth 10% of the final grade (I should say, my final grade.)

[Andrew Monkhouse]

Hi Robert,

I passed using CardLayout and a single window open at any time (no MDI) - 100% for my user interface.

I have also seen lots of posts where people didn't even go to my level of complexity. They used a dialog box to get startup information, a dialog box to get booking details, and everything else was in a single frame.

Having a simple interface wont make you appear to be a rookie - in fact a well designed simple interface may be preferable to a more complex interface that uses technology for the sake of the technology .

Regards, Andrew

[Robert Konigsberg]

Ahh excellent. I did not know CardLayout until now. That is way better than a Tabbed Layout. Thanks for the advice!

RK

[mike acre]

I was wondering what the emphasis on CardLayout was all about. Now I infer that it is for the life cycle stages of an application instance, ie where is the server? what is the query? what are the results?

My 1st response to the design of GUI is to have dialog for server location
And a North/Centre Border Layout for query/JTable.

Surely it is a good idea to see the query and results together, so the user can verify the results are for the intended query, ie check they performed the query they thought.

Is there any criticism of this approach?

What is the advantage of CardLayout? Is this in any way preferrable to dialogs?

[Jon Entwistle]

I agree with your approach Mike - you can create an elegant and clean interface conforming to sound useability principles from a single frame with dialogs where appropriate.

Jon

[Billy Tsai]

use JTable