UICollection Files

What is it?
===========

The UICompiler to craete Java/Swing sources from a QtDesigner created ui file.
It allows you to implement your GUI-handling code while still only having Qt
Designer files in your CVS!


Why do I want it?
=================

Creating GUIs for Java requires a good UI builder, or a lot of time on your hands
and both seem to be problematic in this world :)
I found the excellent GUI designer from TrollTech (www.trolltech.com) which is even
GPLed so I can use it freely. Unfortunately, that designer is created for Qt and that
means for C++. This package converts the Designer files to java for you!


Great, how do I use it!
=======================

First; make sure you have the jar from www.jdom.org  UIC is tested with beta-8.

There are two ways. The quick way it to start it as a jar.
For this please make sure the jdom.jar is in the same dir as the uic.jar Then
type:
    java -jar uic.jar MyDesign.ui

This creates a MyDesign.java file which you can directly compile and run.
The generated file is created with the debug flag of UIC set to 'true' which
means that a main is created for your convienience. Using this method of running
does not enable you to remove the debugging code.

The second way is from ant. You need the jdom.jar and uic.jar in your classpath,
or in the ant-lib directory.
You can use the following ant snippet for your pleasure:

    <project name="example" default="compile" basedir=".">

        <property name="src" value="." />   <!-- dir where source files are -->
        <property name="build" value="." /> <!-- dir where I want to place class files -->

        <taskdef name="uicompiler" classname="uic.anttask.UICompiler" classpath="jars/uic.jar"/>
        <path id="myclass.path">
            <pathelement location="." />
            <pathelement path="jars/graphics.jar" />
        </path>

        <target name="compile.ui.files">
            <uicompiler srcdir="${src}" includes="**/*.ui" listfiles="true" debug="true" />
        </target>

        <target name="compile" depends="compile.ui.files" description="compile stuff">
            <javac srcdir="${src}" destdir="${build}" classpathref="myclass.path"/>
        </target>

    </project>

A more complete build file can be found at
 http://cvs.sourceforge.net/cgi-bin/viewcvs.cgi/*checkout*/uic/uicompiler/example-buildfile.xml?rev=HEAD&content-type=text/plain


Sounds nice, but I don't just want to look at my GUI...
=======================================================

Right, you can extend the created classes and implement anything you want.
All major widgets are defined as protected, and fully accessable from your
derived class so you can add listeners and all the things you normally do.

The package has been made with personal extensions in mind, so you'll probably
be able to do that one thing you like in the normal framework.


Tell me more!
=============

More can be found at http://uic.sf.net


Cheers!

Thomas Zander (22-Sept-02)