Step by Step Instructions for Creating Your First Java Application in NetBeans8.0

 

  1. Choose File /  New Project. Under Categories, select Java.  Under Projects, select Java Class Library. Click Next.
  2. Under Project Name, enter the name of your application.  Change the Project Location to any folder on your computer.
  3. Click Finish. The IDE creates the project folder.
  4. Right-click the project node in the Projects window or  Files window and select New > Other. Under Categories, select Swing GUI Forms. Under File Types, select JFrame Form. Click Next.
  5. Under Class Name, enter a name for your class. Leave Package blank for now (default package).
  6. Click Finish. The IDE creates the JFrame form in the specified package. The Form opens in the Design editor.
  7. IMPORTANT: Right click your JForm's background panel (not on any component or embedded panel) and choose "Set Layout..." on the pop-up menu, then select "Absolute Layout".
  8. Add several components (click component, click on design panel; OR right-click on design panel and choose Add From Palette).
  9. Repeat step 7 as necessary (see below for instructions for specific components).
  10. To Run - Right click on Projects.../<formname>.java  select Run File (or SHIFT-F6)

What to turn in

Zip your netbeans project directory and email, along with a screenshot of the app running, to is4300f16@css.neu.edu

Component-specific Instructions

 

to add icon images to buttons or labels (to get automatically bundled in the JAR file)

1.      Copy GIF or JPG to \src directory.

2.      Select icon... property of component.

3.      Click down arrow next to icon... property (or click "Image within project" radio button, the "..." button, and select the desired image from the pull-down menu).

 

to populate a JComboBox

1.      First add the combo box to the panel. Then edit the 'model' property.

 

to add a Menu

1.      First add a MenuBar to the JForm.

2.      Right click on the JMenuBar object in the Inspector, and select Add Menu (to add another menu.

3.   To add items to a menu, expland the JMenuBar object in the Inpector, right click on the JMenu, choose Add From Palette > Menu Item

 

to add a nested JPanel

1.      Add the Panel to Display.

2. Right click on the Panel and set the Layout to Absolute.

3.      Add contained components.