State of clientProperty in OS X Java 1.6

Started looking at my pet Java Swing application - jSpent. This time the attempt was to create a leopard-like unified toolbar. I was so excited to see that there is a clientProperty "apple.awt.brushMetalLook" - By setting this as : 

myFrame.getRootPane().putClientProperty("apple.awt.brushMetalLook", Boolean.TRUE);

This will cause OS X to render the title bar in the unified style. But unfortunately, there is no good clientProperty setting for the toolbar itself. So we end up with a light gray window title bar. The toolbar appears like a gray box, painted in different color. Not sure if this is a bug in Apples Java. However, I had to again resort to pick and choose and paint my own gradient just below the window title bar to make it look "Unified". So, here is the output. 

But oh well, I need to repaint the toolbar in ligher gradient when the window goes out of focus.. hm.. that's too much to do!

Most beautiful Swing look and feel

Its not Nimbus. Its not JGoodies or Substance. It is Synthetica - white vision look and feel.
Its plain beautiful and usable. I appled this to SQuirreL-SQL client and it is look so awesome that I had to blog about it. Here is a screenshot. Only gripe is that it has Vista folder icons for tree nodes.

Work in progress - my very rich swing application - part 5

Yet another close look:

Features added :

• Rendering proper table header icon/color while sorting
  
• Initial stages of OFX import
  
• iTunes look

I am also working in building "leopard" like toolbar buttons. Once that is added, the application will be OS X 10.5 ready. But not sure when Apple is planning to give out Java 6 for OS X 10.5. I happen to be one of the lucky guys with Java 6 developer preview.

Putting together a modern UI using Java swing.

I had been working a lot with Java2D and graphics in my free time. So, when I thought of a little utility application for myself, I thought of applying all sorts of "Swing hacks" that I came across so far. Thanks to swing gurus like 'Roamin Guy' and 'John Lipsky', I am able to build somewhat beautiful UI. A lot of time is being spent in putting all the components together and testing while I am losing focus on the real task in my hand - building my little utility application. Hm.. some day I will build it. Here is a screenshot of the work so far for now.

Java has come a very long way in terms of UI and graphics performance. I am only an entry level programmer when it comes to graphics and swing painting. But this application is running pretty smooth on both windows and OS X and it only can be attributed to Java 6's performance.