Jexer - Java Text User Interface library
========================================
-WARNING: THIS IS ALPHA CODE! PLEASE CONSIDER FILING BUGS AS YOU
-ENCOUNTER THEM.
+This library implements a text-based windowing system reminiscient of
+Borland's [Turbo Vision](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turbo_Vision)
+system. (For those wishing to use the actual C++ Turbo Vision
+library, see [Sergio Sigala's C++ version based on the public domain
+sources released by Borland.](http://tvision.sourceforge.net/) )
-This library is intended to implement a text-based windowing system
-loosely reminiscient of Borland's [Turbo
-Vision](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turbo_Vision) library. For those
-wishing to use the actual C++ Turbo Vision library, see [Sergio
-Sigala's updated version](http://tvision.sourceforge.net/) that runs
-on many more platforms.
-
-Three backends are available:
+Jexer currently supports three backends:
* System.in/out to a command-line ECMA-48 / ANSI X3.64 type terminal
(tested on Linux + xterm). I/O is handled through terminal escape
which is set in jexer.session.SwingSession. For the demo
application, this is the default backend on Windows platforms.
-The demo application showing the existing UI controls can be seen in
-three ways:
-
- * 'java -jar jexer.jar' . This will use System.in/out on
- non-Windows, or Swing on Windows.
-
- * 'java -Djexer.Swing=true -jar jexer.jar' . This will always use
- Swing.
-
- * 'java -cp jexer.jar jexer.demos.Demo2 PORT' (where PORT is a
- number to run the TCP daemon on). This will use the telnet
- protocol to establish an 8-bit clean channel and be aware of
- screen size changes.
-
Additional backends can be created by subclassing
jexer.backend.Backend and passing it into the TApplication
constructor.
Usage
-----
-Usage patterns are still being worked on, but in general the goal will
-be to build applications as follows:
+Simply subclass TApplication and then run it in a new thread:
```Java
import jexer.*;
-public class MyApplication extends TApplication {
+class MyApplication extends TApplication {
- public MyApplication() {
+ public MyApplication() throws Exception {
super(BackendType.SWING); // Could also use BackendType.XTERM
// Create standard menus for File and Window
addFileMenu();
addWindowMenu();
+
+ // Add a custom window, see below for its code.
+ addWindow(new MyWindow(this));
}
public static void main(String [] args) {
- MyApplication app = new MyApplication();
- (new Thread(app)).start();
+ try {
+ MyApplication app = new MyApplication();
+ (new Thread(app)).start();
+ } catch (Throwable t) {
+ t.printStackTrace();
+ }
}
}
```
-See the files in jexer.demos for more detailed examples.
+Similarly, subclass TWindow and add some widgets:
+
+```Java
+class MyWindow extends TWindow {
+
+ public MyWindow(TApplication application) {
+ // See TWindow's API for several constructors. This one uses the
+ // application, title, width, and height. Note that the window width
+ // and height include the borders. The widgets inside the window
+ // will see (0, 0) as the top-left corner inside the borders,
+ // i.e. what the window would see as (1, 1).
+ super(application, "My Window", 30, 20);
+
+ // See TWidget's API for convenience methods to add various kinds of
+ // widgets. Note that ANY widget can be a container for other
+ // widgets: TRadioGroup for example has TRadioButtons as child
+ // widgets.
+
+ // We will add a basic label, text entry field, and button.
+ addLabel("This is a label", 5, 3);
+ addField(5, 5, 20, false, "enter text here");
+ // For the button, we will pop up a message box if the user presses
+ // it.
+ addButton("Press &Me!", 5, 8, new TAction() {
+ public void DO() {
+ MyWindow.this.messageBox("Box Title", "You pressed me, yay!");
+ }
+ } );
+ }
+}
+```
+
+Put these into a file, compile it with jexer.jar in the classpath, run
+it and you'll see an application like this:
+
+
+
+See the files in jexer.demos for many more detailed examples showing
+all of the existing UI controls. The demo can be run in three
+different ways:
+
+ * 'java -jar jexer.jar' . This will use System.in/out with
+ xterm-like sequences on non-Windows platforms. On Windows it will
+ use a Swing JFrame.
+
+ * 'java -Djexer.Swing=true -jar jexer.jar' . This will always use
+ Swing on any platform.
+
+ * 'java -cp jexer.jar jexer.demos.Demo2 PORT' (where PORT is a
+ number to run the TCP daemon on). This will use the telnet
+ protocol to establish an 8-bit clean channel and be aware of
+ screen size changes.
+
+
+
+More Screenshots
+----------------
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+System Properties
+-----------------
+
+The following properties control features of Jexer:
+
+ jexer.Swing
+ -----------
+
+ Used only by jexer.demos.Demo1. If true, use the Swing interface
+ for the demo application. Default: true on Windows platforms
+ (os.name starts with "Windows"), false on non-Windows platforms.
+
+ jexer.Swing.cursorStyle
+ -----------------------
+
+ Used by jexer.io.SwingScreen. Selects the cursor style to draw.
+ Valid values are: underline, block, outline. Default: underline.
-System Properties
------------------
-
-The following properties control features of Jexer:
-
- jexer.Swing
- -----------
-
- Used only by jexer.demos.Demo1. If true, use the Swing interface
- for the demo application. Default: true on Windows platforms
- (os.name starts with "Windows"), false on non-Windows platforms.
-
- jexer.Swing.cursorStyle
- -----------------------
-
- Used by jexer.io.SwingScreen. Selects the cursor style to draw.
- Valid values are: underline, block, outline. Default: underline.
-
-
-
Roadmap
-------
Many tasks remain before calling this version 1.0:
-0.0.3: FINISH PORTING
+0.0.3
-0.0.4: NEW STUFF
+- TListBox
+- TColorPicker
+
+0.0.4
- TStatusBar
- TEditor
- TSpinner
- TComboBox
-- TListBox
- TCalendar
-- TColorPicker
Wishlist features (2.0):
- TTerminal
- Handle resize events (pass to child process)
- Screen
- - Allow complex characters in putCharXY() and detect them in putStrXY().
+ - Allow complex characters in putCharXY() and detect them in putStringXY().
- Drag and drop
- TEditor
- TField
- TText
- TTerminal
- TComboBox
-
-
-Screenshots
------------
-
-
-
-
git://git.nikiroo.be / fanfix-jexer.git / commitdiff
