The multiple document interface (MDI) model is like a traditional computer windowing system, in that it has windows within windows. In a windowing system, you have a desktop with windows on it. With a Swing MDI application, you have a desktop pane with internal frames on it. The user can position, resize, close, and minimize the internal frames like windows on a traditional desktop.
To create an MDI application, start with a JFrame
component and
then add a JDesktopPane
component to it.
You can use the MDI Application option in the Sample Forms category of the Template
Chooser to create a new MDI form with predefined common menu items, or you can build
an MDI application by starting with a JFrame
and adding a
JDesktopPane
component to it.
To add JInternalFrame
components to the JDesktopPane,
select them from the Swing (Other) tab of the component palette and click in the
JDesktopPane.
This adds internal frames with fixed structures.
Alternatively, you can create separate forms of type JInternalFrame,
and then construct and add these to the desktop pane in code.
You can add other components directly to the JDesktopPane,
such as a
JTable
or JSlider
component. However, these have standard
properties and users can't manipulate them as they might manipulate components in
a JInternalFrame.
See also | |
---|---|
Creating a New Form
Working With Components |