Chapter 24. The javax.swing.border Package

AbstractBorder	Java 1.2
javax.swing.border	serializable

This abstract class implements a zero-width, nonopaque border. AbstractBorder implements the Border interface. To create a custom border type, subclass AbstractBorder, reimplementing at least the getBorderInsets() and paintBorder() methods. getInteriorRectangle() in its static and nonstatic versions is a convenience method that returns a rectangle that represents the region of the component inside the border.

AbstractBorder provides a two-argument version of getBorderInsets(), in addition to the one-argument version required by Border. The two-argument version should place the insets in the supplied Insets object. Doing so does not require a new Insets object to be created, so it is more efficient than the one-argument version. Swing components use this more efficient method whenever possible.

Hierarchy: Object-->AbstractBorder(Border,Serializable)

Subclasses: BevelBorder, CompoundBorder, EmptyBorder, EtchedBorder, LineBorder, TitledBorder

BevelBorder	Java 1.2
javax.swing.border	serializable

This class displays a two-pixel-wide beveled edge around a Swing component, giving the appearance of a raised or lowered surface. The RAISED and LOWERED constants specify the type of bevel. It usually is not necessary to specify bevel colors, as appropriate defaults are derived from the component background color. See also the createBevelBorder(), createLoweredBevelBorder(), and createRaisedBevelBorder() methods of javax.swing.BorderFactory.

Hierarchy: Object-->AbstractBorder(Border,Serializable)-->BevelBorder

Subclasses: SoftBevelBorder, javax.swing.plaf.BorderUIResource.BevelBorderUIResource

Border	Java 1.2
javax.swing.border

This simple interface defines the methods that must be implemented by any object that wants to display a border around a Swing component. getBorderInsets() returns a java.awt.Insets object that specifies the size of each edge of the border. isBorderOpaque() indicates either that the border is opaque or that it allows the container background to show through. Opaque borders are required to paint all pixels in the border region. Finally, paintBorder() is the method that is responsible for drawing the border around the specified component at the specified location, using the specified java.awt.Graphics object.

The javax.swing.border package contains a number of Border implementations that are useful with Swing classes. Note, however, that Border instances are intended to be shared among components. This means that you typically should obtain references to shared Border objects by calling the static factory methods of javax.swing.BorderFactory. To define your own custom type of border, you can subclass AbstractBorder.

Implementations: AbstractBorder, javax.swing.plaf.BorderUIResource

Passed To: Too many methods to list.

Returned By: Too many methods to list.

Type Of: DefaultListCellRenderer.noFocusBorder, CompoundBorder.{insideBorder, outsideBorder}, TitledBorder.border, javax.swing.table.DefaultTableCellRenderer.noFocusBorder, javax.swing.tree.DefaultTreeCellEditor.DefaultTextField.border

CompoundBorder	Java 1.2
javax.swing.border	serializable

This class combines two borders and displays the result around a Swing component. For example, you can use CompoundBorder to combine a beveled outer border and an etched inner border. Or you can use CompoundBorder to combine a MatteBorder and an EmptyBorder, to create an additional margin within the MatteBorder. See also the createCompoundBorder() method of javax.swing.BorderFactory.

Hierarchy: Object-->AbstractBorder(Border,Serializable)-->CompoundBorder

Subclasses: javax.swing.plaf.BorderUIResource.CompoundBorderUIResource

Returned By: BorderFactory.createCompoundBorder()

EmptyBorder	Java 1.2
javax.swing.border	serializable

This class implements a transparent, empty border. It is used to place a blank margin around a Swing component. The arguments to the constructor specify the number of pixels of blank space to appear on each edge of the component. See also the createEmptyBorder() method of javax.swing.BorderFactory.

Hierarchy: Object-->AbstractBorder(Border,Serializable)-->EmptyBorder(Serializable)

Subclasses: MatteBorder, javax.swing.plaf.BorderUIResource.EmptyBorderUIResource

EtchedBorder	Java 1.2
javax.swing.border	serializable

This class displays an etched border around a Swing component. By default, the border appears etched into the screen. You can create a border that appears etched out by passing the RAISED constant to the EtchedBorder() constructor. It usually is not necessary to specify colors for the border, since EtchedBorder automatically chooses correct defaults based on the component's background color. See also the createEtchedBorder() method of javax.swing.BorderFactory.

Hierarchy: Object-->AbstractBorder(Border,Serializable)-->EtchedBorder

Subclasses: javax.swing.plaf.BorderUIResource.EtchedBorderUIResource

LineBorder	Java 1.2
javax.swing.border	serializable

This class draws a solid line of the specified color and thickness around a Swing component. The default thickness is one pixel. The two static methods return shared LineBorder instances that draw black and gray lines that are one-pixel wide. See also the createLineBorder() method of javax.swing.BorderFactory.

Hierarchy: Object-->AbstractBorder(Border,Serializable)-->LineBorder

Subclasses: javax.swing.plaf.BorderUIResource.LineBorderUIResource

MatteBorder	Java 1.2
javax.swing.border	serializable

This class uses a solid color or tiled icon to paint a border around a Swing component. The sizes of each edge of the border can be independently specified. If an icon is specified and border sizes are not, the top and bottom insets of the border equal the icon height, and the left and right insets equal the icon width. See also the createMatteBorder() method of javax.swing.BorderFactory.

Hierarchy: Object-->AbstractBorder(Border,Serializable)-->EmptyBorder(Serializable)-->MatteBorder

Subclasses: javax.swing.plaf.BorderUIResource.MatteBorderUIResource

Returned By: BorderFactory.createMatteBorder()

SoftBevelBorder	Java 1.2
javax.swing.border	serializable

This class displays a two-pixel-wide raised or lowered beveled border around a Swing component. SoftBevelBorder differs from its superclass BevelBorder in that it draws a "softer" bevel (i.e., a bevel whose corners do not appear as sharp). Unlike the other border types, shared SoftBevelBorder instances cannot be created through the javax.swing.BorderFactory class.

Hierarchy: Object-->AbstractBorder(Border,Serializable)-->BevelBorder-->SoftBevelBorder

TitledBorder	Java 1.2
javax.swing.border	serializable

This class combines a textual title with another border. This can be a useful effect when, for example, you want to group and title several components, such as a group of JRadioButton objects. By default, TitledBorder draws an EtchedBorder and displays the title left justified on the top edge of that border. Arguments to the constructor and property- setting methods allow you to specify the Border to be drawn, the position of the title relative to the top or bottom of that border, the justification of the title, the title font, and the title color. The title can be positioned above, on top of, or below the top or bottom edge of the border, and it can be left, center, or right justified. The positioning is specified by the titlePosition and titleJustification properties. TitledBorder constants define the legal values of these properties.

TitledBorder instances are not typically shared among components because different components do not typically have the same title. Since the TitledBorder instances are not shared, they need not be immutable. TitledBorder is unique among the classes in javax.swing.border in that it has properties that can be set after the instance is created. You can still use the createTitledBorder() method of javax.swing.BorderFactory to create TitledBorder instances, but since they are unlikely to be shared, this is typically not very useful.

Hierarchy: Object-->AbstractBorder(Border,Serializable)-->TitledBorder

Subclasses: javax.swing.plaf.BorderUIResource.TitledBorderUIResource

Returned By: BorderFactory.createTitledBorder()