Undecorated or Client Decorated Top Level Frames

Name: hv30045 Date: 11/09/99


The name of this feature is "Undecorated or Client Decorated Top Level Frames.
(aka UTLF)"

What is the feature and what problem is it solving?
The problems UTLF addresses are ones of look and feel consistency and
branding. Today, all applications that use Swing's pluggable look and feel
architecture must live inside of the native platform's top level frame. Thus,
if a developer chose Java look and feel (JLF) for cross platform conssitency,
their application would, none the less appear in a Windows, Motif etc. top
level frame. Further, if a developer used an MDI style interface (multiple
document interface), all internal frames would look different from the top
level frame which contained the application. When a company chooses to
implement their own look and feel, as we have seen on several occasions, they
are prevented from "taking over the desktop" with their own identity.

How will it work?
Add new classes "xxxFrame" and "xxxDialog" to the AWT core classes. Implement
native Peer code to create windows without system-specific decorations. An
internal layout manager will be provided to place predefined UI
decoration 'types' within the window (close box, resize box, title bar, etc.)
should the developer desire a 'standard' set of window components and with
system-specific placement.(Note that 'xxx' would be "ClientDecorated"
or "Undecorated" or another, better actual implementation name.)

What are the benefits over other solutions?
There are no other solutions or competing strategies to solve a JLF application
having to live within a native top level window at this time. It is actually
solving a platform deficiency.



======================================================================