:: Readme :: Looks 1.3.1 ::

Free high-fidelity Windows and multi-platform appearance

The JGoodies Looks make your Swing applications and applets look better. The package consists of a Windows look&feel and the Plastic look&feel family. These have been optimized for readability, precise micro-design and usability.

The Looks require Java 1.4 or later. A version for Java 1.3 is here. Java 1.5 is now supported, but some micro design improvements made in the Looks are optimized for Java 1.4.2 and Java 1.4.1.

Getting Started

First, download and run the JGoodies Looks Demo. Then follow the Quick Start and read the user's guide. If you want to use a JGoodies l&f in NetBeans read here. As a next step you can study the JGoodies articles and presentations.

Support

Please check the FAQ and do not send personal mail!

You may subscribe to the users mailing list and browse or search the list's archive. And you can direct new questions to users@looks.dev.java.net. Please register with this list before you post; otherwise I need to manually accept your messages.

Also, you can use the issue tracker to find issues regarding the Looks. As a project observer you can log defects, request features and suggest enhancements.

Distribution Contents

`docs/api`		JavaDocs directory
`docs/guide`		User's Guide

`examples/lib`		library for the simple Looks demo
`examples/tiny.jar`		precompiled Tiny example
`examples/demo.jar`		precompiled simple Looks demo

`src/examples/tiny`		sources for the tiny example
`src/examples/demo`		sources for the simple Looks demo
`src/photoshop`		PhotoShop files for Plastic icons
`src/test`		sources for unit tests

`LICENSE.txt`		the BSD license agreement
`README.html`		this readme file
`RELEASE-NOTES.txt`		Release Notes
`build.xml`		ANT build file
`default.properties`		ANT default build properties

`looks-1.3.1-src.zip`		zipped library sources
`looks-1.3.1.jar`		the library jar

Related Projects

The winlaf project hosts another Windows look&feel. Recently we started to join our efforts in making the Windows look&feel look and feel like Windows.

As of the Looks 1.3.1 and winlaf 0.5.1, the JGoodies Windows l&f provides a more precise micro design for 96dpi and 120dpi which leads to better readability and legibility if used with a precise layout system such as the JGoodies Forms. Also, the JGoodies Windows l&f uses component sizes that are closer to the native original and make it easier to switch the look&feel to the multiplatform Plastic l&f family.

Currently both the winlaf and JGoodies l&f fix bugs in the Sun Windows l&f that are not addressed by the other project. Hopefully, we can move the most important solutions to the Sun Windows l&f in Java 6 and catch up with each others project.

Acknowledgements

The Looks project has been financed by customers of the JGoodies Swing Suite. It is only with their money that I can provide, maintain and improve this library at no charge.

Many thanks to Andrej Golovnin who has reported, verified, managed and fixed several issues. His patches are the major contribution for the Looks 1.3.

You can Help

If you are a professional user, satisfied with the JGoodies Looks, you may help me finance my Java desktop activities by licensing the commercial JGoodies Swing Suite.