Configuring the Form Editor
You can configure the behavior of the Form Editor as well as the grid and color
properties of the Form Editor window.
To configure Form Editor behavior and Form Editor window appearance:
- From the main window, choose Tools
Options.
- In the Options window, expand the Editing node.
-
Select the Form Editor Settings node.
-
Modify the values to your preferred settings.
Properties Tab
- Component Palette.
If Large Palette, the entire Component Palette is shown above the Form Designer pane.
The tabs for various types of components are displayed.
If Small Palette, only the Selection Mode buttons are shown.
You can always access components by clicking the Add Mode button (plus sign) and
selecting a component from the displayed menu.
- Component Palette Shows Names.
If True, the name of each component are displayed next to its icon
in the Component Palette.
- Connection Border Color.
Color of components' selection border during connection mode.
- Drag Feedback Color.
Color of target container during dragging.
- Form Designer Background.
Color of the Form Designer pane's background.
- Form Designer Border Color.
Color of the boxes around a designed component.
- Selection Border Color.
Color of the boxes around a component that mark it as "selected."
- Selection Border Size.
Size (in pixels) of the boxes around a component that mark it as "selected."
- Use Deferred Code Generation.
If True, Java code is generated only when the form is saved. If False,
Java code is updated with each change to the form.
- Use Indentation Engine.
If True, the Source Editor's indentation engine is used when generating
Java code. If False, only the simple (but faster) indentation is used.
Expert Tab
- Apply Grid to Position.
If True, the position of components is snapped to the grid (if a grid is used)
in AbsoluteLayout or Null Layout.
- Apply Grid to Size.
If True, the size of components is snapped to the grid (if a grid is used) in
AbsoluteLayout or Null Layout.
- Event Variable Name.
The name of the variable generated in the signature of the event handler method for
the event object. For example, evt is the variable name in
private void button1ActionPerformed (java.awt.event.ActionEvent evt).
- Grid X.
Size of grid for AbsoluteLayout or Null Layout in the x axis.
- Grid Y.
Size of grid for AbsoluteLayout or Null Layout in the y axis.
- Local Variables.
If True, the variables generated for the components on the form are declared
as local variables in the initComponents() method. If False, the variables
are declared as member fields of the class.
- Property Editor Search Path.
List of packages used to search the property editor to use in the Form Editor.
For example, to use an alternate Color property editor, create ColorEditor,
add its full package name to the beginning of the Property Editor Search Path,
and the ColorEditor is used when the Color property is edited.
- Property Editors.
List of String pairs that explicitly lists the property type and the fully
qualified class name of the property editor to use for that type.
- Variables Modifier.
The access modifier for variables generated for components on the form.
- Workspace.
The workspace the IDE jumps to when a form object is opened.
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