Progress

Our group made a lot of progress this week. It took me awhile but I finally isolated the code to add a text window to our basic application,:

       JEditorPane editorPane = createEditorPane();
        JScrollPane editorScrollPane = new JScrollPane(editorPane);
        editorScrollPane.setVerticalScrollBarPolicy(
                        JScrollPane.VERTICAL_SCROLLBAR_ALWAYS);
        editorScrollPane.setPreferredSize(new Dimension(500, 500));
        editorScrollPane.setMinimumSize(new Dimension(10, 10));

The code requires that a scrollpane be created with an editor pane within that scroll pane. We've also isolated how to make an application go full screen and how to change the font of text.

Clearly, adding function to the application will be the most difficult aspect of the program. As it turns out, the design gets easier. The next step in designing this application will be adding key even listeners. These bits of code allow for you to perform methods automatically after a key command. Essentially this will add the functionality where pressing Ctrl+O will open the open file window.

Dilemna

I have a dilemma. I don't really know which IDE to use. Eclipse is amazing for coding. However, it has no GUI Editor - that makes things more difficult. Then again most of the GUI editing tools I find use hard code. NetBeans makes designing the GUI so easy. I'm just not sure if I can get used to it quickly. I'm leaning towards eclipse right now. If anyone knows which I should choose feel free to comment.

Post #1: Starting Developement

Right now our group is still trying to work out a definite plan. Our program is meant to be a word processor designed for students. The program will run in Java making it compatible across all operating systems. The most unique function of the program will be its full screen, distraction free, typing mode. Initially, we planned to design this application in the Eclipse IDE. However, while reading through some java.swing tutorials on Oracle's website, I found that NetBeans has integrated GUI development tools into their IDE. This has posed a dilemma. Right now NetBeans seems like the logical choice but I'd rather use the Eclipse IDE. Hopefully, Eclipse has a plugin that integrates GUI development.

On top of all of this I'm studying for the Computer Science AP Exam. I'm not too worried. I beleive I can learn all of the concepts quickly enough. I am dreading GridWorld though. I don't think it will be difficult - I just don't want to do it. Strings are easy to understand. I am looking forward to learning about recursion.

Till' next time