We're pleased to announce the immediate availability of JFormDesigner 8, now with integrated FlatLaf look and feel, dark mode for Stand-alone and Eclipse plug-in editions, and Properties view improvements.

See What's New in JFormDesigner 8 for the significant or more interesting changes or have a look at the change log for a complete list of changes.

Download JFormDesigner 8

Customer information: JFormDesigner 8 is free of charge for existing customers if the "Free updates until" date of your license key is 2022-01-01 or later. If not, then you can order upgrades here.

2022-09-26 JFormDesigner, News, FlatLaf

Highlights

This release brings some usability improvements to the window title bar used in FlatLaf window decorations. This affects only Windows 10/11.

Window resizing

There are now additional areas at top of embedded menu bar to resize the window. This makes it easier to resize small frames with lot of menus.

Minimum window title width for moving window

The window title now has a minimum width, which avoids that it is completely hidden in small frames with menus. The window title is important because it is needed to move the window. Without any window title, you can move the window only via the small area around the window icon.

Buttons shrink if space is rare

The width of iconify/maximize/close buttons is reduced if space is rare, to give more space to embedded menu bar and title.

Show app icon beside title

There is a new option to show window icon beside window title, if menu bar is embedded or title is centered.

Change log

See https://github.com/JFormDesigner/FlatLaf/releases/tag/2.4

2022-07-14 FlatLaf, Swing, Look and Feel, HiDPI

Highlights

macOS improvements in FlatLaf Demo

The FlatLaf Demo now demonstrates how to use the "full window content" feature on macOS to extend the content into the window title bar:

This is the old FlatLaf Demo without "full window content":

And here is a guide to use this in own applications.

File chooser shortcuts panel

This release adds a shortcuts panel to the left side of all file choosers (class JFileChooser):

On Windows, the content of the shortcuts panel is the same as in the Java Windows L&F. On macOS and Linux the shortcuts panel is empty and hidden. However you can customize the content. See PR #522

Change log

See https://github.com/JFormDesigner/FlatLaf/releases/tag/2.3

2022-05-28 FlatLaf, Swing, Look and Feel, HiDPI

Highlights

Submenu usability

This release significantly improves the usability of submenus. It makes it much easier to move the mouse into a submenu without the risk that the submenu is hidden.

Previously, you have to move the mouse on the red path, otherwise the submenu will be hidden. Now, you can move the mouse on the green path, over other menu items.

Menu Scrolling

Large menus are now scrollable using mouse wheel or scroll arrows:

Change log

See https://github.com/JFormDesigner/FlatLaf/releases/tag/2.1

2022-03-17 FlatLaf, Swing, Look and Feel, HiDPI

Highlights

• Styling individual components using string in CSS syntax (see PR #341 and #388)
• Typography
• Unified backgrounds for window title bar is now enabled by default (Windows 10/11 only)
• Support Windows 11 snap layouts menu (see #397)
• TextField: support leading and trailing components and icons (see PR #386 and #378)
• Reworked core themes to make it easier to create new themes (see PR #390)
• Easier changing accent color (see PR #375)
• CheckBox and RadioButton improvements (see PR #414)

Incompatibilities

If you're using own FlatLaf properties files, then you may be affected by some incompatible changes. See PR #390 and #414.

Change log

See https://github.com/JFormDesigner/FlatLaf/releases/tag/2.0

2022-01-10 FlatLaf, Swing, Look and Feel, HiDPI