Tutorial: 15. An Introduction to the Java Foundation Classes

Sunday 09:00 - 12:30.

Fintan Culwin, South Bank University London, UK

Benefits
Attendees will gain an initial familiarity with techniques for the usability design of Java artefacts, and subsequent implementation using the Java Foundation Class (JFC) components. State Transition Diagram (STD) notation will be introduced to express usability, and a systematic three-layer architecture model will be used for implementation. The JFC is built upon the initial Java Abstract Windowing Toolkit (AWT), and provides a larger number of visually and functionally richer widgets.

Origins
This tutorial is new to CHI, but is developed from tutorials presented at BCS HCI, OOPSLA and SIGCSE conferences.

Features

• Java's event source/ listener mechanism
• a summary of design notations
• systematic construction of artefacts using three-layer models
• layout design and layout management
• resource management, including internationalisation
• an introduction to the most significant of the JFC components including: labels, buttons, checkboxes, radio buttons, option menus, lists, scroll bars, canvases, text areas, pop-up menus, and scroll panes

Audience
Software developers who have a familiarity with C style syntax and semantics, and who wish to obtain an introduction to Java and the JFC widgets within the context of integrating usability considerations.

Presentation
The tutorial will be presented as an informal tutorial using HTML slides containing the artefacts being discussed.

Instructor
Fintan Culwin is a Reader in Software engineering, specializing in software engineering and HCI, particularly in the integration of usability considerations in production processes. He has published two books on Java, and has presented sessions on the web and Java at a series of international conferences.

Related Tutorials

• 23. Java-Based User Interface Design and Development (Monday)