DZone
Thanks for visiting DZone today,
Edit Profile
  • Manage Email Subscriptions
  • How to Post to DZone
  • Article Submission Guidelines
Sign Out View Profile
  • Post an Article
  • Manage My Drafts
Over 2 million developers have joined DZone.
Log In / Join
Refcards Trend Reports
Events Video Library
Over 2 million developers have joined DZone. Join Today! Thanks for visiting DZone today,
Edit Profile Manage Email Subscriptions Moderation Admin Console How to Post to DZone Article Submission Guidelines
View Profile
Sign Out
Refcards
Trend Reports
Events
View Events Video Library
Zones
Culture and Methodologies Agile Career Development Methodologies Team Management
Data Engineering AI/ML Big Data Data Databases IoT
Software Design and Architecture Cloud Architecture Containers Integration Microservices Performance Security
Coding Frameworks Java JavaScript Languages Tools
Testing, Deployment, and Maintenance Deployment DevOps and CI/CD Maintenance Monitoring and Observability Testing, Tools, and Frameworks
Culture and Methodologies
Agile Career Development Methodologies Team Management
Data Engineering
AI/ML Big Data Data Databases IoT
Software Design and Architecture
Cloud Architecture Containers Integration Microservices Performance Security
Coding
Frameworks Java JavaScript Languages Tools
Testing, Deployment, and Maintenance
Deployment DevOps and CI/CD Maintenance Monitoring and Observability Testing, Tools, and Frameworks

Migrate, Modernize and Build Java Web Apps on Azure: This live workshop will cover methods to enhance Java application development workflow.

Modern Digital Website Security: Prepare to face any form of malicious web activity and enable your sites to optimally serve your customers.

Kubernetes in the Enterprise: The latest expert insights on scaling, serverless, Kubernetes-powered AI, cluster security, FinOps, and more.

A Guide to Continuous Integration and Deployment: Learn the fundamentals and understand the use of CI/CD in your apps.

Related

  • JavaFX Gets Video Capabilities
  • The Challenges of a JavaFX Reboot
  • Calling JavaFX From Java?
  • What Future Java Releases Mean for Legacy Desktop Apps

Trending

  • JBang: How to Script With Java for Data Import From an API
  • Writing An Efficient Software Design Document
  • A Deep Dive Into Different Types of Caching in Presto
  • Big Data Empowers IoT: Challenges and Solutions
  1. DZone
  2. Coding
  3. Java
  4. Creating Custom JavaFX Components with Scene Builder and FXML.

Creating Custom JavaFX Components with Scene Builder and FXML.

Rob Terpilowski user avatar by
Rob Terpilowski
·
Sep. 25, 13 · Interview
Like (1)
Save
Tweet
Share
59.8K Views

Join the DZone community and get the full member experience.

Join For Free

one of the goals of our development with our javafx application is to try to keep as much of the ui design as possible within the scene builder ui design tool , and the business logic for the application in java.  one of the things that is not entirely clear is how to create a new component in scene builder and then reuse that component within other components created in scene builder.

in the example below, i illustrate how to create a custom table and ‘add plan’ components, and then add them to a new scene using fxml.

the first step is to create a simple component which acts as an “add plan” widget on the ui.  the widget contains an anchorpane, imageview and label.

image

for the next step, open up the fxml file and change the first “anchorpane” declaration to “<fx:root…” as in the example code below.  the type must be the same as the controller/root class, which i will illustrate below.  in this case, the root/controller class will extend javafx.scene.layout.anchorpane

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>

<?import java.lang.*?>
<?import java.util.*?>
<?import javafx.scene.control.*?>
<?import javafx.scene.effect.*?>
<?import javafx.scene.image.*?>
<?import javafx.scene.layout.*?>
<?import javafx.scene.paint.*?>
<?import javafx.scene.text.*?>
<fx:root type="javafx.scene.layout.anchorpane" xmlns:fx="http://javafx.com/fxml">
  <children>
    <anchorpane fx:id="mytestbutton" layoutx="0.0" layouty="5.0" minheight="58.0" prefheight="74.0" prefwidth="129.0244140625" styleclass="main-back">
      <children>
        <imageview fitheight="44.0" fitwidth="44.0" layoutx="43.0" layouty="8.0" pickonbounds="true" preserveratio="true">
          <image>
            <image url="@new-plan.png" preserveratio="false" smooth="false" />
          </image>
        </imageview>
        <label layoutx="43.0" layouty="52.0" text="add plan" textfill="white">
          <font>
            <font name="system bold" size="12.0" />
          </font>
        </label>
      </children>
      <effect>
        <dropshadow />
      </effect>
    </anchorpane>
  </children>
  </fx:root>


create a class which will act as both the root of the component as well as its controller.  the class must extend the type that was previously defined in the fxml file.  use the fxml loader to set the root and controller of the component to “this” class, and then load the component’s fxml file.

/*
* to change this template, choose tools | templates
* and open the template in the editor.
*/
package com.lynden.fx.test;

import com.lynden.ui.util.uiutilities;
import java.io.ioexception;
import javafx.event.eventhandler;
import javafx.fxml.fxml;
import javafx.fxml.fxmlloader;
import javafx.scene.input.dragevent;
import javafx.scene.input.dragboard;
import javafx.scene.input.transfermode;
import javafx.scene.layout.anchorpane;/**
*
* @author robt
*/
public class testbutton extends anchorpane {

  @fxml
  private anchorpane mytestbutton;

 

public testbutton() {
  fxmlloader fxmlloader = new fxmlloader(

getclass().getresource("/com/lynden/planning/ui/testbutton.fxml"));
 

fxmlloader.setroot(this);
  fxmlloader.setcontroller(this);

  try {
  fxmlloader.load();
  } catch (ioexception exception) {
  throw new runtimeexception(exception);
  }
  }
}


next, the 2nd component is a tableview which contains a collection of beans, and displays their corresponding data.

image


as with the last component, the first <anchorpane> declaration is changed to <fx:root>

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>

<?import com.lynden.fx.*?>
<?import com.lynden.fx.table.*?>
<?import com.lynden.fx.test.*?>
<?import com.lynden.planning.ui.*?>
<?import java.lang.*?>
<?import java.net.*?>
<?import java.util.*?>
<?import javafx.collections.*?>
<?import javafx.geometry.*?>
<?import javafx.scene.control.*?>
<?import javafx.scene.control.cell.*?>
<?import javafx.scene.effect.*?>
<?import javafx.scene.image.*?>
<?import javafx.scene.layout.*?>
<?import javafx.scene.paint.*?>
<?import javafx.scene.shape.*?>
<?import javafx.scene.text.*?>
<?import javafx.util.*?>
<?scenebuilder-classpath-element split-flip-1.0.0.jar?>

<fx:root type="javafx.scene.layout.anchorpane" xmlns:fx="http://javafx.com/fxml">
  <children>
    <borderpane layoutx="0.0" layouty="0.0" prefheight="400.0" prefwidth="600.0">
      <center>
        <tableview fx:id="mytableview" prefheight="200.0" prefwidth="200.0">
          <columns>
            <tablecolumn prefwidth="42.0" text="">
            </tablecolumn>
            <tablecolumn prefwidth="110.0" text="plan">
              <cellvaluefactory>
                <propertyvaluefactory property="vfcplan" />
              </cellvaluefactory>
            </tablecolumn>
            <tablecolumn prefwidth="55.0" text="vfc #">
              <cellvaluefactory>
                <propertyvaluefactory property="vfcnumber" />
              </cellvaluefactory>
            </tablecolumn>
            <tablecolumn prefwidth="100.0" text="location">
              <cellvaluefactory>
                <propertyvaluefactory property="location" />
              </cellvaluefactory>
            </tablecolumn>
            <tablecolumn prefwidth="100.0" text="arrival">
              <cellvaluefactory>
                <propertyvaluefactory property="arrivaltime" />
              </cellvaluefactory>
            </tablecolumn>
            <tablecolumn prefwidth="35.0" text="org">
              <cellvaluefactory>
                <propertyvaluefactory property="origin" />
              </cellvaluefactory>
            </tablecolumn>
            <tablecolumn prefwidth="35.0" text="dst">
              <cellvaluefactory>
                <propertyvaluefactory property="destination" />
              </cellvaluefactory>
            </tablecolumn>
            <tablecolumn prefwidth="65.0" text="shipments">
              <cellvaluefactory>
                <propertyvaluefactory property="shipments" />
              </cellvaluefactory>
            </tablecolumn>
            <tablecolumn prefwidth="125.0" text="consignee">
              <cellvaluefactory>
                <propertyvaluefactory property="consignee" />
              </cellvaluefactory>
            </tablecolumn>
            <tablecolumn prefwidth="35.0" text="haz">
              <cellvaluefactory>
                <propertyvaluefactory property="hazmat" />
              </cellvaluefactory>
            </tablecolumn>
            <tablecolumn prefwidth="45.0" text="temp">
              <cellvaluefactory>
                <propertyvaluefactory property="temperature" />
              </cellvaluefactory>
            </tablecolumn>
          </columns>
          <items>
            <fxcollections fx:factory="observablearraylist">
              <inboundbean arrivaltime="03-11-13 15:00" consignee="fmeyer" destination="anc" hazmat="n" location="consignee" origin="tac" shipments="1" temperature="kff" vfcnumber="345440" vfcplan="fred meyer" />
              <inboundbean arrivaltime="03-11-13 15:00" consignee="fmeyer" destination="anc" hazmat="n" location="yard" origin="tac" shipments="1" temperature="kff" vfcnumber="123456" vfcplan="fred meyer" />
              <inboundbean arrivaltime="03-11-13 15:00" consignee="fmeyer" destination="anc" hazmat="n" location="trip 12543" origin="tac" shipments="1" temperature="kff" vfcnumber="235555" vfcplan="fred meyer" />
              <inboundbean arrivaltime="03-11-13 15:00" consignee="costco" destination="kna" hazmat="n" location="trip 551332" origin="tac" recovered="false" shipments="1" temperature="kff" vfcnumber="244000" vfcplan="kna" />
              <inboundbean arrivaltime="03-11-13 15:00" consignee="sbs" destination="anc" hazmat="n" location="trip 12543" origin="tac" recovered="false" shipments="1" temperature="kff" vfcnumber="291007" vfcplan="sealand" />
              <inboundbean arrivaltime="03-11-13 15:00" consignee="costco" destination="fbk" hazmat="n" location="yard" origin="tac" recovered="true" shipments="2" temperature="kff" vfcnumber="291008" vfcplan="fairbanks" />
              <inboundbean arrivaltime="03-11-13 15:00" consignee="" destination="kna" hazmat="n" location="trip 12543" origin="tac" recovered="false" shipments="1" temperature="kff" vfcnumber="234554" vfcplan="" />
              <inboundbean arrivaltime="03-11-13 15:00" consignee="" destination="anc" hazmat="n" location="2" origin="tac" recovered="false" shipments="2" temperature="kff" vfcnumber="123407" vfcplan="darigold" />
              <inboundbean arrivaltime="03-11-13 15:00" consignee="" destination="fbk" hazmat="n" location="yard" origin="tac" recovered="true" shipments="1" temperature="kff" vfcnumber="233458" vfcplan="yard" />
              <inboundbean arrivaltime="03-11-13 15:00" consignee="" destination="kna" hazmat="n" location="" origin="tac" recovered="false" shipments="1" temperature="kff" vfcnumber="244340" vfcplan="flat" />
              <inboundbean arrivaltime="03-11-13 15:00" consignee="" destination="anc" hazmat="y" location="trip 12543" origin="tac" recovered="false" shipments="2" temperature="kff" vfcnumber="222347" vfcplan="" />
              <inboundbean arrivaltime="03-11-13 15:00" consignee="" destination="fbk" hazmat="n" location="" origin="tac" recovered="false" shipments="1" temperature="kff" vfcnumber="312008" vfcplan="" />
              <inboundbean arrivaltime="03-11-13 15:00" consignee="" destination="kna" hazmat="n" location="trip 551332" origin="tac" recovered="false" shipments="1" temperature="kff" vfcnumber="313000" vfcplan="" />
              <inboundbean arrivaltime="03-11-13 15:00" consignee="sbs" destination="anc" hazmat="n" location="" origin="tac" recovered="false" shipments="2" temperature="kff" vfcnumber="334507" vfcplan="" />
              <inboundbean arrivaltime="03-11-13 15:00" consignee="" destination="fbk" hazmat="n" location="" origin="tac" recovered="false" shipments="1" temperature="kff" vfcnumber="244408" vfcplan="" />
            </fxcollections>
          </items>
        </tableview>
      </center>
    </borderpane>
  </children>
</fx:root>


next, the corresponding root and controller class is created for the table component.

/* * to change this template, choose tools | templates * and open the template in the editor. */ package com.lynden.fx.test; import com.lynden.fx.inboundbean; import java.io.ioexception; import javafx.event.eventhandler; import javafx.event.eventtype; import javafx.fxml.fxml; import javafx.fxml.fxmlloader; import javafx.scene.control.tableview; import javafx.scene.input.clipboardcontent; import javafx.scene.input.dragboard; import javafx.scene.input.mouseevent; import javafx.scene.input.transfermode; import javafx.scene.layout.anchorpane; /** * * @author robt */ public class testtable extends anchorpane { @fxml private tableview mytableview; public testtable() { fxmlloader fxmlloader = new fxmlloader(

getclass().getresource("/com/lynden/planning/ui/testtable.fxml"));

fxmlloader.setroot(this); fxmlloader.setcontroller(this); try { fxmlloader.load(); } catch (ioexception exception) { throw new runtimeexception(exception); } } }


finally, a new scene can be created which includes both the testtable and testbutton components that were constructed above.  unfortunately, custom components can’t be added to the scene builder palette, so they must be inserted manually into the fxml file.  you just need to ensure that you have the proper import statements defined, and the testtable and testbutton components can be inserted into the fxml code just as any native javafx component.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>

<?import com.lynden.fx.*?>
<?import com.lynden.fx.table.*?>
<?import com.lynden.fx.test.*?>
<?import com.lynden.planning.ui.*?>
<?import java.lang.*?>
<?import java.util.*?>
<?import javafx.scene.layout.*?>
<?import javafx.scene.paint.*?>
<?scenebuilder-classpath-element ../../../../../../../target/classes?>

<anchorpane id="anchorpane" maxheight="-infinity" maxwidth="-infinity" minheight="-infinity" minwidth="-infinity" prefheight="400.0" prefwidth="766.0" xmlns:fx="http://javafx.com/fxml">
    <children>
        <testtable layoutx="5.0" layouty="4.0" />
        <testbutton layoutx="622.0" layouty="157.0" />
    </children>
</anchorpane>


when scene builder opens the fxml file you will see that both components are displayed on the new scene

image

that’s it, hopefully this will help others who have been looking at adding custom components to their uis that are designed with scene builder.

twitter: @robterp

JavaFX

Opinions expressed by DZone contributors are their own.

Related

  • JavaFX Gets Video Capabilities
  • The Challenges of a JavaFX Reboot
  • Calling JavaFX From Java?
  • What Future Java Releases Mean for Legacy Desktop Apps

Comments

Partner Resources

X

ABOUT US

  • About DZone
  • Send feedback
  • Careers
  • Sitemap

ADVERTISE

  • Advertise with DZone

CONTRIBUTE ON DZONE

  • Article Submission Guidelines
  • Become a Contributor
  • Core Program
  • Visit the Writers' Zone

LEGAL

  • Terms of Service
  • Privacy Policy

CONTACT US

  • 3343 Perimeter Hill Drive
  • Suite 100
  • Nashville, TN 37211
  • support@dzone.com

Let's be friends: