Welcome to ArchivedLayout

SourceForge.net Logo

Layout specification with XML


QuickStart (not up to date)
API - JavaDoc
Sourceforge download
Sourceforge project page

ArchivedLayout (formerly called ErgonLayout) has been developped for rapid prototyping and used internally since 2001. It provides a highly efficient description of Java-Swing GUI-layouts in XML form, including instantiation and configuration of components, nested layouts, etc.

ArchivedLayout binds components (including tables, lists, groups of RadioButtons, Checkboxes and almost any other Swing component) to public get/setMethods or fields. It binds buttons to Methods or Actions. Binding supports paths (delegate.Person.Name -> delegate.getPerson().getName())

It is very similiar in functionality to NextStep binding of GUIBuilder interface files to NextStep applications. However the developper works on the XML description files, not in a GUI builder. (A GUI builder exists, but we have not yet decided wether we open source it or not).

The framework can easily be extended to support any project specific widgets or widget libraries. It integrates easily in many application frameworks as it concentrates on layouting - it does not define new widgets.

It allows reloading of layouts at runtime. Using symbolic constants in the XML files -resolved via a configurable constant registry- this allows clean multi language support.

NextStep and Cocoa are registered trademarks of Apple.
Apple is not related to this project in any way.