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Look and Feels in NetBeans

We use various looks and feels in NetBeans. L&F is selected on startup and the decision is based on Operating System and JDK, which was used to run NetBeans.

Changing L&F on startup - different NetBeans versions

NetBeans 6.1

• ./netbeans --laf javax.swing.plaf.metal.MetalLookAndFeel
• ./netbeans --laf com.sun.java.swing.plaf.nimbus.NimbusLookAndFeel

NetBeans 6.5

• ./netbeans --laf Metal

These switches can be added to netbeans.conf file (<nbinstalldir>/etc/netbeans.conf) to the end of "netbeans_default_options" section.

Available L&Fs and their "short" names

We have "shortcuts" for well known L&Fs in NetBeans. So there is no need for using the fully qualified name, just run e.g. ./netbeans --laf GTK instead of ./netbeans --laf com.sun.java.swing.plaf.gtk.GTKLookAndFeel. These shorcuts are printed in bold in the following list. Their fully qualified name follows.

• Windows - com.sun.java.swing.plaf.windows.WindowsLookAndFeel
• Metal - javax.swing.plaf.metal.MetalLookAndFeel
• GTK - com.sun.java.swing.plaf.gtk.GTKLookAndFeel
• Nimbus - - Not available as default L&F, in development. It is our implementation of Nimbus GTK theme, which is the default theme for OpenSolaris.
• Aqua - apple.laf.AquaLookAndFeel

Windows Classic

• Windows - Classic look and feel - WindowsLFCustoms
• Nimbus - available using --laf Nimbus on JDK 6 update N

Windows XP

• Windows - XP look and feel - XPLFCustoms - with XP customizations as default L&F for Windows XP.
• Nimbus - available using --laf Nimbus on JDK 6 update N

Windows Vista

• Windows - Vista look and feel - with Vista customizations as default L&F for Windows Vista.
• Nimbus - available using --laf Nimbus on JDK 6 update N

Netbeans 6.5 on Vista with Nimbus Screenshot

Netbeans 6.5 with UML Plugin on Vista with Nimbus Screenshot

Linux

• JDK 1.5
  • Metal
• JDK 6u1 and newer
  • GTK when running on GNOME or explicitly by --GTK switch
  • Metal on other WMs by default, on GNOME available via --laf Metal switch
  • Nimbus - available using --laf Nimbus on JDK 6 update N

Solaris

• Metal is default
• Nimbus - available using --laf Nimbus on JDK 6 update N, probably will be set as default L&F for OpenSolaris in the future
• GTK - turned off because Issue 97882

OpenSolaris

• JDK 1.5
  • Metal
• JDK 6u1 and newer
  • GTK is default (as OpenSolaris uses GNOME as window manager)

Mac OS X

• Aqua by default on all JDKs
• Aqua with Netbeans 6.7m2

Netbeans 6.7m2 on Mac

• Metal available using --laf Metal switch
• Nimbus - available using --laf Nimbus on JDK 6 update N

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