NBLookAndFeels
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
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 7 on MAC OS X (Default L&F)
- Metal available using --laf Metal switch
- Nimbus - available using --laf Nimbus on JDK 6 update N
