Java tip: Problems and special features of the CDE/Motif look and feel, part 3

This part 3 of 4 articles continues a component by component review of problems, workarounds, and special features for the classic Java Swing CDE/Motif look and feel. Example images are included along with UIDefaults values, color swatches, and icon images.

Part 1 of this series reviewed how to select the look and feel and access its UIDefaults, then started an alphabetical run through its components from JButton through JEditorPane. Part 2 covered JFileChooser through JOptionPane. Part 3 here covers JPanel through JSplitPane. And Part 4 covers JTabbedPane through JViewport.

Working with the CDE/Motif look and feel

Below continues an alphabetical run through the look and feel's UIDefaults and Swing components. Non-string keys and UI class values are implementation artifacts and are not included here.

JPanel

Key	Type	Value
Panel.background	Color	174, 178, 195
Panel.font	Font	Dialog, 12.0
Panel.foreground	Color	0, 0, 0

JPasswordField

Key	Type	Value
PasswordField.background	Color	174, 178, 195
PasswordField.border	Border	javax.swing.plaf.BorderUIResource$CompoundBorderUIResource
PasswordField.caretBlinkRate	Integer	500
PasswordField.caretForeground	Color	0, 0, 0
PasswordField.echoChar	Character	'*'
PasswordField.focusInputMap	Input map	javax.swing.plaf.InputMapUIResource
PasswordField.font	Font	Monospaced, 12.0
PasswordField.foreground	Color	0, 0, 0
PasswordField.inactiveBackground	Color	174, 178, 195
PasswordField.inactiveForeground	Color	128, 128, 128
PasswordField.margin	Insets	0, 0, 0, 0
PasswordField.selectionBackground	Color	0, 0, 0
PasswordField.selectionForeground	Color	255, 247, 233

Note: JPasswordField is shown with the first four characters selected.

Special features

• The UIDefaults "PasswordField.border" contains a border object that draws the recessed beveled border around the text field.

  PasswordField.border

Problems

• There is no UIDefaults color for the pink outline indicating the keyboard focus. The color can be found on other components, such as "CheckBox.focus" or "RadioButton.focus".
• The field's text is crowded against the edges of the component border. You can change the margins with setMargin( Insets m ).

JPopupMenu

Key	Type	Value
PopupMenu.background	Color	174, 178, 195
PopupMenu.border	Border	javax.swing.plaf.BorderUIResource$CompoundBorderUIResource
PopupMenu.consumeEventOnClose	Boolean	true
PopupMenu.font	Font	Dialog, 12.0
PopupMenu.foreground	Color	0, 0, 0
PopupMenu.selectedWindowInputMapBindings	Array	java.lang.Object
PopupMenu.selectedWindowInputMapBindings.RightToLeft	Array	java.lang.Object

Special features

• The menu label set on the constructor or with setLabel( String s ) is used to title the menu (most look and feels ignore the popup menu label and present menus without titles).

Problems

• There is no visual difference between an enabled and disabled JPopupMenu (most look and feels act the same, but a few alter the menu's appearance when disabled).

JPopupMenu.Separator

Problems

• There are no UIDefaults for the appearance of a JPopupMenu.Separator.
• There is no visual difference between an enabled and disabled JPopupMenu.Separator (some look and feels dim or hide a disabled separator).

JProgressBar

Key	Type	Value
ProgressBar.background	Color	174, 178, 195
ProgressBar.border	Border	com.sun.java.swing.plaf.motif.MotifBorders$BevelBorder
ProgressBar.cellLength	Integer	6
ProgressBar.cellSpacing	Integer	0
ProgressBar.cycleTime	Integer	3000
ProgressBar.font	Font	Dialog, 12.0
ProgressBar.foreground	Color	147, 151, 165
ProgressBar.horizontalSize	Dimension	146, 12
ProgressBar.repaintInterval	Integer	50
ProgressBar.selectionBackground	Color	0, 0, 0
ProgressBar.selectionForeground	Color	174, 178, 195
ProgressBar.verticalSize	Dimension	12, 146

Special features

• The UIDefaults "ProgressBar.border" contains a border object that draws the recessed beveled border around the progress bar.

  ProgressBar.border

Problems

• There is no visual difference between an enabled and disabled JProgressBar (some look and feels use dimmed colors for a disabled progress bar).
• The progress bar's height changes depending upon the presence of a progress string (most look and feels use the same height with or without a progress string). This will cause layout changes if the string is added or removed during use.

JRadioButton

Key	Type	Value
RadioButton.background	Color	174, 178, 195
RadioButton.border	Border	javax.swing.plaf.BorderUIResource$CompoundBorderUIResource
RadioButton.darkShadow	Color	0, 0, 0
RadioButton.focus	Color	178, 77, 122
RadioButton.focusInputMap	Input map	javax.swing.plaf.InputMapUIResource
RadioButton.font	Font	Dialog, 12.0
RadioButton.foreground	Color	0, 0, 0
RadioButton.highlight	Color	220, 222, 229
RadioButton.icon	Icon	com.sun.java.swing.plaf.motif.MotifIconFactory$RadioButtonIcon
RadioButton.light	Color	220, 222, 229
RadioButton.margin	Insets	4, 2, 4, 2
RadioButton.shadow	Color	99, 101, 111
RadioButton.textIconGap	Integer	8
RadioButton.textShiftOffset	Integer	0

Special features

• The UIDefaults "RadioButton.border" contains a border object that draws the pink keyboard focus outline and a beveled border, even though a radio button doesn't have a beveled border. While the border can be used to create button-like extensions to AbstractButton, the border class in "Button.border" is probably a better choice.

  RadioButton.border

• The UIDefaults "RadioButton.icon" contains the unselected button outline.

  RadioButton.icon 14 x 14

Problems

• There is no UIDefaults icon for the selected button (this is typical for all look and feels). If you need this icon, create a JRadioButton component and paint it into the Graphics context of a BufferedImage. Then create an ImageIcon using that BufferedImage.
• There is no UIDefaults for the color of the pink dot at the center of the radio button, but "RadioButton.focus" can be used instead.
• When a JRadioButton is disabled, its label is dimmed but not the radio button. So, if you don't include a label on a radio button (such as for a table column of radio buttons) the user can't tell if the component is disabled (other look and feels don't have this problem because they dim the radio button too). If you need to show the disabled state on the radio button, you can use your own icons to override the radio button icon.
• When a JRadioButton has the keyboard focus, it draws a pink outline around the entire component, including the label. When there's no label, this can look odd (other look and feels outline the radio button itself, instead of the entire component).
• A JRadioButton draws an opaque background by default (some look and feels do and some don't). If you're using a colored parent container and need it to show through the component, you can disable the JRadioButton background with setOpaque( boolean b ).

JRadioButtonMenuItem

Key	Type	Value
RadioButtonMenuItem.acceleratorFont	Font	Dialog, 12.0
RadioButtonMenuItem.acceleratorForeground	Color	0, 0, 0
RadioButtonMenuItem.acceleratorSelectionForeground	Color	0, 0, 0
RadioButtonMenuItem.arrowIcon	Icon	com.sun.java.swing.plaf.motif.MotifIconFactory$MenuItemArrowIcon
RadioButtonMenuItem.background	Color	174, 178, 195
RadioButtonMenuItem.border	Border	javax.swing.plaf.BorderUIResource$CompoundBorderUIResource
RadioButtonMenuItem.borderPainted	Boolean	false
RadioButtonMenuItem.checkIcon	Icon	com.sun.java.swing.plaf.motif.MotifIconFactory$RadioButtonIcon
RadioButtonMenuItem.font	Font	Dialog, 12.0
RadioButtonMenuItem.foreground	Color	0, 0, 0
RadioButtonMenuItem.margin	Insets	2, 2, 2, 2
RadioButtonMenuItem.selectionBackground	Color	165, 165, 165
RadioButtonMenuItem.selectionForeground	Color	0, 0, 0

Special features

• The UIDefaults "RadioButtonMenuItem.border" contains a border object that draws the recessed border around an armed menu item.

  RadioButtonMenuItem.border

• The UIDefaults "RadioButtonMenuItem.checkIcon" contains the unselected radio button.

  RadioButtonMenuItem.checkIcon 14 x 14

Problems

• The UIDefaults "RadioButtonMenuItem.arrowIcon" is empty, but it isn't needed anyway (the icon is an implementation artifact that comes from using a common base class for all menu item implementations).
• There is no UIDefaults icon for the selected radio button (this is typical for all look and feels).
• There is no UIDefaults for the color of the pink dot at the center of the radio button, but "RadioButton.focus" can be used instead.
• Unlike a JRadioButton, setting the icon on a JRadioButtonMenuItem adds the icon beside the radio button instead of replacing the button icon (this is typical for all look and feels). There is no simple way to replace the radio button icon itself.
• If any menu item on a menu has an icon, all of the menu items leave room for the icon (most look and feels do this). This can look odd if a menu item has an icon but no label. To avoid this look, always give menu items labels.

JRootPane

Key	Type	Value
RootPane.ancestorInputMap	Input map	javax.swing.plaf.InputMapUIResource
RootPane.defaultButtonWindowKeyBindings	Array	java.lang.Object

JScrollBar

Key	Type	Value
ScrollBar.allowsAbsolutePositioning	Boolean	true
ScrollBar.ancestorInputMap	Input map	javax.swing.plaf.InputMapUIResource
ScrollBar.ancestorInputMap.RightToLeft	Input map	javax.swing.plaf.InputMapUIResource
ScrollBar.background	Color	147, 151, 165
ScrollBar.border	Border	com.sun.java.swing.plaf.motif.MotifBorders$BevelBorder
ScrollBar.foreground	Color	174, 178, 195
ScrollBar.maximumThumbSize	Dimension	4096, 4096
ScrollBar.minimumThumbSize	Dimension	8, 8
ScrollBar.thumb	Color	174, 178, 195
ScrollBar.thumbDarkShadow	Color	0, 0, 0
ScrollBar.thumbHighlight	Color	220, 222, 229
ScrollBar.thumbShadow	Color	99, 101, 111
ScrollBar.track	Color	147, 151, 165
ScrollBar.trackHighlight	Color	0, 0, 0
ScrollBar.width	Integer	16

Special features

• The UIDefaults "ScrollBar.border" contains a border object that draws the recessed beveled border around the scroll bar.

  ScrollBar.border

Problems

• A disabled scroll bar hides the thumb instead of just disabling the thumb's movement. This makes it impossible for the user to see the thumb's current setting when disabled (the Metal and Nimbus look and feels do the same thing, but Mac, Windows, and Linux native look and feels always show the thumb, but disable its movement).
• The component does not show the keyboard focus. Other components draw a pink outline around the component when they've got the focus.

JScrollPane

Key	Type	Value
ScrollPane.ancestorInputMap	Input map	javax.swing.plaf.InputMapUIResource
ScrollPane.ancestorInputMap.RightToLeft	Input map	javax.swing.plaf.InputMapUIResource
ScrollPane.background	Color	174, 178, 195
ScrollPane.font	Font	Dialog, 12.0
ScrollPane.foreground	Color	0, 0, 0
ScrollPane.viewportBorder	Border	com.sun.java.swing.plaf.motif.MotifBorders$BevelBorder

Special features

• The UIDefaults "ScrollPane.viewportBorder" contains a border object that draws the recessed beveled border around the scroll pane viewport.

  ScrollPane.viewportBorder

Problems

• There is no visual difference between an enabled and disabled JScrollPane (most look and feels act the same way).

JSeparator

Key	Type	Value
Separator.background	Color	220, 222, 229
Separator.foreground	Color	99, 101, 111
Separator.highlight	Color	220, 222, 229
Separator.shadow	Color	99, 101, 111

Problems

• There is no visual difference between an enabled and disabled JSeparator (most look and feels act the same way, though a few will dim a disabled separator).

JSlider

Key	Type	Value
Slider.background	Color	147, 151, 165
Slider.border	Border	javax.swing.plaf.BorderUIResource$CompoundBorderUIResource
Slider.focus	Color	0, 0, 0
Slider.focusInputMap	Input map	javax.swing.plaf.InputMapUIResource
Slider.focusInputMap.RightToLeft	Input map	javax.swing.plaf.InputMapUIResource
Slider.focusInsets	Insets	0, 0, 0, 0
Slider.font	Font	Dialog, 12.0
Slider.foreground	Color	174, 178, 195
Slider.highlight	Color	220, 222, 229
Slider.horizontalSize	Dimension	200, 21
Slider.minimumHorizontalSize	Dimension	36, 21
Slider.minimumVerticalSize	Dimension	21, 36
Slider.shadow	Color	99, 101, 111
Slider.tickColor	Color	0, 0, 0
Slider.verticalSize	Dimension	21, 200

Special features

• The UIDefaults "Slider.border" contains a border object that draws the recessed beveled border and pink keyboard focus outline around the slider.

  Slider.border

Problems

• The slider has no track (other look and feels do). Instead the slider and its ticks and labels are all enclosed within a recessed background rectangle. Because there is no track, calling setPaintTrack( false ) has no effect. To remove the background rectangle, call setOpaque( false ) to disable the dark gray background, and setBorder( null ) to remove the beveled border. However, removing the border also removes the pink outline when the component has the keyboard focus.
• The black keyboard focus color in the UIDefaults "Slider.focus" is ignored. The drawn focus outline is pink instead, like that on most other focusable components. The pink color can be found on other components, such as "CheckBox.focus" or "RadioButton.focus".

JSpinner

Key	Type	Value
Spinner.ancestorInputMap	Input map	javax.swing.plaf.InputMapUIResource
Spinner.arrowButtonSize	Dimension	16, 5
Spinner.background	Color	174, 178, 195
Spinner.border	Border	javax.swing.plaf.BorderUIResource$CompoundBorderUIResource
Spinner.editorAlignment	Integer	11
Spinner.editorBorderPainted	Boolean	false
Spinner.font	Font	Monospaced, 12.0
Spinner.foreground	Color	174, 178, 195

Special features

• The UIDefaults "Spinner.border" contains a border object that draws the recessed beveled border around the spinner.

  Spinner.border

Problems

• The spinner's margins are very narrow, creating a crowded look. The margins can be changed with setMargin( Insets m ).
• JSpinner defaults to the generic "Monospaced" font, but most other text components default to "SansSerif". And all labels, button text, menu items, etc., default to the "Dialog" font, which is also sans-serif. You can override this inconsistency with setFont( Font f ).
• There is no UIDefaults color for the pink outline indicating the keyboard focus. The color can be found on other components, such as "CheckBox.focus" or "RadioButton.focus".

JSplitPane

Key	Type	Value
SplitPane.activeThumb	Color	178, 77, 122
SplitPane.ancestorInputMap	Input map	javax.swing.plaf.InputMapUIResource
SplitPane.background	Color	174, 178, 195
SplitPane.border	Border	javax.swing.plaf.basic.BasicBorders$SplitPaneBorder
SplitPane.darkShadow	Color	0, 0, 0
SplitPane.dividerSize	Integer	20
SplitPane.highlight	Color	220, 222, 229
SplitPane.shadow	Color	99, 101, 111
SplitPaneDivider.border	Border	javax.swing.plaf.basic.BasicBorders$SplitPaneDividerBorder
SplitPaneDivider.draggingColor	Color	64, 64, 64

Problems

• The divider looks like a conventional slider, but the thumb doesn't move along the slider-like track. Instead it drags orthogonal to the track to adjust the split. This will confuse some users.
• The divider is thick. While setDividerSize( int s ) can be used to reduce the size, it won't shrink any smaller than 14 pixels wide (which is still thick compared to other look and feels).
• The UIDefaults "SplitPane.activeThumb" color is never used. When using a continuous layout, enabled with setContinuousLayout( true ), the divider drags without changing its appearance. When using a non-continuous layout, the divider drags as a thick black line.

Downloads

The CDE/Motif UIDefaults colors are available for download in the X11 rgb.txt file format:

• CDE-Motif-UIDefaults-Colors-RGB.txt

Further reading

Related articles at NadeauSoftware.com

• Java tip: Problems and special features of the CDE/Motif look and feel, part 1 of this series covers JButton through JEditorPane.
• Java tip: Problems and special features of the CDE/Motif look and feel, part 2 of this series covers JFileChooser through JOptionPane.
• Java tip: Problems and special features of the CDE/Motif look and feel, part 4 of this series covers JTabbedPane through JViewport.
• Java tip: How to use SystemColors to access OS user interface theme colors begins a series of articles on SystemColor values for standard OS themes.
• Java tip: Use gradient backgrounds to add interest and polish to a user interface shows how to add gradients to panel backgrounds and get around some look and feel quirks, like the opaque backgrounds of some CDE/Motif components.
• All UI defaults names for common Java look and feels on Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux runs through all of the major look and feels and notes which ones support which UI defaults keys.

Web articles

• How to Set the Look and Feel is a somewhat dated Oracle tutorial on how to select the look and feel and list those that are available.