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If you are new to Java GUI development, this is a reasonable book It assumes that you are familiar with the Java language. All the basic principles behind the AWT and Swing GUI classes are described, which gives you a good basic understanding from which you can start to program your GUI applications. Many small example programs are given, together with tables with constructors and methods of classes. A pity of the many mistakes in the tables and listings in the first few chapters.

The book starts a little theoretical with reflections on the Model View Controller paradigm. After a global overview the basic program structure is explained, how to use frames, panels, heavy and lightweight containers. Most components like buttons, labels, lists, menu bars and text fields are described. The more advanced swing components like

JTree

are not discussed.

All the layout managers are explained. The examples are a little too simple to give an answer to real world problems. The book could have given slightly more advice which layout managers to choose to layout a more complex screen.

Events and event handling are explained and all the different AWT and Swing event types.

The Swing GUI components are twinned with a model. The use of models is described with a reference to the MVC paradigm. The final two chapters explain the AWT graphics model and fonts and colours.