Try out new Visual Editor for Eclipse

August 12, 2009 | by Rafał Borowiec

View Comments

One thing that was always missing in Eclipse was a GUI designer: a graphical tool for building Graphical User Interfaces. Fortunately, there is an Eclipse project called Visual Editor and the new version was released after two years of silence (1.4.0 – latest version, nightly builds).

The Visual Editor is an open source editor that allows visually editing visual Java classes, thus allowing to build AWT, Swing or SWT applications. The Java component is integrated with the Eclipse Java editor so that changes in either are reflected between them immediately.

Visual Editor in Eclipse Galileo

Visual Editor in Eclipse Galileo (click to enlarge)

The new version of Visual Editor works with the Eclipse Galileo. Compared with other GUI designers it generates high-quality code that is fully modifiable – no special artifacts that blocks a developer from making code changes.

References

  • m_frye
    I had no problems in a Galileo install. I very much like the functionality provided. However, I have two questions:
    (1)When creating a new Visual Class the GUI editor and Source Code editors work fine together. However occasionally the upper GUI editor pane displays nothing, apparently losing its link with the source code editor. I have tried “refresh” to no effect.
    (2) The left pane list of widgets for drag and drop onto the application, as shown in earlier version docs does not display but this functionality is available via the toolbar. How can I get this pane to display?
    Thank you...
  • nice to see someone was able install ve 1.4 on galileo i have able install ve on ganymede not galileo , because i could not did this, i have follow instruction on http://wiki.eclipse.org/VE/Update but still got error message about s like this :
    Cannot complete the install because of a conflicting dependency.
    Software being installed: Java EMF Model 1.4.0.v20090826-1446-7H-FPbAcggQleH8hJifHfUd (org.eclipse.jem.feature.group 1.4.0.v20090826-1446-7H-FPbAcggQleH8hJifHfUd)
    Software currently installed: Eclipse XML Editors and Tools 3.1.1.v200907161031-7H6FM_DxtkM-7aeTHKEBbQqcZOZ2 (org.eclipse.wst.xml_ui.feature.feature.group 3.1.1.v200907161031-7H6FM_DxtkM-7aeTHKEBbQqcZOZ2)
    Only one of the following can be installed at once:
    Java EMF Model Utilities 2.0.200.v200905140200 (org.eclipse.jem.util 2.0.200.v200905140200)
    Java EMF Model Utilities 2.0.201.v201001252130 (org.eclipse.jem.util 2.0.201.v201001252130)
    Java EMF Model Utilities 2.0.200.R3_1_maintenance (org.eclipse.jem.util 2.0.200.R3_1_maintenance)
    Cannot satisfy dependency:
    From: Java EMF Model 1.4.0.v20090826-1446-7H-FPbAcggQleH8hJifHfUd (org.eclipse.jem.feature.group 1.4.0.v20090826-1446-7H-FPbAcggQleH8hJifHfUd)
    To: org.eclipse.jem.util [2.0.200.R3_1_maintenance]
    Cannot satisfy dependency:
    From: WST Common Core 3.1.1.v200908102300-7B77FZ3F7RZHIVI9QdN4PM (org.eclipse.wst.common_core.feature.feature.group 3.1.1.v200908102300-7B77FZ3F7RZHIVI9QdN4PM)
    To: org.eclipse.jem.util [2.0.200.v200905140200]
    Cannot satisfy dependency:
    From: WST Common UI 3.1.1.v200908102300-7B5FRGDhdMNPnndenAjpWJAReO5Q (org.eclipse.wst.common_ui.feature.feature.group 3.1.1.v200908102300-7B5FRGDhdMNPnndenAjpWJAReO5Q)
    To: org.eclipse.wst.common_core.feature.feature.group [3.1.1.v200908102300-7B77FZ3F7RZHIVI9QdN4PM]
    Cannot satisfy dependency:
    From: Eclipse XML Editors and Tools 3.1.1.v200907161031-7H6FM_DxtkM-7aeTHKEBbQqcZOZ2 (org.eclipse.wst.xml_ui.feature.feature.group 3.1.1.v200907161031-7H6FM_DxtkM-7aeTHKEBbQqcZOZ2)
    To: org.eclipse.wst.common_ui.feature.feature.group [3.1.1.v200908102300-7B5FRGDhdMNPnndenAjpWJAReO5Q]

    Could you help me, Thanks before.
  • rborowiec
    As of time of writing this article there was no problem with the installation. I see http://wiki.eclipse.org/VE/Update and I've noticed this one:

    - DO NOT USE "Eclipse IDE for Java EE Developers" as you will encounter conflicting dependencies with the Java EMF Model Utilities (org.eclipse.jem.util) plugin
    - "Eclipse IDE for Java Developers" (not currently working see Bug 301766 )
    - "Eclipse for RCP/Plug-in Developers"
    - "Eclipse IDE for Java and Report Developers"

    The code you pasted seems to be this one: https://bugs.eclipse.org/bugs/show_bug.cgi?id=301766

    Please follow the instructions, and try once again.

    I also tried with:
    Eclipse Version: 3.4.2
    Build id: M20090211-1700

    And it worked fine. Fresh Eclipse installation and installation via update site.
  • Gil
    I could not install visual editor despite following the instructions explicitely
    Very annoying.
blog comments powered by Disqus