javax.swing.plaf.synth (Java SE 25 & JDK 25)
Description: declaration: module: java.desktop, package: javax.swing.plaf.synth
Keywords: javax.swing.plaf.synth package

# Package javax.swing.plaf.synth

package javax.swing.plaf.synth
Synth is a skinnable look and feel in which all painting is delegated. Synth does not provide a default look. In order to use Synth you need to specify a file, or provide a `SynthStyleFactory`. Both configuration options require an understanding of the synth architecture, which is described below, as well as an understanding of Swing's architecture.

Unless otherwise specified null is not a legal value to any of the methods defined in the synth package and if passed in will result in a `NullPointerException`.

## Synth

Each `ComponentUI` implementation in Synth associates itself with one `SynthStyle` per `Region`, most `Components` only have one `Region` and therefore only one `SynthStyle`. `SynthStyle` is used to access all style related properties: fonts, colors and other `Component` properties. In addition `SynthStyle`s are used to obtain `SynthPainter`s for painting the background, border, focus and other portions of a `Component`. The `ComponentUI`s obtain `SynthStyle`s from a `SynthStyleFactory`. A `SynthStyleFactory` can be provided directly by way of `SynthLookAndFeel.setStyleFactory(javax.swing.plaf.synth.SynthStyleFactory)`, or indirectly by way of `SynthLookAndFeel.load(InputStream, Class)`. The following example uses the `SynthLookAndFeel.load()` method to configure a `SynthLookAndFeel` and sets it as the current look and feel:

        SynthLookAndFeel laf = new SynthLookAndFeel();
        laf.load(MyClass.class.getResourceAsStream("laf.xml"), MyClass.class);
        UIManager.setLookAndFeel(laf);

Many `JComponent`s are broken down into smaller pieces and identified by the type safe enumeration in `Region`. For example, a `JTabbedPane` consists of a `Region` for the `JTabbedPane`(`Region.TABBED_PANE`), the content area (`Region.TABBED_PANE_CONTENT`), the area behind the tabs (`Region.TABBED_PANE_TAB_AREA`), and the tabs (`Region.TABBED_PANE_TAB`). Each `Region` of each `JComponent` will have a `SynthStyle`. This allows you to customize individual pieces of each region of each `JComponent`.

Many of the Synth methods take a `SynthContext`. This is used to provide information about the current `Component` and includes: the `SynthStyle` associated with the current `Region`, the state of the `Component` as a bitmask (refer to `SynthConstants` for the valid states), and a `Region` identifying the portion of the `Component` being painted.

All text rendering by non-`JTextComponent`s is delegated to a `SynthGraphicsUtils`, which is obtained using the `SynthStyle` method `SynthStyle.getGraphicsUtils(SynthContext)`. You can customize text rendering by supplying your own `SynthGraphicsUtils`.

## Notes on specific components

### JTree

Synth provides a region for the cells of a tree: `Region.TREE_CELL`. To specify the colors of the renderer you'll want to provide a style for the `TREE_CELL` region. The following illustrates this:

      <style id="treeCellStyle">
        <opaque value="TRUE"/>
        <state>
          <color value="WHITE" type="TEXT_FOREGROUND"/>
          <color value="RED" type="TEXT_BACKGROUND"/>
        </state>
        <state value="SELECTED">
          <color value="RED" type="TEXT_FOREGROUND"/>
          <color value="WHITE" type="BACKGROUND"/>
        </state>
      </style>
      <bind style="treeCellStyle" type="region" key="TreeCell"/>

This specifies a color combination of red on white, when selected, and white on red when not selected. To see the background you need to specify that labels are not opaque. The following XML fragment does that:

      <style id="labelStyle">
        <opaque value="FALSE"/>
      </style>
      <bind style="labelStyle" type="region" key="Label"/>

### JList and JTable

The colors that the renderers for JList and JTable use are specified by way of the list and table Regions. The following XML fragment illustrates how to specify red on white, when selected, and white on red when not selected:

      <style id="style">
        <opaque value="TRUE"/>
        <state>
          <color value="WHITE" type="TEXT_FOREGROUND"/>
          <color value="RED" type="TEXT_BACKGROUND"/>
          <color value="RED" type="BACKGROUND"/>
        </state>
        <state value="SELECTED">
          <color value="RED" type="TEXT_FOREGROUND"/>
          <color value="WHITE" type="TEXT_BACKGROUND"/>
        </state>
      </style>
      <bind style="style" type="region" key="Table"/>
      <bind style="style" type="region" key="List"/>

Since:
  1.5

- Related Packages
  Package
  Description
  javax.swing.plaf
  Provides one interface and many abstract classes that Swing uses to provide its pluggable look-and-feel capabilities.
  javax.swing.plaf.basic
  Provides user interface objects built according to the Basic look and feel.
  javax.swing.plaf.metal
  Provides user interface objects built according to the Java look and feel (once codenamed Metal), which is the default look and feel.
  javax.swing.plaf.multi
  Provides user interface objects that combine two or more look and feels.
  javax.swing.plaf.nimbus
  Provides user interface objects built according to the cross-platform Nimbus look and feel.
- Class
  Description
  ColorType
  A typesafe enumeration of colors that can be fetched from a style.
  Region
  A distinct rendering area of a Swing component.
  SynthButtonUI
  Provides the Synth L&F UI delegate for `JButton`.
  SynthCheckBoxMenuItemUI
  Provides the Synth L&F UI delegate for `JCheckBoxMenuItem`.
  SynthCheckBoxUI
  Provides the Synth L&F UI delegate for `JCheckBox`.
  SynthColorChooserUI
  Provides the Synth L&F UI delegate for `JColorChooser`.
  SynthComboBoxUI
  Provides the Synth L&F UI delegate for `JComboBox`.
  SynthConstants
  Constants used by Synth.
  SynthContext
  An immutable transient object containing contextual information about a `Region`.
  SynthDesktopIconUI
  Provides the Synth L&F UI delegate for a minimized internal frame on a desktop.
  SynthDesktopPaneUI
  Provides the Synth L&F UI delegate for `JDesktopPane`.
  SynthEditorPaneUI
  Provides the Synth L&F UI delegate for `JEditorPane`.
  SynthFormattedTextFieldUI
  Provides the Synth L&F UI delegate for `JFormattedTextField`.
  SynthGraphicsUtils
  Wrapper for primitive graphics calls.
  SynthIcon
  An icon that is passed a `SynthContext`.
  SynthInternalFrameUI
  Provides the Synth L&F UI delegate for `JInternalFrame`.
  SynthLabelUI
  Provides the Synth L&F UI delegate for `JLabel`.
  SynthListUI
  Provides the Synth L&F UI delegate for `JList`.
  SynthLookAndFeel
  SynthLookAndFeel provides the basis for creating a customized look and feel.
  SynthMenuBarUI
  Provides the Synth L&F UI delegate for `JMenuBar`.
  SynthMenuItemUI
  Provides the Synth L&F UI delegate for `JMenuItem`.
  SynthMenuUI
  Provides the Synth L&F UI delegate for `JMenu`.
  SynthOptionPaneUI
  Provides the Synth L&F UI delegate for `JOptionPane`.
  SynthPainter
  `SynthPainter` is used for painting portions of `JComponent`s.
  SynthPanelUI
  Provides the Synth L&F UI delegate for `JPanel`.
  SynthPasswordFieldUI
  Provides the Synth L&F UI delegate for `JPasswordField`.
  SynthPopupMenuUI
  Provides the Synth L&F UI delegate for `JPopupMenu`.
  SynthProgressBarUI
  Provides the Synth L&F UI delegate for `JProgressBar`.
  SynthRadioButtonMenuItemUI
  Provides the Synth L&F UI delegate for `JRadioButtonMenuItem`.
  SynthRadioButtonUI
  Provides the Synth L&F UI delegate for `JRadioButton`.
  SynthRootPaneUI
  Provides the Synth L&F UI delegate for `JRootPane`.
  SynthScrollBarUI
  Provides the Synth L&F UI delegate for `JScrollBar`.
  SynthScrollPaneUI
  Provides the Synth L&F UI delegate for `JScrollPane`.
  SynthSeparatorUI
  Provides the Synth L&F UI delegate for `JSeparator`.
  SynthSliderUI
  Provides the Synth L&F UI delegate for `JSlider`.
  SynthSpinnerUI
  Provides the Synth L&F UI delegate for `JSpinner`.
  SynthSplitPaneUI
  Provides the Synth L&F UI delegate for `JSplitPane`.
  SynthStyle
  `SynthStyle` is a set of style properties.
  SynthStyleFactory
  Factory used for obtaining `SynthStyle`s.
  SynthTabbedPaneUI
  Provides the Synth L&F UI delegate for `JTabbedPane`.
  SynthTableHeaderUI
  Provides the Synth L&F UI delegate for `JTableHeader`.
  SynthTableUI
  Provides the Synth L&F UI delegate for `JTable`.
  SynthTextAreaUI
  Provides the look and feel for a plain text editor in the Synth look and feel.
  SynthTextFieldUI
  Provides the Synth L&F UI delegate for `JTextField`.
  SynthTextPaneUI
  Provides the look and feel for a styled text editor in the Synth look and feel.
  SynthToggleButtonUI
  Provides the Synth L&F UI delegate for `JToggleButton`.
  SynthToolBarUI
  Provides the Synth L&F UI delegate for `JToolBar`.
  SynthToolTipUI
  Provides the Synth L&F UI delegate for `JToolTip`.
  SynthTreeUI
  Provides the Synth L&F UI delegate for `JTree`.
  SynthUI
  SynthUI is used to fetch the SynthContext for a particular Component.
  SynthViewportUI
  Provides the Synth L&F UI delegate for `JViewport`.