Source code generation in the visual editor

As you make changes to a visual class in the Design view, the Java source is updated. Likewise, as you edit the Java source, the graphical design view is updated to reflect the code changes.

The visual editor for Java is a source centric editor that reads and writes the .java source file. The round-trip updates between the Design view and the Source view are incremental.

When the visual editor for Java is closed, the only file that is persisted in the workbench is the .java file. Because there are no additional files that store metadata, you can make changes to the file in another editor, and these changes will be reflected in the visual editor when it is next opened. When the visual editor for Java is opened to determine the initial state of the Java beans, the file is parsed and analyzed for certain patterns. These are used to create a model of the Java beans and their initial property settings and any relationships between them. You can make modifications to the source and see these reflected in the Java bean's model as long as the source still adheres to the recognized patterns.

Source code generated and parsed by the visual editor
There are different styles or ways for writing Java code. The visual editor uses a particular style for its generated Java code.

How the visual editor synchronizes code
As you change the contents of the Java source file with the visual editor open, the visual editor performs incremental analysis of the changes to determine how the change affects the Java beans.

 

Parent topic

About the visual editor for Java