How can I Add new LookAndFel to IDE "JDeveloper 10g" ?
(to the combo box in the Tool->Preferences->LookAndFeel ).

Here is how you can add new L&Fs to the drop down list. (Instructions are for Linux , as I use Linux, but they will work for Windows too)

Add the L&F jar to <path to JRE>/lib/ext (or <path to JDK>/jre/lib/ext). Then create swing.properties (if it does not already exist) in <path to JRE>/lib (or in jdk...) with following lines:

swing.installedlafs = motif,windows,metal,mac,plastic
swing.installedlaf.motif.name = CDE/Motif
swing.installedlaf.motif.class = com.sun.java.swing.plaf.motif.MotifLookAndFeel
swing.installedlaf.windows.name = Windows
swing.installedlaf.windows.class = com.sun.java.swing.plaf.windows.WindowsLookAndFeel
swing.installedlaf.metal.name = Metal
swing.installedlaf.metal.class = javax.swing.plaf.metal.MetalLookAndFeel
swing.installedlaf.mac.name = Mac
swing.installedlaf.mac.class = com.sun.java.swing.plaf.mac.MacLookAndFeel
swing.installedlaf.plastic.name = Plastic
swing.installedlaf.plastic.class = com.jgoodies.plaf.plastic.PlasticLookAndFeel
swing.defaultlaf=com.jgoodies.plaf.plastic.PlasticLookAndFeel

Note that I retained default example L&Fs that normally come with the JDK/JRE (depending on the platfom) and added PlasticLookAndFeel as additional PLAF (Pluggable Look And Feel).

Now it should be possible to choose Plastic L&F in not only JDeveloper but also other Swing apps that you want to use.

Please let me know if this works and also if you have any questions.

- Ganesh

Hi Brian,

This is how I made it to work on Linux (Debian GNU/Linux sid).

I copied the LAF jar file to <jdk>/jre/lib/ext. Then created swing.properties by hand (as mentioned in the previous post).

I backed up my ~/jdevhome and let JDeveloper create the new ~/jdevhome. The JDeveloper started in default L&F (Metal for me). I looked in the preferences and it showed all the L&Fs I had set up in my jre. At this point there was no settings.xml created. I selected the Plastic3D L&F and exited. Now it created settings.xml with following entry.

<lafClass>com.jgoodies.plaf.plastic.Plastic3DLookAndFeel</lafClass>

When I restarted the JDeveloper. It had a selected (Plastic3D) L&F.

I also tried without changing the L&F (and fresh ~/jdevhome). After first exit from JDeveloper settings.xml had following entry.

<lafClass class="java.lang.String"/>

But when I selected Plastic3D L&F it changed the entry and worked just fine as above.

I use Sun J2SDK1.4.2_05 though. Does it make difference?

Thank you,

Ganesh