Setting Up NetBeans IDE With JavaFX 2.1
JavaFX provides a powerful Java-based UI platform capable of handling large-scale data-driven business applications. JavaFX 2 is a major update to the JavaFX platform. Starting with this version, developers can create JavaFX applications completely in Java.
NetBeans IDE supports the creation of JavaFX 2 applications.
Contents
To follow this tutorial, you need the following software and resources.
Installing NetBeans IDE and JavaFX 2.1 SDK
Depending on your operating system, you can install JavaFX 2.1 bundled with Java JDK. Otherwise you have to install JavaFX 2.1 separately.
Important: To develop with JavaFX on Mac, you need Mac JDK 7 update 4, JavaFX 2.1 (bundled with Mac JDK 7u4), and NetBeans IDE 7.1.2 or later. If you have NetBeans IDE 7.1 or 7.1.1, install
all available updates to upgrade to NetBeans IDE 7.1.2.
Note: When you install JavaFX 2.1 on Windows, you actually install two packages: the JavaFX 2.1 SDK and the JavaFX 2.1 Runtime.
If you install JavaFX 2.1 to Windows manually, consider installing JavaFX 2.1 SDK and Runtime to the default location (C:/Program Files/Oracle/). NetBeans IDE checks the default locations for JavaFX 2.1 SDK and JavaFX 2.1 Runtime. If JavaFX 2 is in the default locations, NetBeans IDE automatically creates a JavaFX-enabled Java platform. If you install JavaFX 2.1 bundled with Java JDK, NetBeans can find JavaFX 2.1 SDK and Runtime.
If you install JavaFX 2.1 to MacOS manually, there is no default location and you must create a JavaFX-enabled Java platform manually.
Upgrading JavaFX 2
If you want to upgrade from one version of JavaFX 2 to another (for example, from JavaFX 2.0 to JavaFX 2.1), it is safest to uninstall the older version of JavaFX 2. Manually uninstall the old version and make sure its directories are deleted. The JavaFX installer does not always uninstall older versions of JavaFX 2 correctly, which can lead to the wrong version being used.
Additionally, you could have a problem if the new FX SDK location differs from the old one. The existing default FX-enabled platform would still point to the old location. In this case, open Tools > Java Platforms and delete the old default FX-enabled platform. Then create a new default FX-enabled platform using the updated version of JavaFX 2.
Creating a JavaFX-Enabled Java Platform
NetBeans IDE requires a JavaFX 2.1-enabled Java platform in order to use JavaFX 2.1. This section describes how to create a JavaFX 2.1-enabled Java platform in NetBeans IDE.
NetBeans IDE attempts to create a JavaFX-enabled Java platform when you start a New JavaFX project wizard or you open an existing JavaFX project for the first time. If NetBeans IDE cannot create the JavaFX-enabled Java platform automatically, a warning appears. In this case you must create the JavaFX-enabled Java platform manually. You can create additional JavaFX-enabled Java platforms, for example if you want them to use different Java JDKs.
The procedure in this section is divided into two parts, to reflect automatic and manual Platform creation:
- Opening the New JavaFX Application Wizard. This is the universal starting point. When you open the wizard, NetBeans IDE attempts to create a JavaFX-enabled Java platform. If NetBeans succeeds, you are finished.
- Creating a JavaFX-Enabled Platform Manually. If automatic platform generation fails, or you want an additional JavaFX-enabled platform, you must create the platform manually.
Opening the New JavaFX Application Wizard
The first step in creating a JavaFX-enabled Java platform is to open NetBeans IDE's New JavaFX Application wizard. (You may instead open the New JavaFX Preloader wizard.) If the IDE does not find a JavaFX-enabled Java platform, the IDE attempts to generate a JavaFX-enabled Java platform. If the IDE successfully generates a JavaFX-enabled Java platform, your setup is complete. If the IDE does not generate a JavaFX-enabled Java platform, you must create a platform manually.
Note: Automatic platform generation works on Windows with JavaFX SDK and Runtime installed to the default location (C:\Program Files\Oracle\)
and on MacOS with the JavaFX SDK embedded in Mac JDK 7u4.
To open the New JavaFX Application Wizard:
- In the IDE, click the New Project icon (or File>New Project or Ctrl-Shift-N). The New Project wizard opens.
- Select the JavaFX category. Under Projects, select JavaFX Application. Click Next. The Name and Location panel opens. The IDE looks for the JavaFX SDK and attempts to generate a JavaFX-enabled Java platform.
You now see one of two screens, depending on whether or not NetBeans IDE generated a JavaFX-enabled platform:
- Platform was generated: The IDE generates a JavaFX-enabled Java platform. This JavaFX-enabled platform uses the same JDK sources that the IDE uses by default. The name of the generated platform is Default JFX Platform. The IDE automatically selects this platform. Your setup is complete, unless you want to create an additional JavaFX-enabled Java platform using a different JDK. You can now do the Tutorials. If you want to create additional JavaFX-enabled Java platforms, see Creating a JavaFX-Enabled Platform Manually.
- Platform was not generated: The JavaFX Platform list does not show any JavaFX-enabled platforms. A warning appears at the bottom of the panel. Go to Creating a JavaFX-Enabled Platform Manually.
Creating a JavaFX-Enabled Platform Manually
You need to create a JavaFX-enabled Java platform manually in the following cases:
- NetBeans IDE failed to generate a JavaFX-enabled Java platform when you opened the New JavaFX Application or New JavaFX Preloader wizard.
- You want a JavaFX-enabled platform based on a different Java JDK than the JDK that the IDE uses by default. For example, your IDE uses Java JDK 1.6.0 update 27, but you want to build JavaFX applications using Java 7.
To create a JavaFX-enabled platform manually:
- Open the NetBeans IDE Java Platform Manager. You can open the Platform Manager in the following ways:
- In the New JavaFX Application or New JavaFX Preloader wizard, click Manage Platforms...
- Expand the Tools menu and select Java Platforms.
- Open the Project Properties of a Java project. Go to the Libraries page. Click Manage Platforms...
- Click Add Platform... The Add Java Platform wizard opens on the Choose Java Platform panel. Browse for your desired JDK.
- Select a JDK. You must select JDK 1.6 update 26 or later (or JDK 7). Click Next. The Platform Name panel opens.
- Give your new plaform an arbitrary, descriptive name and click Finish. You return to the Platform Manager. The platform you created is listed.
- Select the platform you created. Open the JavaFX tab for that platform. Currently, JavaFX is not enabled for this platform. Tick the Enable JavaFX box. A warning appears that the JavaFX platform is invalid.
- Click Browse next to the JavaFX SDK field. Browse for the JavaFX 2.1 SDK folder.
- Click Open. You return to the Java Platform Manager. The JavaFX SDK and JavaFX Javadoc fields are now filled in. If JavaFX Runtime 2 is in the same directory as JavaFX 2.1 SDK, the JavaFX Runtime field is also filled in. If JavaFX Runtime is in a different directory than the SDK, browse for the Runtime.
You do not need anything in the Sources field.
Click Close if you have values for the JavaFX 2.1 SDK, JavaFX Javadoc, and JavaFX Runtime fields and there is no warning that the JavaFX platform is invalid. Your JavaFX-enabled platform is complete.
- If you return to or open the New JavaFX Application wizard, you need to select the JavaFX enabled platform you created. Select the JavaFX 2.1-enabled platform you created from the JavaFX Platform list. If you had a warning that your selected Java platform did not have JavaFX support, that warning disappears.
You may either click Finish and create a project, or click Cancel. Your new platform persists even if you cancel the New Project wizard.
Tutorials
After you set up NetBeans IDE to use JavaFX 2.1, try to do the JavaFX tutorials as NetBeans projects.
Troubleshooting
- I get a warning that my JavaFX Runtime is obsolete. Did you ever install an earlier version of JavaFX 2? The installer might not have uninstalled the old Runtime correctly. Fix: Manually uninstall any older version of JavaFX 2. Be sure to delete any directories that remain after uninstalling.
- I have another problem that you don't describe in this document! If you think something is missing from this document, click the Send Feedback on This Tutorial link below and let the writers know. If you think you have found a bug in NetBeans IDE support for JavaFX 2, please report it. On the enter_bug.cgi page, select the javafx product.
Back to the Learning Trail
