Substance 5.0 - new features


Performance improvements	The main emphasis of version 5.0 is on addressing the performance issues and bringing Substance in line with other core and third-party look-and-feels. The LightBeam testbed is used to run the performance tests on different static and dynamic scenarios. For static scenarios (continuous repaint of the same content to an offscreen image) Substance 5.0 is on average 3.5 times faster than Substance 4.3. For dynamic scenarios (interacting with the content and measuring the both the interaction time and the repaint time), Substance 5.0 is on average 2.7 times fatser than Substance 4.3. The full numbers are available for: Reports on static and dynamic scenarios of Substance 5.0 against other core and third-party look-and-feels. Reports on static and dynamic scenarios of various Substance 5.0 skins.

Runtime requirements	JRE 6.0 is the new minimum runtime requirement for the Substance library.

Per-window skins	When the new `SKIN_PROPERTY` client property is installed on a specific root pane, all controls and areas in that window will use the specified skin. The screenshot below shows one application with twelve top-level frames. Each frame has this client property set to a different skin.

Enhanced theming layer	Reworked notion of themes. Split the functionality of themes, complex themes and skins into color schemes, color scheme bundles, skins. Tweaked most of the core skins to take advantage of the new more flexible and straighforward APIs.

Removed pluggable text rasterizers	Removed support for pluggable text rasterizers (Bramble plugin based on SWT). Applications running on Windows Vista are highly encouraged to use JDK 6u10 and its native text rasterizer that addresses poor rendering of the default Segoe UI font.

Removed the default Aqua look	The `org.jvnet.substance.SubstanceLookAndFeel` is now abstract and doesn't have any public constructors. Applications that used this class (either instantiating the class itself or with `-Dswing.defaultlaf` VM flag) can: Use one of the skin-based look-and-feel instances (toned down, dark or saturated). Extend the `SubstanceLookAndFeel` class and pass a `SubstanceSkin` instance to the `super` constructor. Use the static `setSkin(SubstanceSkin)` or `setSkin(String)` APIs to set the specific skin. Applications that wish to obtain the old default Aqua look-and-feel can use the `org.jvnet.substance.SubstanceLegacyDefaultLookAndFeel` class. This is for legacy support only and will be removed in future releases.

VM flags	The only two supported VM flags are: `-Dsubstancelaf.heapStatusTraceFile`. Controls the presence of heap status panels on decorated title panes and optional logfile name for tracking the heap status. `-Dsubstancelaf.traceFile`. Controls the tracing mode that records allocation of large images and image cache sizes to pinpoint memory problems. The following VM flags have been removed in release 5.0: `substancelaf.configFile` `substancelaf.borderPainter`, `substancelaf.gradientPainter`, `substancelaf.theme`, `substancelaf.buttonShaper`, `substancelaf.titlePainter`, `substancelaf.watermark`. Use the SubstanceSkin APIs to create a custom skin. `substancelaf.debugUiMode` - use the tools plugin (see below). `substancelaf.enableInvertedThemes`, `substancelaf.enableNegatedThemes` `substancelaf.noExtraElements` `substancelaf.watermark.image.kind`, `substancelaf.watermark.image.opacity`, `substancelaf.watermark.image`. Use the `SubstanceImageWatermark` APIs. `substancelaf.watermark.tobleed` `substancelaf.useDecorations`. Use `JFrame.setDefaultLookAndFeelDecorated(true)` and `JDialog.setDefaultLookAndFeelDecorated(true)` APIs.

Client properties	The following client properties specified in `org.jvnet.substance.SubstanceLookAndFeel` have been modified / renamed: `COLORIZATION_FACTOR` - the colorization is on by default with value of 50%. To remove colorization, set the client property value to 0.0. `NO_EXTRA_ELEMENTS` has been replaced by `SHOW_EXTRA_WIDGETS`. The new default mode does not add any extra UI elements (menu search, lock icons etc). `WATERMARK_IGNORE` and `WATERMARK_TO_BLEED` have been replaced by `WATERMARK_VISIBLE`. Trees, tables, lists and text components don't show watermark unless the new client property is explicitly set to Boolean.TRUE . The following client properties specified in `org.jvnet.substance.SubstanceLookAndFeel` have been removed: `BACKGROUND_COMPOSITE`, `OVERLAY_PROPERTY`. `BORDER_PAINTER_PROPERTY`, `GRADIENT_PAINTER_PROPERTY`, `THEME_PROPERTY`, `TITLE_PAINTER_PROPERTY`. Use the SubstanceSkin APIs to create a custom skin and `COLORIZATION_FACTOR` for colorizing components. `ENABLE_INVERTED_THEMES`, `ENABLE_NEGATED_THEMES`. `GRIP_PAINTER`. `PAINT_ACTIVE_PROPERTY`. `TABBED_PANE_VERTICAL_ORIENTATION`, `TABBED_PANE_VERTICAL_ORIENTATION_ROTATE_ICONS`. Left / right tabs are always rotated. `WATERMARK_IMAGE_KIND`, `WATERMARK_IMAGE_OPACITY`, `WATERMARK_IMAGE_PROPERTY`. Use the `SubstanceImageWatermark` APIs.

APIs	The following APIs have been added to the `org.jvnet.substance.SubstanceLookAndFeel` class: `getCurrentSkin(Component)` to retrieve the current skin of the specified component and the relevant `SubstanceSkin` APIs to query the settings of that skin. `setWidgetVisible(JRootPane, boolean, SubstanceWidgetType...)` to control the visibility of widgets. Currently supports menu search and title pane heap status panel widgets. The following APIs have been removed from the `org.jvnet.substance.SubstanceLookAndFeel` class: `addMixedTheme`, `addMixedThemeBy`, `hasMixedThemes`, `removeMixedTheme`, `removeMixedThemeBy` along with `SubstanceMixTheme` and `SubstanceMixBiTheme`. `getActiveColorScheme`, `getDefaultColorScheme`, `getDisabledColorScheme`. `getBackgroundComposite`, `setBackgroundComposite`. `getCurrent`, `getCurrentName`, `setCurrent`, `registerChangeListener`, `unregisterChangeListener`, `getAlls` for border painters, button shapers, gradient painters, themes and watermarks. To get the current settings, use `getCurrentSkin(Component)` and `SubstanceSkin` APIs. To change the current settings, create a custom skin and use `setSkin(SubstanceSkin)` or `setSkin(String)` APIs. `getImageWatermarkKind`, `getImageWatermarkOpacity`, `setImageWatermarkKind`, `setImageWatermarkOpacity` - use `getCurrentSkin(Component)`, `SubstanceSkin.getWatermark()` and `SubstanceImageWatermark` APIs. `hideMenuSearchPanels`, `showMenuSearchPanels` - use `setWidgetVisible(SubstanceWidgetType.MENU_SEARCH)`. `permanentlyHideHeapStatusPanel`, `permanentlyShowHeapStatusPanel` - use `setWidgetVisible(SubstanceWidgetType.TITLE_PANE_HEAP_STATUS)`. `toBleedWatermark`. `toEnableInvertedThemes`, `toEnableNegatedThemes`. `ignoreAnimationsOnClass`, `toIgnoreAnimation` - use FadeConfigurationManager APIs. `toShowExtraElements`.

Combobox auto completion	The combobox auto completion previously available from the laf-widget project has been discontinued. Use SwingX, GlazedLists or JIDE functionality - see the overview article comparing the different approaches.

New tools plugin	The new `substance-tools.jar` plugin is part of the officially available binaries. When this jar is added to the application classpath, the following additional UI functionality is available: Title panes of decorated windows have a right-click context menu that allows simulating color-blind mode, changing animation rate and focus kind, dumping the component hierarchy, toggling component orientation between LTR and RTL, using themed icons, installing ghost debug mode and showing image cache statistics. Scroll bars have a right-click context menu that allows changing the button policy kind.

New extras plugin	The new Extras plugin consolidated the existing theme pack, button shaper pack and watermark pack under one roof. It provides: Additional twenty one color schemes. Additional twelve watermarks. Additional five skins. Additional eight button shapers. Support for mixed color schemes and mixed gradient painters.