20050413: IDV - Custom GUI

Hi Sean,
Sorry about the delay on getting back to you.

> Inquiry: I am trying to develop a custom GUI, but using the skin.xml is not 
> going to cut it.  The GUI needs to be dynamic.  i.e. sometimes having a MapView 
> shown and someitmes not.  Other JComponents may be deleted or added to the 
> JFrame/IdvWindow based on user actions.
>
> Another thing I am doing is using a Custon TabbedPane with two MapViews in each 
> pane.  This view may be swapped out with a split pane with two MapViews.
>
> skin.xml is just a static starting point.  What is the best approach to 
> developing a custom GUI.  What class should I extend or methods to overwrite?
>
> I was thinking of just extending IdvUIManager and overwriting 
> doMakeDefaultContents().
>
> However I am not sure if this is the best or most robust approach.
>  
Yes, you can  overwrite doMakeDefaultContents. Alternatively you could 
overwrite:
   public IdvWindow createNewWindow(List viewManagers, boolean 
notifyCollab,
                                    String skinPath, Element skinRoot) {
This is probably the best so you have total control on this process. 
Note: The list of ViewManagers in this method call
can be empty.

-Jeff