How to implement a Google-chrome-like title bar for Java SWT application
google-chrome, java-native-interface, swt, user-interface, windows
Solution
You can create a Shell instance without a TITLE flag and then render Google-chrome-like tabs manually. This way you can even create a non-rectangular windows
Problem
I have inherited development of a Java/SWT application running on Windows only. One of the feature requests that I need to scope is a Google-chrome-type title bar in place of the SWT windows title bar. The application's tabs appear at the same level as the window control buttons. My understanding is that I will need to: - write a Windows widget capable of rendering the custom look and managing tabs as opposed to menus. - expose the Windows widget as a dll for use in Java via JNI - write a custom SWT widget to wrap it and expose the tab management interface. I have a lot of experience with Java programming, GUI programming with Swing/AWT, and non-GUI C# programming. Windows GUI programming and SWT are new to me so I'm not sure where to start. The best I have found so far is a 2001 article on writing your own SWT widget. My biggest unknown is the best way to implement a custom Windows application-window.