Downloading and Installing e(fx)clipse

Go to http://www.eclipse.org/efxclipse/install.html for information about the available options to download and install the e(fx)clipse tool to use with your JavaFX Scene Builder installation.

Creating a New JavaFX FXML Project

To create a new JavaFX FXML project using Eclipse, you must first create a new JavaFX project and then add a new FXML document to that JavaFX project.

1. From the Eclipse IDE Main menu, select File, choose New, and then Other, as shown in Figure 2-1.

   Figure 2-1 Create a New File

   
   Description of "Figure 2-1 Create a New File"
   
   

2. From the New dialog box, expand the JavaFX folder, and select the JavaFX Project wizard, as shown in Figure 2-2.

   Figure 2-2 Choose the JavaFX Project Wizard

   
   Description of "Figure 2-2 Choose the JavaFX Project Wizard"
   
   

3. Enter the project name, specify the JRE to use, and select the Project layout option. Click Finish to complete the project creation, as shown in Figure 2-3.

   Figure 2-3 Create a New Java Project

   
   Description of "Figure 2-3 Create a New Java Project"
   
   

4. Now create a new FXML document

   1. Right-click the Test folder in the Package Explorer.

   2. Select New and then Other.

   3. Expand the JavaFX folder in the New dialog box and then choose New FXML Document, as shown in Figure 2-4. Click Next

   Figure 2-4 Create a New FXML Document

   
   Description of "Figure 2-4 Create a New FXML Document"
   
   

5. In the FXML File dialog box, complete the creation of the new FXML document using the following steps:

   1. If not automatically set to test/src, specify the Source folder value by clicking Browse. Navigate to the src folder of the JavaFX project that you just created in the previous steps. Leave the Package field as is.

   2. In the Name field, enter Sample for the FXML file name, as shown in Figure 2-5.

   3. If not already set, specify the FXML document's root element by clicking Browse and selecting an item from the Find Preloader dialog box. The default value shown is AnchorPane.

   4. Leave Dynamic Root unselected. It is for advanced users who want to manage custom types.

   5. Click Finish to close the dialog box.
      You can now complete the creation of your JavaFX FXML layout

   Figure 2-5 Finish Creating a New FXML File

   
   Description of "Figure 2-5 Finish Creating a New FXML File"
   
   

Editing an FXML File Using Scene Builder

You can edit an FXML file using the Eclipse FXML editor or by opening the file using the JavaFX Scene Builder tool:

1. In the IDE's Package Explorer tab, expand the Test and src folders.

2. Right-click the Sample.fxml file and select Open with Scene Builder, as shown in Figure 2-6.
   
   A separate window for Scene Builder is opened and displays the Sample.fxml layout in the Content panel area. You may have to increase the size of the default AchorPane that appears in the Content panel. You may start to add controls.

   Figure 2-6 Open Sample.fxml File in Scene Builder

   
   Description of "Figure 2-6 Open Sample.fxml File in Scene Builder"
   
   

3. Use JavaFX Scene Builder User Guide to learn more about the available Scene Builder features and Getting Started with JavaFX Scene Builder to create a simple issue tracking application.

Where to Go From Here

Now that you are familiar with the integration between the Scene Builder tool and Eclipse IDE, look at JavaFX Scene Builder User Guide to learn more about the available Scene Builder features. Follow the steps described in Getting Started with JavaFX Scene Builder to create a simple issue tracking application.

You can also try the sample applications provided with the Scene Builder release. The samples are Netbeans projects, so use the following information to learn how to use a sample using Eclipse IDE.