To create a JFrame project in Netbeans 6.x do the following:

1.  Start Netbeans
2.  Close any projects previously left open.
3.  Under the File menu item, select New Project
4.  This will bring up the New Project Window, set the following
   • Category - Java
   • Projects - Java Application (not Java Desktop Application)
   • press the Next button
      
5. The name and location window will now be display, set the following
   • Project Name - use whatever you like (don't use spaces though), e.g . JavaApplication1
   • Project Location - browse to an area on your harddisk, floppy (not recommended) or thumb drive where the project folder is to be created (folder will be created using the project name).
   • Leave on the Set as Main Project box 
   • Turn off the Create Main Class box, if you leave it on, it will automatically create a Main.java file
   • Press Finish 
   • you will now have an empty project created.

To create a Java Application within your project do the following:

1. From the File menu item, select New File
2. This will bring up the New File Window, set the following
   • Categories - select Swing GUI Forms
   • File Types - select JFrame Form
   • Press Next
3. The new JFrame Form window will now be displayed, set the following
   
   • Fill in the class name, e.g. Demo1.   The first letter of each word in the name should be capitalized, there should be no spaces in the class name.
   • Optionally, fill in the package name, e.g.  application1.  Package names should be in all lower case.
   • Press Finish.
4. Your program should look something like the picture below
    

 

 

Completing your first application

• At this point you have created a JFrame (windows) application that has a blank screen.  To add something to it, use the following procedure:
• • Right click on the JFrame in the "Inspector window", select the "Set Layout" option and choose null layout.
  • To add a label to your JFrame
    • Click on the Label (JLabel) item in the Palette window
    • Click again in the design area
    • Double click on the JLabel
  • Add a button to your JFrame
    • Click on the JButton item in the Palette window 
    • Click again in the design area (below your JLabel)
    • Right click on the Button you just added and select "Edit Text" to change the text to "Exit"
    • Stretch out the JButton so that all the text appears
    • Right click on the JButton and select "Change variable name", then type in exitButton.
       
  • Make your Exit JButton do something
    • Double click on "exitButton" in the Inspector window or on the Exit Button in the design window.
    • This will cause the "source" tab to be displayed in the work area
    • Just below the line that reads "// TODO add your handling code here:" type in System.exit(0);  

    private void exitButtonActionPerformed(java.awt.event.ActionEvent evt) {
// TODO add your handling code here:
       System.exit(0);
    }

• Run your program,
  • Press on the run button in the tool bar (this button has a green triangle with a yellow folder behind it).
  • If all went well you should see the final image shown below.
     

   


 

 

• Other things you can do:
  • Change the fonts and colors of the items in your JPanel
  • Right click on the item, then select properties. 
  • To change the fonts, then press the little square button with the three dots next to the font item.
  • To change the color, then press the little square button with the three dots next to the foreground item.