• Default language
• Look and feel
• Custom theme
• Image filename
• Image position
• Buttons position

Swing supports several looks so you can decide which one your installers use. If you'd like your installers to use the popular look and feel for the target system, then select Native. When your installer uses the Native look and feel, it means that it will probably be most familiar to your customers.

Some people like Sun's Metal look and feel. Sun considers this the best cross platform interface because it maintains a more consistent look between OSes.

Or, you could use a custom look and feel if your apps use Java 1.4 or later. JExpress installers created with the Advanced interface can use any SkinLF compliant look and feel.

Only themes implementing both GTK and KDE are supported. If you want to use a custom look and feel, then add a check mark to the Custom button and select a theme from the LFThemes subdirectory or download a compatible theme from Javootoo's website.

Note: All the themes that ship with JExpress were created by others. We have tested the modernthemepack.zip extensively, but we have had one report that this theme didn't work reliably on RedHat 7.0 so be sure to test any theme you want to ship on all the platforms you expect to distribute. We also have had another customer report that the aquathemepack.zip does not work reliably on 1280 x 1024 screens. This challenge does not appear with the modernthempack.zip.

The look and feel must be compatible with L2FProd's SkinLF (Skin Look and Feel) version 1.2.3. The distribution of JExpress includes about a half dozen themes. You can also download themes from Javootoo and learn more about creating your own themes from L2FProd. DeNova does not offer technical support for creating themes.

JExpress uses the modernthemepack.zip for its theme. If you select Custom look and feel, but don't enter a custom theme, then the installer will include whatever theme pack you use to run JExpress with the Advanced interface.

The default vertical image is about 300 pixels in height. If you prefer your image to appear at the top of the installer, then we recommend that you use an image that is about 600 pixels in width.

If you use a different size image, then you should verify that all the panels format properly. Swing automatically resizes panels based on the size of all components, including the image file. If your image is too large, then some panels could be truncated. Swing does not adjust the image size, even if you change screen sizes.

You effect the size of the overall install window by the size of your image. Swing tries to keep your panels balanced so by growing or shrinking your image, you will impact the layout of the installer. This means that if you'd like the installer window to be larger or smaller, then by increasing or decreasing the size of your image, you'll change the size of the license window, etc.

If you want to distribute any GIF or JPEG files as part of your application, then you should include them in the Files panel. The image file specified in this field is only used during the installation.

IMPORTANT: Be sure to verify that the image position looks good with all of the install panels. JExpress does not automatically verify that your image will fit with the layout you selected.

Be sure to verify the button position looks good with all of the install panels.

This field gives you the flexibility of deciding to use another default language. For example, if you know that most of your customers speak Spanish, then you can easily select Spanish as the default language.