JDraw

JDraw is a pixel oriented graphics editor designed especially for small to medium-sized pictures used to decorate web pages. It is completely written in Java, simple to use and saves (animated) GIFs, ICOs and PNGs.

I started writing this tool because it took me ages to do little things like changing a couple of pixels, making a colour transparent, adjusting some RGB values. Most graphic tools irritate with hundreds of sexy filters but have steep learning curves or just don't care about simple pixels. So it's high time for a good old pixel editor.

Programming language: JDraw is entirely written in Java. It supports JRE 1.4, 1.5 and 6.

Supported Platforms: JDraw's latest beta version was developed and tested under Windows XP.

Features so far:

• plain, filled and gradient filled rectangles
• plain, filled and gradient filled ovals
• plain and gradient filled text
• colour picking, cropping, filling
• image scaling (since v1.2beta)
• image rotation (since v1.2.1beta)
• copying/moving clips
• rotating/flipping clips (since v1.2.2beta)
• save animated GIFs (interlaced/not interlaced)
• save PNGs (interlaced/not interlaced)
• save ICOs (true colour, 32 bit) (since v1.1.3)
• save JPEGs of configurable quality (since v1.1.4)
• read all image formats supported by Java
• colour reduction, colour replacing, colour swapping
• grayscaling (since v1.2.2beta)
• image browser (since v1.3beta)
• tolerant fill tool (since v1.3beta)
• palette operations like editing RGB colours, alpha values
• configuration of the Look&Feel to use (since v.1.1.3)

Really, it's a nice little tool. :)
Please help us to make JDraw really robust, bug free and useful, so try it out, test it and tell us about ideas for new features.

Configuring the Look&Feel

The environment variable "lf" tells JDraw which Look&Feel class to use.

Example:
java -Dlf="javax.swing.plaf.metal.MetalLookAndFeel" -jar jdraw.jar

If your Look&Feel is not part of the J2SDK, copy its jar-archive into the directory jre/lib/ext of your Java installation.

The WebStart-Link above uses the really pretty Plastic3DLookAndFeel from JGoodies.
See http://www.jgoodies.com/freeware/looks/index.html
If looks.jar is found on the classpath, the Plastic3DLookAndFeel is the default look and feel (since JDraw v1.1.5).

Project Links

• SourceForge: JDraw Project Summary
• SourceForge: Download JDraw
• JDraw's Online Help
• GNU General Public License

Awards

Softpedia actually granted JDraw with two awards. I'm so touched.

The 100% Free Award attests JDraw to be completely free of evil code and free for distribution. See 100% Free Award. This price was given to JDraw as a Windows application.
For JDraw as a Linux application the Softpedia Pick! Award was granted.

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