Java AWT | Desktop Class

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The Desktop class is a part of Java AWT package. This class is used to launch associated applications registered on the native desktop to handle a URI or a file.

Important Points About Desktop Class :

It can open a default web browser showing a specific URI
It can launch default mail client with optional mailto URI
It can launch a registered application to open, edit or print a specific file.

Different Methods in Desktop Class

Method	Explanation
browse(URI u)	Launches the default browser to display a specific URI.
edit(File f)	Launches the associated editor application and opens a file.
getDesktop()	Returns the Desktop instance of the current browser context.
isDesktopSupported()	returns whether this class is supported on the current platform.
isSupported(Desktop.Action action)	returns whether an action is supported on the current platform.
mail()	Launches the mail composing window of the user default mail client.
mail(URI mailtoURI)	Launches the mail composing window of the user default mail client, filling the message fields specified by a mailto: URI.
open(File f)	Launches the associated application to open the file
print(File f)	Prints a file with the native desktop printing facility, using the associated application’s print command.

Below programs illustrate the Desktop class in Java AWT:

Program to Launch the browser and open a specific URI

// Java Program to Launch the browser
// and open a specific URI
import java.awt.*;
import javax.swing.*;
import java.awt.event.*;
import java.net.*;
  
class desk extends JFrame implements ActionListener {
  
    // frame
    static JFrame f;
      
    // Main Method 
    public static void main(String args[])
    {
        desk d = new desk();
  
        // create a frame
        f = new JFrame("desktop");
  
        // create a panel
        JPanel p = new JPanel();
  
        // create a button
        JButton b = new JButton("launch");
  
        // add Action Listener
        b.addActionListener(d);
  
        p.add(b);
        f.add(p);
        f.show();
        f.setSize(200, 200);
    }
  
    // if button is pressed
    public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e)
    {
        try {
  
            // create a URI
            URI u = new URI("www.zambiatek.com");
  
            Desktop d = Desktop.getDesktop();
            d.browse(u);
        }
        catch (Exception evt) {
        }
    }
}

Output :

Program to Launch the mail to a specific URI

// Java Program to Launch the
// mail to a specific URI
import java.awt.*;
import javax.swing.*;
import java.awt.event.*;
import java.net.*;
  
class desk extends JFrame implements ActionListener {
  
    // frame
    static JFrame f;
  
    // Main Method
    public static void main(String args[])
    {
        desk d = new desk();
  
        // create a frame
        f = new JFrame("desktop");
  
        // create a panel
        JPanel p = new JPanel();
  
        // create a button
        JButton b = new JButton("launch");
  
        // add Action Listener
        b.addActionListener(d);
  
        p.add(b);
        f.add(p);
        f.show();
        f.setSize(200, 200);
    }
  
    // if button is pressed
    public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e)
    {
        try {
            URI u = new URI("mailto:contribute@zambiatek.com");
  
            Desktop d = Desktop.getDesktop();
            d.mail(u);
        }
        catch (Exception evt) {
            JOptionPane.showMessageDialog(this, evt.getMessage());
        }
    }
}

Output:

Program to open a file

// Java Program to open a file
import java.awt.*;
import javax.swing.*;
import java.awt.event.*;
import java.io.*;
import java.net.*;
class desk extends JFrame implements ActionListener {
    // frame
    static JFrame f;
       
    // Main Method
    public static void main(String args[])
    {
        desk d = new desk();
  
        // create a frame
        f = new JFrame("desktop");
  
        // create a panel
        JPanel p = new JPanel();
  
        // create a button
        JButton b = new JButton("launch");
  
        // add Action Listener
        b.addActionListener(d);
  
        p.add(b);
        f.add(p);
        f.show();
        f.setSize(200, 200);
    }
  
    // if button is pressed
    public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e)
    {
        try {
  
            // create a file
            File u = new File("f:\\image.png");
  
            Desktop d = Desktop.getDesktop();
            d.open(u);
        }
        catch (Exception evt) {
            JOptionPane.showMessageDialog(this, evt.getMessage());
        }
    }
}

Output :

Program to open a file for editing

// Java Program to open a file for editing
import java.awt.*;
import javax.swing.*;
import java.awt.event.*;
import java.io.*;
import java.net.*;
  
class desk extends JFrame implements ActionListener {
  
    // frame
    static JFrame f;
  
    // Main Method
    public static void main(String args[])
    {
        desk d = new desk();
  
        // create a frame
        f = new JFrame("desktop");
  
        // create a panel
        JPanel p = new JPanel();
  
        // create a button
        JButton b = new JButton("launch");
  
        // add Action Listener
        b.addActionListener(d);
  
        p.add(b);
        f.add(p);
        f.show();
        f.setSize(200, 200);
    }
  
    // if button is pressed
    public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e)
    {
        try {
  
            // create a file
            File u = new File("f:\\sample.txt");
  
            Desktop d = Desktop.getDesktop();
            d.edit(u);
        }
        catch (Exception evt) {
            JOptionPane.showMessageDialog(this, evt.getMessage());
        }
    }
}

Output :

Program to open a file for printing

// Java Program to open a file for printing
import java.awt.*;
import javax.swing.*;
import java.awt.event.*;
import java.io.*;
import java.net.*;
  
class desk extends JFrame implements ActionListener {
  
    // frame
    static JFrame f;
  
    // Main Method
    public static void main(String args[])
    {
        desk d = new desk();
  
        // create a frame
        f = new JFrame("desktop");
  
        // create a panel
        JPanel p = new JPanel();
  
        // create a button
        JButton b = new JButton("launch");
  
        // add Action Listener
        b.addActionListener(d);
  
        p.add(b);
        f.add(p);
        f.show();
        f.setSize(200, 200);
    }
  
    // if button is pressed
    public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e)
    {
        try {
  
            // create a file
            File u = new File("f:\\sample.txt");
  
            Desktop d = Desktop.getDesktop();
            d.print(u);
        }
        catch (Exception evt) {
            JOptionPane.showMessageDialog(this, evt.getMessage());
        }
    }
}