Develop Reference

How to paint components in layers in Java?

I have big problem with coding graphic part of my app, where I need to have components one on top of each other:
First I have JFrame (with fixed size)
In it I have two JPanel components. I want them to have colour background.
That's the easy part.
On one of the JPanel components I want to draw fixed shapres - rectangles, lanes, etc. Here I have problem, that I have two classes: one extends JPanel and is background for this part and second extends JComponent and represents element I draw (there is several elements). I don't know how to draw the elements in the JPanel - I tried several methods and nothing showed up. It's important to me that the JComponents should be drawn and conected only with this JPanel, not with whole frame.
On top of that I want to have moving shapes. It's easy when I have only frame and let's say rectangle, because I only change position and call repaint() method, but how to do this to make the moving shapes be connected to and be inside JPanel and to left previous layers in their place?
For my tries I created few classes with rectangles:
import javax.swing.*;
import java.awt.*;
import java.util.ArrayList;
public class Main{
public Main() {
JFrame frame = new JFrame();
frame.setSize(1200, 900);
frame.setResizable(false);
frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
frame.setVisible(true);
JPanel background = new JPanel();
background.setBackground(Color.lightGray);
GreenRect gr = new GreenRect();
gr.setPreferredSize(new Dimension(500,800));
background.add(gr, BorderLayout.WEST);
RedRect rr = new RedRect();
rr.setPreferredSize(new Dimension(500,800));
background.add(rr, BorderLayout.EAST);
frame.add(background);
}
public static void main(String[] args) {
new Main();
}
}
class GreenRect extends JPanel {
ArrayList<BlackRect> r = new ArrayList<>();
ArrayList<MovingRec> m = new ArrayList<>();
public GreenRect() {
setBackground(Color.green);
addRec(10,10);
addRec(50,50);
addRec(100,100);
addRec(1000,1000);
}
public void addRec(int x, int y) {
r.add(new BlackRect(x,y));
}
}
class RedRect extends JPanel {
public RedRect() {
setBackground(Color.red);
}
}
class BlackRect extends JComponent {
int x, y;
int w = 100, h = 100;
public BlackRect (int x, int y){
this.x = x;
this.y = y;
}
#Override
public void paintComponent(Graphics g) {
super.paintComponents(g);
Graphics2D g2d = (Graphics2D) g;
g2d.setColor(Color.BLACK);
g2d.fillRect(x, y, w, h);
}
}
class MovingRec extends JComponent {
int x, y;
int w = 20, h = 20;
public MovingRec (int x, int y){
this.x = x;
this.y = y;
}
public void paintComponent(Graphics g) {
super.paintComponents(g);
Graphics2D g2d = (Graphics2D) g;
g2d.setColor(Color.BLUE);
g2d.fillRect(x, y, w, h);
}
public void update() {
x += 5;
y += 5;
}
}
and now I have problems with points 3 and 4, because I can't place black rectangles on background and moving rectangles on the top.
I will be grateful for all help :)

You do not need to (and shouldn’t) extend BlackRect and MovingRect from JComponent.
For example, BlackRect could be a simple object, like:
class BlackRect {
int x, y;
int w = 100, h = 100;
public BlackRect(int x, int y) {
this.x = x;
this.y = y;
}
public void paint(Graphics2D g2d) {
g2d.setColor(Color.BLACK);
g2d.fillRect(x, y, w, h);
}
}
You should override GreenRect’s paint method, to paint rectangles on that panel:
public GreenRect extends JPanel {
// Existing members
#Override
public void paintComponent(Graphics g) {
super.paintComponent(g);
Graphics2D g2d = (Graphics2D) g;
for (BlackRect black_rect : r) {
black_rect.paint(g2d);
}
// Also paint list of moving rectangles here
}
}
When GreenRect.repaint() is called, it will paint its background, and all rectangles from the r (and m list when you add that code). If the m rectangles have had their positions updated, they will be drawn at their new positions, so they will appear to be moving. Since moving rectangles are drawn last, they would appear “on top”.
Use a Swing Timer to drive the animation. When the timer expires, it should move all of the moving rectangles slightly (ie, call MovingRec.update()), and call repaint() on GreenRect.

Java using Graphics in a Method

Hi guys I'm super new to Java; I've looked around and haven't been able to find an answer to this question. Any chance you could help me?
Here is an example of what I'm trying to achieve.
public class FrameWork extends JFrame implements MouseListener {
... //Irrelevant to the question code
public void mouseClicked(MouseEvent e){
int x = e.getX();
int y = e.getY();
if (x==1 && y==1){
// This is where and when I want to draw GFXDice
}
}}
Now the other class, all imports left out for readability.
public class Board extends JPanel{
Image GFXDice1;
public Board() {
ImageIcon Dice1;
Dice1 = new ImageIcon(this.getClass().getResource("GFX/Dice1"));
GFXDice1 = Dice1.getImage();
}
Now the graphics part
public void paint(Graphics g){
Graphics2D g2d = (Graphics2D) g;
g2d.drawImage(GFXDice, 100, 100, null);
}
Now for the question - I want to use the method paint from the Class Board in the Class FrameWork - But can't get it to work - any ideas ? I'm offering a bazillion units of good karma to anyone who has an idea.

The general way to do most Swing drawing is via passive graphics. This means:
Do the drawing itself in the paintComponent(Graphics g) method of a JPanel or JComponent.
In your MouseListener change the state of some of the fields of the class. In your mouseClicked method you are setting the state of some local variables, and I recommend that you instead make your x and y fields, not local.
Then when the mouse listener is done making changes, call repaint() on the JPanel.
Then in the paintComponent method, use those fields that were changed in the mouse listener to do your drawing.
Don't forget to call the super's paintComponent method in your paintComponent override.
Don't forget to read tutorials on Swing Graphics to get the fine points.
Edit
For example, please have a look at a small graphics program that I created for an answer to another recent question.
The drawing occurs in the main class, SpaceShip, which extends JPanel. I add an anonymous inner MouseAdapter class for my Mouse Listener, and inside of the MouseAdapter, I call a method called moveIt, passing in the MouseEvent object.
MouseAdapter myMouseAdapter = new MouseAdapter() {
public void mousePressed(MouseEvent evt) {
moveIt(evt);
count = count + 1;
}
#Override
public void mouseDragged(MouseEvent evt) {
moveIt(evt);
}
};
addMouseListener(myMouseAdapter);
addMouseMotionListener(myMouseAdapter);
}
All moveIt(MouseEvent evt) does is to change the state of two fields, myX and myY, and then calls repaint() on the current class:
public void moveIt(MouseEvent evt) {
myY = evt.getY() - sprite.getHeight() / 2;
myX = evt.getX() - sprite.getWidth() / 2;
repaint();
}
And then in the class's paintComponent method, I first call the super's paintComponent to allow it to erase any previous old out of date images, then I paint a background image, background, then I draw a sprite that uses the myX and myY variables to tell it where to draw, then I draw some yellow rectangles at locations that are determined by the JPanel's size:
protected void paintComponent(Graphics g) {
super.paintComponent(g);
font1 = new Font("Serif", Font.BOLD, 36);
g.drawImage(background, 0, 0, this);
g.drawImage(sprite, myX, myY, this);
g.setColor(Color.yellow);
int rectCount = 10;
int height = getHeight() / rectCount;
int width = 272;
int x = getWidth() - width;
for (int i = 0; i < rectCount; i++) {
int y = i * height;
g.drawRect(x, y, width, height);
}
g.setFont(font1);
g.drawString(Integer.toString(count), 500, 100);
}
The whole thing looks like this:
import java.awt.*;
import java.awt.event.*;
import java.awt.image.BufferedImage;
import java.awt.Graphics;
import javax.imageio.ImageIO;
import javax.swing.*;
import java.io.IOException;
import java.net.URL;
import java.lang.String;
import java.awt.Font;
#SuppressWarnings("serial")
public class SpaceShip extends JPanel {
private static final String BACKGROUND_PATH = "http://www.thatsreallypossible.com/"
+ "wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Space-Colonialisation.jpg";
private static final String SPRITE_PATH = "http://www.pd4pic.com/"
+ "images250_/ufo-flying-saucer-spacecraft-spaceship-alien.png";
private Font font1;
int myX = 100;
int myY = 400;
int count = 0;
private BufferedImage background;
private BufferedImage sprite;
public SpaceShip() throws IOException {
URL backgroundUrl = new URL(BACKGROUND_PATH);
URL spriteUrl = new URL(SPRITE_PATH);
background = ImageIO.read(backgroundUrl);
sprite = ImageIO.read(spriteUrl);
MouseAdapter myMouseAdapter = new MouseAdapter() {
public void mousePressed(MouseEvent evt) {
moveIt(evt);
count = count + 1;
}
#Override
public void mouseDragged(MouseEvent evt) {
moveIt(evt);
}
};
addMouseListener(myMouseAdapter);
addMouseMotionListener(myMouseAdapter);
}
#Override
public Dimension getPreferredSize() {
if (background != null) {
return new Dimension(background.getWidth(), background.getHeight());
}
return super.getPreferredSize();
}
public void moveIt(MouseEvent evt) {
myY = evt.getY() - sprite.getHeight() / 2;
myX = evt.getX() - sprite.getWidth() / 2;
repaint();
}
#Override
protected void paintComponent(Graphics g) {
super.paintComponent(g);
font1 = new Font("Serif", Font.BOLD, 36);
g.drawImage(background, 0, 0, this);
g.drawImage(sprite, myX, myY, this);
g.setColor(Color.yellow);
int rectCount = 10;
int height = getHeight() / rectCount;
int width = 272;
int x = getWidth() - width;
for (int i = 0; i < rectCount; i++) {
int y = i * height;
g.drawRect(x, y, width, height);
}
g.setFont(font1);
g.drawString(Integer.toString(count), 500, 100);
}
public static void main(String[] args) {
JFrame frame = new JFrame("Basic Game");
frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.DISPOSE_ON_CLOSE);
SpaceShip ex;
try {
ex = new SpaceShip();
frame.getContentPane().add(ex);
frame.pack();
frame.setResizable(false);
frame.setVisible(true);
ex.requestFocus();
} catch (IOException e) {
e.printStackTrace();
}
}
}

Java simple paint code not working

I have this simple paint code that should draw but instead it moves the oval around the panel.
When I remove super.paintComponent(g) line the program works it paints and not just move the oval, but I keep reading that we should not remove this line, so what can I do to leave the line in but still get the desired results?
class OraclePaint extends JFrame {
public static void main(String[] args) {
OraclePaint ss = new OraclePaint();
ss.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
ss.add(new MyPanel());
ss.setSize(250, 200);
ss.setVisible(true);
}
}
class MyPanel extends JPanel {
private int x = -10, y = -10;
public MyPanel() {
addMouseMotionListener(new MouseMotionAdapter() {
public void mouseDragged(MouseEvent event) {
x = event.getX();
y = event.getY();
repaint();
}
}); // end call to addMouseMotionListener
}
public void paintComponent(Graphics g) {
super.paintComponent(g);
g.fillOval(x, y, 22, 22);
}
}

Based on the description, I assume that you want something like "a simple paint program".
It is correct to invoke super.paintComponent(g) as the first line of an overridden paintComponent. And it is true that this erases the background (that is, everything that was painted before will be deleted).
In Swing, everything that you want to paint has to be painted in the paintComponent method (or in any method that is called from there, and receives the same Graphics object).
If you want to "save" everything that you have painted, you have to paint everything into an image (that is, into a BufferedImage), and paint this image in your paintComponent method.
There are some other issues with the code, but without changing too much of the remaining code, this could roughly (!) be achieved like this:
import java.awt.Color;
import java.awt.Graphics;
import java.awt.event.MouseEvent;
import java.awt.event.MouseMotionAdapter;
import java.awt.image.BufferedImage;
import javax.swing.JFrame;
import javax.swing.JPanel;
class OraclePaint extends JFrame {
public static void main(String[] args) {
OraclePaint ss = new OraclePaint();
ss.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
ss.add(new MyPanel());
ss.setSize(250, 200);
ss.setVisible(true);
}
}
class MyPanel extends JPanel {
private BufferedImage image = null;
public MyPanel() {
addMouseMotionListener(new MouseMotionAdapter() {
#Override
public void mouseDragged(MouseEvent event) {
if (image != null) {
// Paint into the image
Graphics g = image.getGraphics();
g.setColor(Color.BLACK);
g.fillOval(event.getX(), event.getY(), 22, 22);
g.dispose();
repaint();
}
}
}); // end call to addMouseMotionListener
}
// Make sure that the image is not 'null' and that
// it has the same size as this panel
private void validateImage()
{
if (image == null)
{
image = new BufferedImage(getWidth(), getHeight(),
BufferedImage.TYPE_INT_ARGB);
}
if (image.getWidth() != getWidth() || image.getHeight() != getHeight())
{
BufferedImage newImage = new BufferedImage(getWidth(), getHeight(),
BufferedImage.TYPE_INT_ARGB);
Graphics g = newImage.getGraphics();
g.drawImage(image, 0, 0, null);
g.dispose();
image = newImage;
}
}
#Override
public void paintComponent(Graphics g) {
super.paintComponent(g);
validateImage();
g.drawImage(image, 0, 0, null);
}
}

change your MyPanel to this:
class MyPanel extends JPanel
{
private int x2 = 0, y2 = 0;
private int x1 = 0, y1 = 0;
public MyPanel()
{
addMouseMotionListener(new MouseMotionAdapter()
{
public void mouseDragged( MouseEvent event )
{
x2 = event.getX();
y2 = event.getY();
repaint();
}
}
); // end call to addMouseMotionListener
addMouseListener(new MouseListener() {
#Override
public void mousePressed(MouseEvent e) {
x1 = e.getX();
y1 = e.getY();
}
});
}
public void paintComponent(Graphics g)
{
super.paintComponent(g);
g.fillOval(x1, y1, x2, y2);
}
}

How build personal JFrame from a PNG picture

I try to build my personal JFrame from a PNG picture. But there is different behavior between Mac OSX 10.8 and Windows 7. (I have to use JDK 6)
Here is my code :
[...]
public Fenetre()
{
this.setLocationRelativeTo(null);
this.setUndecorated(true);
this.setBackground(new Color(0,0,0,0));
try {
image = ImageIO.read(this.getClass().getResource("/Images/frame.png"));
} catch (IOException e) {
e.printStackTrace();
}
this.setSize(image.getWidth(),image.getHeight());
this.setLayout(null);
panel = new JPanel();
JButton quit = new JButton("Quitter");
panel.add(quit);
Dimension size = panel.getPreferredSize();
panel.setBounds(67, 45, size.width, size.height);
this.add(panel);
this.addMouseListener(this);
this.addMouseMotionListener(this);
this.setVisible(true);
}
public void paint(Graphics g) {
Graphics2D g2 =(Graphics2D) g;
g2.setComposite(AlphaComposite.getInstance(AlphaComposite.SRC)); // SRC_ATOP > Windows
g2.drawImage(image, 0, 0, this);
panel.update(panel.getGraphics());
}
[...]
The result on Mac OSX 10.8 (AlphaComposite = SRC) :
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/15/maczr.png/
Then, on Windows 7 (AlphaComposite = SRC_ATOP), at start up and when I move it, I can see :
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/16/windowsqu.jpg/
How do it ?

Your code is incomplete, but it seems to me like you are overriding the paint() method of a JFrame. You should never do this (unless you know what you doing and you invoke super.paint(..))!
If you want to display an image in the frame then either:
a) add a JLabel with an image to the frame
b) or do custom painting on a JPanel by overriding the paintComponent() method and then add the panel to the frame.

You are not honoring the paint chain
public void paint(Graphics g) {
// You must call super.paint somewhere here...
Graphics2D g2 =(Graphics2D) g;
g2.setComposite(AlphaComposite.getInstance(AlphaComposite.SRC)); // SRC_ATOP > Windows
g2.drawImage(image, 0, 0, this);
panel.update(panel.getGraphics());
}
You should NEVER call Component#update.
panel.update(panel.getGraphics());
This is called on you behalf by the repaint manager, which calls paint.
paint calls paintComponent, paintBorder and paintChildren failing to honor the paint chain means that not of these methods are been called and they are very important
As camickr has pointed out, you should never need to overrride the paint method of a top level container, like JFrame.
Instead, create a custom component that is capable of performing you painting for you and set it as the frames content pane...
this.setLocationRelativeTo(null);
this.setUndecorated(true);
this.setBackground(new Color(0,0,0,0));
setContentPane(new FancyPaintPane());
pack();
And the FancyPaintPane
public class FancyPaintPane extends JPanel {
private BufferedImage image;
public FancyPaintPane() {
try {
image = ImageIO.read(this.getClass().getResource("/Images/frame.png"));
} catch (IOException e) {
e.printStackTrace();
}
setOpaque(false);
}
#Override
public Dimension getPreferredSize() {
return new Dimension(image.getWidth(), image.getHeight());
}
#Override
protected void paintComponent(Graphics g) {
super.paintComponent(g); //To change body of generated methods, choose Tools | Templates.
Graphics2D g2 = (Graphics2D) g.create();
g2.setComposite(AlphaComposite.getInstance(AlphaComposite.SRC)); // SRC_ATOP > Windows
g2.drawImage(image, 0, 0, this);
g2.dispose();
}
}
You should also never modify a Graphics context without reverting it. These are shared resources across all components within the same top level container. A better approach is to create a copy which you can manipulate and dispose of when you're done...
You are also trying to show a component with transparent elements without first marking the component as transparent. This can produce nasty paint artifacts. You should call JComponent#setOpaque passing it a false value.
I would also strongly discourage you from using null layouts. They have a nasty habit of coming back and biting you.
Updated with simple example
public class CirclePaneTest {
public static void main(String[] args) {
new CirclePaneTest();
}
public CirclePaneTest() {
EventQueue.invokeLater(new Runnable() {
#Override
public void run() {
try {
UIManager.setLookAndFeel(UIManager.getSystemLookAndFeelClassName());
} catch (Exception ex) {
}
CirclePane circlePane = new CirclePane();
circlePane.setLayout(new BorderLayout());
circlePane.addMouseListener(new MouseAdapter() {
#Override
public void mouseClicked(MouseEvent e) {
if (e.getClickCount() == 2) {
System.exit(0);
}
}
});
JLabel label = new JLabel("Look Ma, I'm a circle");
label.setHorizontalAlignment(JLabel.CENTER);
label.setVerticalAlignment(JLabel.CENTER);
JFrame frame = new JFrame("Test");
frame.setUndecorated(true);
frame.setBackground(new Color(0, 0, 0, 0));
frame.setContentPane(circlePane);
frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
frame.add(label);
frame.pack();
frame.setLocationRelativeTo(null);
frame.setVisible(true);
}
});
}
public class CirclePane extends JPanel {
public CirclePane() {
setOpaque(false);
}
#Override
public Dimension getPreferredSize() {
return new Dimension(200, 200);
}
protected int getRadius() {
return Math.min(getWidth(), getHeight()) - 1;
}
#Override
public Insets getInsets() {
int radius = getRadius();
int xOffset = (getWidth() - radius) / 2;
int yOffset = (getHeight() - radius) / 2;
Insets insets = new Insets(
radius / 6,
radius / 6,
radius / 6,
radius / 6);
return insets;
}
#Override
protected void paintComponent(Graphics g) {
super.paintComponent(g);
int radius = getRadius();
int xOffset = (getWidth() - radius) / 2;
int yOffset = (getHeight() - radius) / 2;
Graphics2D g2d = (Graphics2D) g.create();
g2d.setRenderingHint(RenderingHints.KEY_ANTIALIASING, RenderingHints.VALUE_ANTIALIAS_ON);
g2d.setColor(getBackground());
g2d.fillOval(xOffset, yOffset, radius, radius);
g2d.setColor(Color.GRAY);
g2d.drawOval(xOffset, yOffset, radius, radius);
g2d.dispose();
}
}
}
Updated with code for Java 7
The following code should be used to set up the frame to be transparent under Java 6.
JFrame frame = new JFrame("Test");
frame.setAlwaysOnTop(true);
frame.setUndecorated(true);
try {
Class<?> awtUtilsClass = Class.forName("com.sun.awt.AWTUtilities");
if (awtUtilsClass != null) {
Method method = awtUtilsClass.getMethod("setWindowOpaque", Window.class, boolean.class);
method.invoke(null, frame, false);
}
} catch (Exception exp) {
}
//frame.setBackground(new Color(0, 0, 0, 0));
frame.setContentPane(circlePane);

Component not visible in JPanel

I have JPanel in a container of a JFrame called Box
public Box(){
add(new Ball());
}
public void paint(Graphics g){
g.setColor(Color.WHITE);
g.fillRect(OFFSET, OFFSET, WIDTH, HEIGHT);
g.setColor(Color.BLACK);
g.drawRect(OFFSET, OFFSET, WIDTH, HEIGHT);
}
Ball extends Component and draws a ball
public class Ball extends Component{
...
public void paint(Graphics g){
g.setColor(Color.BLACK);
g.fillOval(xCoord, yCoord, radius, radius);
}
...
}
When I add a Box with a Ball to the container I can only ever see the Box. If I just add a Ball I can see the Ball.
Does anyone know why the Ball is not visible when added to a Box?

In addition to overriding paintComponent, use a LayoutManager to set bounds automatically. For testing purposes, you can set the LayoutManager of the Box instance to null and use setBounds on the Ball instance.

Do not mix heavyweight and lightweight components. You should be extending JComponent instead.
You should be overriding paintComponent(), not paint().
Does Ball have a size? If you haven't supplied Ball with a Dimension, it won't be visible.

In Swing, you should normally never override the paint method. Use paintComponent instead.

there are three possible mistake
1/ simpliest paint by using JLabel
2/ timing by javax.swing.Timer
3/ paintComponents instead of paint (for AWT Compoents and painting DefaultXxxUI)
and put that together, for example
import java.awt.*;
import java.awt.event.*;
import javax.swing.*;
public class AnimationJPanel extends JPanel {
private static final long serialVersionUID = 1L;
private int cx = 0;
private int cy = 150;
private int cw = 20;
private int ch = 20;
private int xinc = 1;
private int yinc = 1;
public static void main(String[] args) {
EventQueue.invokeLater(new Runnable() {
#Override
public void run() {
AnimationJPanel panel = new AnimationJPanel();
panel.setPreferredSize(new Dimension(400, 300));
panel.animate();
JFrame frame = new JFrame("Test");
frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.DISPOSE_ON_CLOSE);
frame.getContentPane().add(panel);
frame.pack();
frame.setLocationRelativeTo(null);
frame.setVisible(true);
}
});
}
public AnimationJPanel() {
setLayout(new BorderLayout());
JLabel label = new JLabel("This is an AnimationJPanel");
label.setForeground(Color.RED);
label.setHorizontalAlignment(SwingConstants.CENTER);
add(label);
setBackground(Color.BLACK);
setForeground(Color.RED);
setOpaque(true);
}
public void animate() {
new Timer(15, new ActionListener() {
#Override
public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {
Rectangle oldCircle = new Rectangle(cx - 1, cy - 1, cw + 2, ch + 2);
cx += xinc;
cy += yinc;
if (cx >= getWidth() - cw || cx <= 0) {
xinc *= -1;
}
if (cy >= getHeight() - ch || cy <= 0) {
yinc *= -1;
}
repaint(oldCircle);
repaint(cx - 1, cy - 1, cw + 2, ch + 2);
}
}).start();
}
#Override
public void paintComponent(Graphics g) {
super.paintComponent(g);
g.drawOval(cx, cy, cw, ch);
}
}