Develop Reference

Why can´t I click on the JButtons?

Hey I am a beginner and I have wrote the following code in java, but I can´t click on the JButtons. The program includes three clases - Main, Frame and Actionhandler. My goal was to create a Frame with two buttons: Singleplayer and Mulitplayer. I wanted to test if they work, but I can´t click them. Can anyone help me please?
This is the Main class:
public class Main {
public static void main (String [] args) {
new Frame ();
}
}
This is the Frame class:
import java.awt.Color;
import java.awt.Font;
import java.awt.GridLayout;
import javax.swing.BorderFactory;
import javax.swing.JButton;
import javax.swing.JFrame;
public class Frame extends JFrame {
public static Object multi;
public static Object single;
Frame() {
// Frame
this.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
this.setExtendedState(JFrame.MAXIMIZED_BOTH);
this.setLocationRelativeTo(null);
//Layout in Frame
this.setLayout(new GridLayout(2,1));
this.setVisible(true);
// Buttons in Main Menu
JButton single = new JButton("Singleplayer");
JButton multi = new JButton("Multiplayer");
// specify single button
single.setBounds(200,100,250,80);
single.setForeground(Color.GREEN);
single.setBackground(Color.LIGHT_GRAY);
single.setOpaque(true);
single.setBorder(BorderFactory.createLineBorder(Color.BLACK));
single.setFont(new Font("Comic Sans",Font.BOLD,25));
single.addActionListener(new ActionHandler());
//specify multi button
multi.setBounds(800,100,250,80);
multi.setForeground(Color.GREEN);
multi.setBackground(Color.GRAY);
multi.setOpaque(true);
multi.setFont(new Font("Comic Sans",Font.BOLD,25));
multi.setBorder(BorderFactory.createLineBorder(Color.BLACK));
multi.addActionListener(new ActionHandler());
// add Buttons to Frame
this.add(single);
this.add(multi);
}
}
This is the ActionHandler class:
import java.awt.event.ActionEvent;
import java.awt.event.ActionListener;
public class ActionHandler implements ActionListener{
#Override
public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {
if(e.getSource() == Frame.multi) {
System.out.println("You have clicked on Singleplayer");
if(e.getSource() == Frame.single) {
System.out.println("You have clicked on Multiplayer");
}
}};
}

You can click on the buttons fine. They just won't do anything because of how you've wired the program:
public class Frame extends JFrame {
public static Object multi; // this is null
public static Object single; // and so is this
Frame() {
// Frame
this.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
this.setExtendedState(JFrame.MAXIMIZED_BOTH);
this.setLocationRelativeTo(null);
//Layout in Frame
this.setLayout(new GridLayout(2,1));
this.setVisible(true);
// Buttons in Main Menu
JButton single = new JButton("Singleplayer"); // this is a new *local* variable
JButton multi = new JButton("Multiplayer"); // and so is this:
You are initializing local variables that have the same name as your static class fields, and you're leaving the same static class fields null, a situation known as "variable shadowing", and so in your listeners, you check if the source is the null static field. Which won't work.
So in your listener:
public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {
if(e.getSource() == Frame.multi) {
You're testing if a null variable is the button that was pressed, and this will not work.
One simple solution is to not re-declare the multi and single variables, to assign your JButtons to these public static fields by changing this:
JButton single = new JButton("Singleplayer");
JButton multi = new JButton("Multiplayer");
to this:
single = new JButton("Singleplayer");
multi = new JButton("Multiplayer");
This would sort-of work. You'd have do do some casting to add these JButton objects to the container since the variables are Object, not JButton. But this would be a bad idea because you'd be throwing out the OOPs baby with the bathwater, discarding encapsulation completely.
Best not to throw out OOPs rules with public static (non-constant) fields and instead work with them. Better to use constant Strings to be passed into your JButtons and then test for them using the ActionEvent's actionCommand property:
public class Frame extends JFrame {
public static String SINGLE_PLAYER = "Single Player";
public static String MULTI_PLAYER = "Multi Player";
Frame() {
// Frame
this.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
this.setExtendedState(JFrame.MAXIMIZED_BOTH);
this.setLocationRelativeTo(null);
//Layout in Frame
this.setLayout(new GridLayout(2,1));
this.setVisible(true);
// Buttons in Main Menu
JButton single = new JButton(SINGLE_PLAYER); // this is a new *local* variable
JButton multi = new JButton(MULTI_PLAYER); // and so is this:
in the listener:
import java.awt.event.ActionEvent;
import java.awt.event.ActionListener;
public class ActionHandler implements ActionListener{
#Override
public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {
if(e.getActionCommand().equals(Frame.MULTI_PLAYER)) {
System.out.println("You have clicked on Multi Player");
} else {
// ...
}
}};
}
Other problems with your code include:
Don't name your class Frame since this clashes with the name of class in the core Java library, java.awt.Frame. Name it something unique to avoid confusion
Avoid setting bounds, sizes and such. Let the GUI, its layout managers and component preferred sizes do the sizing by calling pack() on the top-level window (JFrame, JDialog,...) after adding components
Call .setVisible(true) on the top-level window after adding all components.
This looks like it will display as a sub-window or dialog window, and you might want to show this portion of the GUI in a modal JDialog, not in a JFrame.

How to call a panel from a button with ActionListener

So I'm making a simple program that jumps from panel to panel and am using an actionlistener Button to make the jump. What kind of method or operation do I use to jump from panel to panel?
I tried to use setVisible(true); under the action listener, but I get just a blanks screen. Tried using setContentPane(differentPanel); but that doesn't work.
ackage Com.conebind.Characters;
import Com.conebind.Tech.TechA16;
import Com.conebind.Overviews.OverviewA16;
import javax.swing.JFrame;
import javax.swing.JPanel;
import javax.swing.JLabel;
import javax.swing.*;
import java.awt.*;
import java.awt.event.ActionEvent;
import java.awt.event.ActionListener;
public class Char_A16 extends JFrame {
private JButton combosButton16;
private JButton techButton16;
private JButton overviewButton16;
private JLabel Image16;
private JPanel panel16;
private JPanel panelOverviewA16;
public Char_A16() {
overviewButton16.addActionListener(new ActionListener() {
#Override
public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {
OverviewA16 overview16 = new OverviewA16();
overview16.setVisible(true);
overview16.pack();
overview16.setContentPane(new Char_A16().panelOverviewA16);
}
});
techButton16.addActionListener(new ActionListener() {
#Override
public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {
//Todo
}
});
}
private void createUIComponents(){
Image16 = new JLabel(new ImageIcon("Android 16.png"));
}
public static void main (String[] args){
JFrame frame = new JFrame("Android 16");
frame.setContentPane(new Char_A16().panel16);
frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
frame.pack();
frame.setVisible(true);}
}
The setContentPane(OverviewA16) doesn't work because there's not an object that defines the panel.

Please check this demo project showing how to use CardLayout with IntelliJ IDEA GUI Designer.
The main form has a method that switches between 2 forms displayed inside it:
public void showPanel(String id) {
final CardLayout cl = (CardLayout) cardPanel.getLayout();
cl.show(cardPanel, id);
}
Both forms are added to the card layout during the main form initialization:
FormOne one = new FormOne();
one.setParentForm(this);
cardPanel.add(one.getPanel(), FORM_ONE);
FormTwo two = new FormTwo();
two.setParentForm(this);
cardPanel.add(two.getPanel(), FORM_TWO);
final CardLayout cl = (CardLayout) cardPanel.getLayout();
cl.show(cardPanel, FORM_ONE);
A reference to the main parent form is passed to these 2 forms using setParentForm() method so that FormOne and FormTwo classes can access the showPanel() method of the MainForm.
In a more basic case you may have a button or some other control that switches the forms
located directly on the MainForm, then you may not need passing the main form reference to the subforms, but it can be still useful depending on your app logic.

Change attribute in other jframe when a button is clicked in another JFrame

I have 2 jframes, 1 is kinda like the main menu, i want an attribute to change in the level jframe when a button is pressed so i tried:
SpeelVeld frame = new SpeelVeld();
frame.level = 1;
System.out.println(frame.level);
I used the sout to see what really happens because it wasnt working, but i see that the level goes from 0 to 1 back to 0 and goes on and on, does someone know why and how to fix?
SpeelVeld frame = new SpeelVeld();
frame.setBounds(0,0,519,591);
frame.setLocationRelativeTo(null);
frame.getContentPane().setBackground(Color.WHITE);
frame.setTitle("RWINA");
frame.setVisible(true);
frame.setLevel(1);
this is in the main method of my original GameProject file.
How can i make a jdialog

I have 2 jframes, 1 is kinda like the main menu,
You shouldn't use 2 JFrames for this. The dependent sub-window, likely your main menu window, should in fact be a JDialog, probably a non-modal dialog from the looks of it.
I want an attribute to change in the level jframe when a button is pressed so i tried:
SpeelVeld frame = new SpeelVeld();
frame.level = 1;
System.out.println(frame.level);
and here's a big problem. Understand that in this code, you're creating a new SpeelVeld object, the stress being on the word new. Changing the state of this object will have no effect on the other SeelVeld object that is currently being displayed. Do do that, your second window will need a valid reference to the displayed SeelVeld object. How to do this will depend all on code not yet shown, but often it can be done simply by passing in the displayed SpeelVeld object into the main menu object by use of a constructor parameter or setter method.
For example:
import java.awt.Dialog.ModalityType;
import javax.swing.*;
import javax.swing.event.ChangeEvent;
import javax.swing.event.ChangeListener;
// JPanel for our main GUI
public class SpeelVeldFoo {
private static void createAndShowGui() {
// JPanel used by the main JFrame
SpeelVeldPanel speelVeldPanel = new SpeelVeldPanel();
// JPanel used by the main menu JDialog. Pass the above into it
MainMenuPanel mainMenuPanel = new MainMenuPanel(speelVeldPanel);
// create your JFrame
JFrame frame = new JFrame("Speel Veld");
frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.DISPOSE_ON_CLOSE);
frame.getContentPane().add(speelVeldPanel); // add the JPanel
frame.pack();
frame.setLocationByPlatform(true);
frame.setVisible(true);
// create your non-modal JDialog
JDialog menuDialog = new JDialog(frame, "Main Menu", ModalityType.MODELESS);
menuDialog.add(mainMenuPanel); // add the JPanel that holds its "guts"
menuDialog.pack();
menuDialog.setLocationByPlatform(true);
menuDialog.setVisible(true);
}
public static void main(String[] args) {
SwingUtilities.invokeLater(() -> {
createAndShowGui();
});
}
}
#SuppressWarnings("serial")
class SpeelVeldPanel extends JPanel {
private int level = 1; // simple example just has a level int
private JLabel levelLabel = new JLabel("1"); // and displays it in a JLabel
public SpeelVeldPanel() {
add(new JLabel("Level:"));
add(levelLabel);
int ebGap = 50;
setBorder(BorderFactory.createEmptyBorder(ebGap, 2 * ebGap, ebGap, 2 * ebGap));
}
public int getLevel() {
return level;
}
public void setLevel(int level) {
// whenever level is changed, update the display
this.level = level;
levelLabel.setText(String.valueOf(level));
}
}
// class for the JPanel held by the JDialog
#SuppressWarnings("serial")
class MainMenuPanel extends JPanel {
private JSpinner levelSpinner = new JSpinner(new SpinnerNumberModel(1, 1, 5, 1));
private SpeelVeldPanel speelVeldPanel = null; // reference to the main GUI
// note the parameter.... you pass in the displayed main GUI so you can
// change it
public MainMenuPanel(final SpeelVeldPanel speelVeldPanel) {
this.speelVeldPanel = speelVeldPanel; // set the field
// respond when the spinner's data changes
levelSpinner.addChangeListener(new LevelListener());
add(new JLabel("Set the Speel Veld's level:"));
add(levelSpinner);
int ebGap = 10;
setBorder(BorderFactory.createEmptyBorder(ebGap, ebGap, ebGap, ebGap));
}
private class LevelListener implements ChangeListener {
#Override
public void stateChanged(ChangeEvent e) {
// when the spinner's data changes
int level = (int) levelSpinner.getValue(); // get the data
speelVeldPanel.setLevel(level); // and send it to the main GUI
}
}
}
You'll note that I don't like extending JFrame or JDialog if I can avoid it. My feeling is that one can paint oneself into a corner by having your class extend JFrame, forcing you to create and display JFrames, when often more flexibility is called for. More commonly your GUI classes will be geared towards creating JPanels, which can then be placed into JFrames or JDialogs, or JTabbedPanes, or swapped via CardLayouts, wherever needed. This will greatly increase the flexibility of your GUI coding.

You probably want the JFrame to be the top-level container, then have a JPanel that holds your menu. The menu could be whatever you want, I'm using a JTextArea. Then, you need a JButton for the JPanel or JFrame that when pressed, changes the text in the JTextArea. Here is an implementation that you could work from. I'm using the ActionEvent as the trigger for when to mess with the JTextArea:
import java.awt.event.ActionEvent;
import java.awt.event.ActionListener;
import javax.swing.JButton;
import javax.swing.JFrame;
import javax.swing.JPanel;
import javax.swing.JTextArea;
public class SimpleSwing {
public static void main(String[] args) {
JFrame mainFrame = new JFrame();
JPanel mainMenuPanel = new JPanel();
JTextArea textAttribute = new JTextArea("Original Text");
JButton changeAttributeButton = new JButton("Change Attribute");
changeAttributeButton.addActionListener(new ActionListener() {
#Override
public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {
textAttribute.setText("Whatever new text you want");
}
});
mainMenuPanel.add(textAttribute);
mainMenuPanel.add(changeAttributeButton);
mainFrame.add(mainMenuPanel);
mainFrame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
mainFrame.setSize(500, 500);
mainFrame.setVisible(true);
}
}

Java - Close Window on Event

people of the internet.
I want to have a sort of start screen for a game ive been writing. Thus far it features 4 Buttons for each one of the 4 Players that change color on click from red to green and vice versa representing their individual "ready"-status if that makes sense. I used JFrame and JButtons.
Now i want that window to close if every one of those Buttons is currently set to "ready" aka button.getBackground() == Color.GREEN.
Any suggestions as to which EventListeners to use for this/implementation tips/code snippets would be greatly appreciated since my research on Windowclosing on Event didnt bring up much for me.
Thank you in advance and Greetings.

Since you're awaiting and acting on button presses, the most logical listener would be an ActionListener.
Consider making the buttons JToggleButtons, and then in your listener querying each button to see if it is selected (isSelected()) and if so, launch your program. As a side bit, I'd consider making the intro window a JDialog and not a JFrame, either that or making it a JPanel and swapping it out via a CardLayout when necessary.
For example:
import java.awt.Color;
import java.awt.Dialog.ModalityType;
import java.awt.Dimension;
import java.awt.Window;
import java.awt.event.ActionEvent;
import java.awt.event.ActionListener;
import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.util.List;
import javax.swing.*;
public class AreWeReady extends JPanel {
List<AbstractButton> buttons = new ArrayList<>();
private int userCount;
public AreWeReady(int userCount) {
this.userCount = userCount;
ButtonListener buttonListener = new ButtonListener();
for (int i = 0; i < userCount; i++) {
JButton btn = new JButton("User " + (i + 1));
buttons.add(btn);
btn.addActionListener(buttonListener);
add(btn);
}
}
private class ButtonListener implements ActionListener {
#Override
public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {
AbstractButton btn = (AbstractButton) e.getSource();
Color c = Color.GREEN.equals(btn.getBackground()) ? null : Color.GREEN;
btn.setBackground(c);
for (AbstractButton button : buttons) {
if (!Color.GREEN.equals(button.getBackground())) {
// if any button does not have a green background
return; // leave this method
}
}
// otherwise if all are green, we're here
Window win = SwingUtilities.getWindowAncestor(btn);
win.dispose();
// else launch your gui
}
}
private static void createAndShowGui() {
int userCount = 4;
AreWeReady areWeReadyPanel = new AreWeReady(userCount);
JFrame frame = new JFrame("Main Application");
frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.DISPOSE_ON_CLOSE);
frame.getContentPane().add(Box.createRigidArea(new Dimension(400, 300)));
frame.pack();
frame.setLocationByPlatform(true);
JDialog dialog = new JDialog(frame, "Are We Ready?", ModalityType.APPLICATION_MODAL);
dialog.add(areWeReadyPanel);
dialog.pack();
dialog.setLocationByPlatform(true);
dialog.setVisible(true);
// this is only reached when the modal dialog above is no longer visible
frame.setVisible(true);
}
public static void main(String[] args) {
SwingUtilities.invokeLater(new Runnable() {
public void run() {
createAndShowGui();
}
});
}
}

How to reference JFrame

I have a problem which is most likely "simple" however I can't figure it out. I am trying to reference my current JFrame so that I can dispose of it, and create a new one, thus "resetting" the program, however I and having trouble figuring out how to reference the JFrame, I have tried, super, this and getParent(), but none of the seem to work. Thanks for any / all help. ^^
Here is my code:
Main Class, just sets up the Jframe and calls the class that creates everything:
public static void main(String args[]) {
JFrame window = new JFrame();
Director director = new Director(window, args);
window.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
window.setLocationRelativeTo(null);
window.pack();
window.setVisible(true);
}
}
Class the creates everything:
import java.awt.Color;
import java.awt.BorderLayout;
import java.awt.GridLayout;
import java.awt.event.ActionEvent;
import java.awt.event.ActionListener;
import javax.swing.ButtonGroup;
import javax.swing.JButton;
import javax.swing.JComponent;
import javax.swing.JFrame;
import javax.swing.JLabel;
import javax.swing.JPanel;
import javax.swing.JRadioButton;
public class Director extends JFrame implements CollisionListener {
private BrickWall wall;
private JLabel gameTitle, gameScore, gameLives;
private JPanel controlPanel;
private JButton reset, quit;
private JRadioButton hard, normal, easy;
private int score = 6, lives = 5;
private ButtonGroup difficulty;
public Director(JFrame window, String[] args) {
window.getContentPane().add(makeGamePanel(), BorderLayout.CENTER);
window.getContentPane().add(gameControlPanel(), BorderLayout.NORTH);
}
public void collisionDetected(CollisionEvent e) {
wall.setBrick(e.getRow(), e.getColumn(), null);
}
private JComponent makeGamePanel() {
wall = new BrickWall();
wall.addCollisionListener(this);
wall.buildWall(3, 6, 1, wall.getColumns(), Color.GRAY);
return wall;
}
// Reset method I'm trying to dispose of the JFrame in.
private void reset() {
JFrame frame = new JFrame();
frame.getContentPane().add(makeGamePanel(), BorderLayout.CENTER);
frame.getContentPane().add(gameControlPanel(), BorderLayout.NORTH);
frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
frame.pack();
frame.setVisible(true);
}
private JComponent gameControlPanel() {
// CONTROL PANEL PANEL!
controlPanel = new JPanel();
gameTitle = new JLabel("Brickles");
gameScore = new JLabel("Score:" + " " + score);
gameLives = new JLabel("Lives:" + " " + lives);
reset = new JButton("Reset");
quit = new JButton("Quit");
hard = new JRadioButton("Hard", false);
normal = new JRadioButton("Normal", true);
easy = new JRadioButton("Easy", false);
difficulty = new ButtonGroup();
difficulty.add(hard);
difficulty.add(normal);
difficulty.add(easy);
controlPanel.setLayout(new GridLayout(4, 2));
controlPanel.add(gameTitle);
controlPanel.add(gameScore);
controlPanel.add(hard);
controlPanel.add(gameLives);
controlPanel.add(normal);
controlPanel.add(reset);
controlPanel.add(easy);
controlPanel.add(quit);
// Action Listener, where I'm caling the reset method.
reset.addActionListener(new ActionListener() {
public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {
reset();
}
});
return controlPanel;
}
}

You can refer to the "outer this" from a nested class with the following syntax:
reset.addActionListener(new ActionListener() {
public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {
Director.this.reset();
}
});

Yes, you can refer to the outer class by specifying it with the class name as noted in DSquare's good answer (1+ to it), but I urge you not to fling JFrame's at the user as you're program is trying to do. I recommend:
Instead of opening and closing multiple JFrames, use only one JFrame as the main application's window.
If you need helper windows, such as modal windows to get critical information that is absolutely needed, before the program can progress, use modal dialogs such as JDialogs or JOptionPanes.
If you need to swap GUI's, instead of swapping JFrames, swap "views" inside the JFrame via a CardLayout.
Gear your code towards creating these JPanel views and not JFrames as it will make your Swing GUI's much more flexible and portable.