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How do you create a gradient for JPanel? Also, how do you call a class within a class in Java?

I am making a Java GUI and I have searched the internet for 2 hours on how make a gradient for a JPanel. The code below is that I have, but when run the gradient does not show. What is wrong?
I've tried many other posts from similar questions on this throughout the Internet but they don't work. I've tried numerous versions, but I also don't exactly know how to run a class within a class. Can someone help me please?
class TestPanel extends JPanel{
#Override
protected void paintComponent(Graphics g) {
super.paintComponent(g);
Graphics2D g2d = (Graphics2D) g;
g2d.setRenderingHint(RenderingHints.KEY_RENDERING, RenderingHints.VALUE_RENDER_QUALITY);
int w = getWidth();
int h = getHeight();
Color color1 = Color.BLUE;
Color color2 = Color.GREEN;
GradientPaint gp = new GradientPaint(0, 0, color1, 0, h, color2);
g2d.setPaint(gp);
g2d.fillRect(0, 0, w, h);
}
} //this is nested within the main class
//some code
public static void main(String[] args) {
SwingUtilities.invokeLater(new Runnable() {
#Override
public void run() {
CreateGUI cg = new CreateGUI();
cg.create(); //previous method (not mentioned here)
CreateGUI.TestPanel tp = cg.new TestPanel(); //problem
JPanel panel = new JPanel();
f.add(panel);
f.setSize(800, 600);
f.setLocationRelativeTo(null);
f.getContentPane().setLayout(null);
f.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
f.setVisible(true);
}
});
}
I expect there to be a gradient but there is none; the background of the JPanel is still white

The instance of TestPanel is never added to anything
null layouts will prevent the component from been sized and positioned, so you won't see anything even if your did the previous step
You should, unless you're adding child components to it, provide a sizing hint, so that the layout managers have something to work with.
For example:
import java.awt.Color;
import java.awt.Dimension;
import java.awt.EventQueue;
import java.awt.GradientPaint;
import java.awt.Graphics;
import java.awt.Graphics2D;
import java.awt.RenderingHints;
import javax.swing.JFrame;
import javax.swing.JPanel;
public class Test {
public static void main(String[] args) {
new Test();
}
public Test() {
EventQueue.invokeLater(new Runnable() {
#Override
public void run() {
JFrame frame = new JFrame();
frame.add(new TestPanel());
frame.pack();
frame.setLocationRelativeTo(null);
frame.setVisible(true);
}
});
}
class TestPanel extends JPanel {
#Override
public Dimension getPreferredSize() {
return new Dimension(200, 200);
}
#Override
protected void paintComponent(Graphics g) {
super.paintComponent(g);
Graphics2D g2d = (Graphics2D) g.create();
g2d.setRenderingHint(RenderingHints.KEY_RENDERING, RenderingHints.VALUE_RENDER_QUALITY);
int w = getWidth();
int h = getHeight();
Color color1 = Color.BLUE;
Color color2 = Color.GREEN;
GradientPaint gp = new GradientPaint(0, 0, color1, 0, h, color2);
g2d.setPaint(gp);
g2d.fillRect(0, 0, w, h);
g2d.dispose();
}
}
}

Can I edit Java 2D components with Design view (Eclipse)?

Can I edit Java2D codes in Design view like swing and awt components?
For example this line drawings:
import java.awt.BasicStroke;
import java.awt.Graphics;
import java.awt.Graphics2D;
import javax.swing.JFrame;
import javax.swing.JPanel;
public class Tester extends JPanel {
public Tester() {
}
public void paint(Graphics g) {
super.paintComponent(g);
Graphics2D g2d = (Graphics2D) g;
float[] dash1 = { 2f, 0f, 2f };
g2d.drawLine(20, 40, 250, 40);
BasicStroke bs1 = new BasicStroke(1,
BasicStroke.CAP_BUTT,
BasicStroke.JOIN_ROUND,
1.0f,
dash1,
2f);
g2d.setStroke(bs1);
g2d.drawLine(20, 80, 250, 80);
}
public static void main(String[] args) {
Tester points = new Tester();
// Just frame settings
JFrame frame = new JFrame("Line");
frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
frame.getContentPane().add(points);
frame.setSize(300, 250);
frame.setLocationRelativeTo(null);
frame.setVisible(true);
}
}
The lines are not visible in the components or I can draw them only using code?
thanks

Why are Graphics2D rectangles not displayed?

I need to be able to display filled rectangles for the program i am creating, however the following code produces the following GUI with only the black text 'test' after calling start then change, could anyone explayin why please?
package core;
import java.awt.Color;
import java.awt.Graphics2D;
import javax.swing.JFrame;
#SuppressWarnings("serial")
public class GUI extends JFrame{
private Graphics2D g;
private int[][][] clickable;
public void start(){
this.setSize(500, 500);
this.setTitle("Placeholder");
this.setVisible(true);
g = (Graphics2D) this.getGraphics();
}
public void change(String[] fields, int type[], boolean forwards){
g.setColor(new Color(28,35,57));
g.drawRect(0, 0, 100, 100);
g.drawRect(50, 50, 150, 150);
g.fillRect(0, 0, 100, 100);
g.drawString("test", 300, 300);
}
}
And here is what it looks like ..

Drawing on Swing components (like JFrame) works only in onPaint event.
The event can be fired using repaint() method.
This event fires automatically when frame needs to be painted.
To implement this event behavior override paint() method.
import java.awt.Color;
import java.awt.Graphics;
import java.awt.Graphics2D;
import javax.swing.JFrame;
public class GUI extends JFrame{
private Graphics2D g;
public void start(){
this.setSize(500, 500);
this.setTitle("Placeholder");
this.setVisible(true);
}
public void change(){
g.setColor(new Color(28,35,57));
g.drawRect(0, 0, 100, 100);
g.drawRect(50, 50, 150, 150);
g.fillRect(0, 0, 100, 100);
g.drawString("test", 300, 300);
}
public void paint(Graphics g2d){
g = (Graphics2D) g2d;
change();
}
public static void main(String[] args){
GUI frame = new GUI();
frame.start();
}
}

Creating a JLabel with a Gradient

I'm new to Java and I'm trying to create a heading using a JLabel and for its fill to be a gradient. I cannot get it to work and I've been trying for a while. I've been grabbing bits of come from here and other websites and cannot seem to make this work, nor make sense of other peoples more complex code that does work. Here are my two classes so far:
import java.awt.Color;
import java.awt.Component;
import java.awt.Dimension;
import java.awt.Font;
import java.awt.Graphics;
import java.awt.Graphics2D;
import javax.swing.BorderFactory;
import javax.swing.BoxLayout;
import javax.swing.JFrame;
import javax.swing.JPanel;
import javax.swing.border.EtchedBorder;
public class Test {
public static void main(String[] args) {
new Test().setupGUI();
}
public void setupGUI() {
//set up frames and buttons etc.
JFrame theFrame = new JFrame ("Crystal Ball");
theFrame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
JPanel background = new JPanel();
background.setBackground(Color.BLUE);
background.setLayout(new BoxLayout(background, BoxLayout.PAGE_AXIS));
theFrame.setSize(500,1000);
DLabel heading = new DLabel("Guess a Number");
heading.setText("GUESS A NUMBER");
heading.setPreferredSize(new Dimension(theFrame.getWidth(),100));
heading.setFont(new Font("Serif", Font.PLAIN, 40));
heading.setAlignmentX(Component.CENTER_ALIGNMENT);
//heading.setBackground(Color.YELLOW);
heading.setBorder(BorderFactory.createEtchedBorder(EtchedBorder.RAISED));
background.add(heading);
theFrame.getContentPane().add(background);
theFrame.pack();
theFrame.setVisible(true);
//startGame();
}
}
import java.awt.Color;
import java.awt.Dimension;
import java.awt.GradientPaint;
import java.awt.Graphics;
import java.awt.Graphics2D;
import javax.swing.BorderFactory;
import javax.swing.JLabel;
public class DLabel extends JLabel
{
Dimension size = new Dimension(70, 80);
public DLabel(String name)
{
this.setPreferredSize(size);
this.setText(name);
this.setBorder(BorderFactory.createBevelBorder(TOP, Color.white, Color.black));
this.setOpaque(true);
}
public void paintComponent(Graphics g) {
// super.paintComponent(g); // *** commented
Graphics2D g2d = (Graphics2D) g;
Color color1 = Color.YELLOW;
Color color2 = color1.brighter();
int w = getWidth();
int h = getHeight();
GradientPaint gp = new GradientPaint(0, 0, color1, 0, h, color2);
g2d.setPaint(gp);
g2d.fillRect(0, 0, w, h);
super.paintComponent(g); // *** added
}
}

There is one little "trick" you can actually do, by leaving the label transparent, you can actually paint under the text by painting BEFORE you call super.paintComponent, for example...
import java.awt.Color;
import java.awt.EventQueue;
import java.awt.Graphics;
import java.awt.Graphics2D;
import java.awt.LinearGradientPaint;
import java.awt.Point;
import java.awt.Rectangle;
import javax.swing.JFrame;
import javax.swing.JLabel;
import javax.swing.UIManager;
import javax.swing.UnsupportedLookAndFeelException;
public class TestLabel101 {
public static void main(String[] args) {
new TestLabel101();
}
public TestLabel101() {
EventQueue.invokeLater(new Runnable() {
#Override
public void run() {
try {
UIManager.setLookAndFeel(UIManager.getSystemLookAndFeelClassName());
} catch (ClassNotFoundException | InstantiationException | IllegalAccessException | UnsupportedLookAndFeelException ex) {
ex.printStackTrace();
}
JFrame frame = new JFrame("Testing");
frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
frame.add(new TestPane());
frame.pack();
frame.setLocationRelativeTo(null);
frame.setVisible(true);
}
});
}
public class TestPane extends JLabel {
public TestPane() {
setText("Happy, Happy");
setForeground(Color.WHITE);
setHorizontalAlignment(CENTER);
}
#Override
protected void paintComponent(Graphics g) {
Graphics2D g2d = (Graphics2D) g.create();
LinearGradientPaint lgp = new LinearGradientPaint(
new Point(0, 0),
new Point(0, getHeight()),
new float[]{0.142f, 0.284f, 0.426f, 0.568f, 0.71f, 0.852f, 1f},
new Color[]{Color.PINK, Color.MAGENTA, Color.BLUE, Color.GREEN, Color.YELLOW, Color.ORANGE, Color.RED});
g2d.setPaint(lgp);
g2d.fill(new Rectangle(0, 0, getWidth(), getHeight()));
g2d.dispose();
super.paintComponent(g);
}
}
}
nb: I should point out that this process is inefficient, as the RepaintManager will still want to paint under the component
There is another trick, but my two year old daughter wants to check to see if Santa is here ;)
Updated
The other trick involves understanding how the paint process actually works. When you call super.paintComponent, it calls the update method on the ComponentUI (look and feel delegate), this is actually the method that fills the background if the component is opaque, this method then calls the look and feels delegate's paint method, which actually does the base painting...
We can circumvent the process slightly and instead of calling super.paintComponent, we can call the look and feels delegate's paint method directly...
public class TestPane extends JLabel {
public TestPane() {
setText("Happy, Happy");
setForeground(Color.WHITE);
setHorizontalAlignment(CENTER);
setOpaque(true);
}
#Override
protected void paintComponent(Graphics g) {
Graphics2D g2d = (Graphics2D) g.create();
LinearGradientPaint lgp = new LinearGradientPaint(
new Point(0, 0),
new Point(0, getHeight()),
new float[]{0.142f, 0.284f, 0.426f, 0.568f, 0.71f, 0.852f, 1f},
new Color[]{Color.PINK, Color.MAGENTA, Color.BLUE, Color.GREEN, Color.YELLOW, Color.ORANGE, Color.RED});
g2d.setPaint(lgp);
g2d.fill(new Rectangle(0, 0, getWidth(), getHeight()));
g2d.dispose();
getUI().paint(g, this);
}
}
This is more efficient then the previous example, as it doesn't require the RepaintManager to paint the area underneath this component, but it might not work with all look and feels

The problem is that you made the JLabel opaque, which means it will paint the background. So the call to super.paintComponent(...) over paints the gradient background. So get rid of:
//this.setOpaque(true);
Another problem with the code is that color1.brighter() doesn't work. Try something like:
Color color2 = Color.RED;
Also, You should not change the Graphics object, since that object is also used to paint other Swing components. Instead you should use g.create() to get a copy of the Graphics object. Make your changes to that object, do the painting and then dispose() the object.
So the (untested) code would be something like:
Graphics2D g2d = (Graphics2D)g.create();
...
g2d.fillRect(...);
g2d.dispose();
super.paintCompoenent(g);

You should set your gradientPaint object to your Graphics and then pass that into super.paintComponent
try this:
public void paintComponent(Graphics g) {
Graphics2D g2d = (Graphics2D) g;
Color color1 = Color.YELLOW;
Color color2 = color1.brighter();
int w = getWidth();
int h = getHeight();
GradientPaint gp = new GradientPaint(0, 0, color1, 0, h, color2);
g2d.setPaint(gp);
super.paintComponent(g2d);
}

Why is my image not filled with green?

i've seen a similar question, but i didn't get a proper solution, so here's my problem:
(Coloring an area of BufferedImage)
i'm creating a BufferedImage, then i grab the graphics from this image, i'll paint a green rectangle on it and let it show within a JPanel... but surprise - it's not green, wo where is my error??
import java.awt.Color;
import java.awt.Dimension;
import java.awt.Graphics;
import java.awt.image.BufferedImage;
import javax.swing.JFrame;
import javax.swing.JPanel;
public class ViewPortTest {
public static void main(String[] args) {
new ViewPortTest().startUp();
}
private void startUp() {
JFrame frame = new JFrame();
frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.DISPOSE_ON_CLOSE);
frame.add(new TestPanel() );
frame.pack();
frame.setVisible(true);
}
private class TestPanel extends JPanel{
private static final long serialVersionUID = 1L;
private int myWidth = 256;
private int myHeight = 156;
private BufferedImage img;
public TestPanel() {
super();
setPreferredSize(new Dimension(myWidth, myHeight) );
img = new BufferedImage(myWidth, myHeight, BufferedImage.TYPE_4BYTE_ABGR);
img.createGraphics();
img.getGraphics().setColor(Color.GREEN);
img.getGraphics().fillRect(0, 0, 256, 256);
img.getGraphics().dispose();
}
#Override
protected void paintComponent(Graphics g) {
super.paintComponent(g);
if (img != null ){
g.drawImage(img, 0, 0, null);
}
}
}
}
what comes out is this:
so - where is my green rectangle???

The problem is the multiple calls to getGraphics(). It is creating multiple Graphics objects. This is essentially an alias for createGraphics(). See BufferedImage#getGraphics. A simple fix would be to store the Graphics2D object created by calling createGraphics() and make all of your calls on that object:
Graphics2D g = img.createGraphics();
g.setColor(Color.GREEN);
g.fillRect(0, 0, 256, 256);
g.dispose();

Because createGraphics() always returns a new Graphics2D context. So you set the green color on one context, and you fill a rectange using another which does not know about the green color you set on another context.
Try this:
Graphics2d g = img.createGraphics();
g.setColor(Color.GREEN);
g.fillRect(0, 0, 256, 256);
g.dispose();

Simple problem with Graphics instance:
Graphics2D createGraphics = img.createGraphics();
createGraphics.setColor(Color.GREEN);
createGraphics.fillRect(0, 0, 256, 256);
createGraphics.dispose();