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How do I change the background colour in the Play class?

I want to change the color of the background and a clear window without creating a new JFrame. Any suggestions?
import java.awt.*;
import java.awt.event.ActionListener;
import javax.swing.JButton;
import javax.swing.JFrame;
import javax.swing.JLabel;
public class Main {
public static void main(String[] args) {
JFrame frame = new JFrame("Dodge EM");
frame.setSize(1000, 700);
frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
placeComponents(frame);
frame.setVisible(true);
frame.getContentPane().setBackground(Color.black);
}
private static void placeComponents(JFrame frame) {
frame.setLayout(null);
JLabel dodgeEM = new JLabel("Dodge EM");
dodgeEM.setForeground (Color.RED);
dodgeEM.setFont(new Font("Serif", Font.BOLD, 30));
dodgeEM.setBounds(440,10,300,150);
frame.add(dodgeEM);
JButton playButton = new JButton("Play");
playButton.setBounds(460,150,95,30);
frame.add(playButton);
ActionListener play = new Play();
playButton.addActionListener(play);
JButton scoresButton = new JButton("Scores");
scoresButton.setBounds(460,250,95,30);
frame.add(scoresButton);
JButton helpButton = new JButton("Help");
helpButton.setBounds(460,350,95,30);
frame.add(helpButton);
JButton quitButton = new JButton("Quit");
quitButton.setBounds(460,450,95,30);
frame.add(quitButton);
}
}
import java.awt.*;
import java.awt.event.ActionEvent;
import java.awt.event.ActionListener;
import javax.swing.*;
public class Play extends JFrame implements ActionListener {
#Override
public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {
//JOptionPane.showMessageDialog(null, "Play button has been pressed");
this.getContentPane().setBackground(Color.red);
}
}
Any suggestions are much appreciated.

Rather then creating a new class, you can add the action listener to your button like shown below
playButton.addActionListener(new java.awt.event.ActionListener() {
public void actionPerformed(java.awt.event.ActionEvent evt) {
//do stuff onclick
frame.getContentPane().setBackground(Color.yellow);
}
});

How can I switch focus to a canvas?

I have this class and I want to switch focus to the Game class right after it was invoked. I might've not understand the purpose of focus but when I press start I have to click on the game canvas itself so I can use the keyboard . In other words: How can I make it so I don't have to click on it to use the keyboard?
package com.runner.panels;
import java.awt.CardLayout;
import java.awt.Color;
import java.awt.event.ActionEvent;
import java.awt.event.ActionListener;
import javax.swing.JButton;
import javax.swing.JPanel;
import com.runner.main.Game;
import com.runner.main.Main;
public class PlayPanel extends JPanel{
private static final long serialVersionUID = 1L;
public PlayPanel(){
//setting the layout of the playpanel to null
setLayout(null);
//setting up the info panel : high score, meters ran, pause button etc...
JPanel info = new JPanel();
info.setBounds(0,0,1200,50);
add(info);
//back button
JButton back = new JButton("Back");
info.add(back);
Game game = new Game();
game.setBounds(0,50,1200,521);
game.setBackground(Color.black);
add(game);
back.addActionListener(new ActionListener(){
public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {
CardLayout cl = (CardLayout) Main.mainp.getLayout();
cl.show(Main.mainp, "Menu");
}
});
}
}

Off topic: (kinda)
The fact that you are doing Main.mainp.getLayout();, calling the panel statically tells me you have poor design and should be looking into other options like an Model-view-controller pattern, an Observer pattern, or at the very least passing a reference of of the Main to the panel, instead of using static objects/calls.
Back on topic
Sounds like a common KeyListener problem. Generally to gain focus you call requestFocusInWindow(). But you still have to worry about other components stealing the focus way after the fact.
I would instead recommend using Key Bindings instead of KeyListener. You have more control over the focus. For instance, by using
InputMap im = panel.getInputMap(JComponent.WHEN_IN_FOCUSED_WINDOW);
im.put(KeyStroke.getKeyStroke("SPACE"), "hitSpace");
panel.getActionMap().put("hitSpace", new AbstractAction(){
public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {
// do something.
}
});
The panel will have immediate access to the action once you show it from the CardLayout. If you happen to use any other components that would steal the focus away from the panel, the action is still accessible because of the WHEN_IN_FOCUSED_WINDOW input map
Here's a simple example. Type A if it is on panel A, you will see it print. If you type B, it won't print because panel A is in the window. Also if you try and press the button in the panel to steal the focus, you can still type and it will still print. Same goes for panel B
import java.awt.BorderLayout;
import java.awt.CardLayout;
import java.awt.Dimension;
import java.awt.event.ActionEvent;
import java.awt.event.ActionListener;
import javax.swing.AbstractAction;
import javax.swing.InputMap;
import javax.swing.JButton;
import javax.swing.JComponent;
import javax.swing.JFrame;
import javax.swing.JPanel;
import javax.swing.KeyStroke;
import javax.swing.SwingUtilities;
public class Main {
CardLayout layout = new CardLayout();
JPanel panel = new JPanel(layout);
JPanel p1 = new JPanel() {
#Override
public Dimension getPreferredSize() {
return new Dimension(300, 300);
}
};
JPanel p2 = new JPanel() {
#Override
public Dimension getPreferredSize() {
return new Dimension(300, 300);
}
};
JButton b1 = new JButton("panelA");
JButton b2 = new JButton("panelB");
public Main() {
addKeyBind(p1, "pressA", "A");
addKeyBind(p2, "pressB", "B");
p1.add(new JButton("Button for Panel A"));
p2.add(new JButton("Button for Panel B"));
panel.add(p1, "panelA");
panel.add(p2, "panelB");
b1.addActionListener(new ActionListener(){
public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {
show("panelA");
}
});
b2.addActionListener(new ActionListener(){
public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {
show("panelB");
}
});
JPanel buttonPanel = new JPanel();
buttonPanel.add(b1);
buttonPanel.add(b2);
JFrame frame = new JFrame();
frame.add(panel);
frame.add(buttonPanel, BorderLayout.PAGE_END);
frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
frame.pack();
frame.setLocationRelativeTo(null);
frame.setVisible(true);
}
public void show(String panelName) {
layout.show(panel, panelName);
}
private void addKeyBind(JComponent comp, String name, final String stroke) {
InputMap im = comp.getInputMap(JComponent.WHEN_IN_FOCUSED_WINDOW);
im.put(KeyStroke.getKeyStroke(stroke), name);
comp.getActionMap().put(name, new AbstractAction(){
public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {
System.out.println(stroke + " pressed");
}
});
}
public static void main(String[] args) {
SwingUtilities.invokeLater(new Runnable(){
public void run() {
new Main();
}
});
}
}
Take some time to go over the link I gave you for Key Bindings to learn more.
Back off-topic
Take a look at #AndrewThompson's comment about the null layouts. Learn how to use the LayoutManagers

I believe your problem would be fixed if you add
setFocusable(true);
to your PlayPanel constructor (works for me).
Also, if you want a specific Panel in your GUI to have focus when you start your application, follow the link in the comment of "user3218114", as this will explain how to implement this functionality with Listeners.
Good luck!

You don't need to do anything. The container should be focusable for that.
Here is a code to demonstrate.
package one;
import java.awt.Canvas;
import java.awt.Color;
import java.awt.Graphics;
import java.awt.event.FocusEvent;
import java.awt.event.FocusListener;
import javax.swing.JFrame;
public class PlayPanel extends Canvas {
public static void main(String... args) {
PlayPanel p = new PlayPanel();
p.addFocusListener(new FocusListener() {
#Override
public void focusGained(FocusEvent e) {
p.msg = "Focus gained";
p.repaint();
}
#Override
public void focusLost(FocusEvent e) {
p.msg = "Focus Lost";
p.repaint();
}
});
p.setBackground(Color.GRAY);
JFrame f = new JFrame();
f.add(p);
f.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
f.setSize(300, 200);
f.setLocation(300, 300);
f.setVisible(true);
}
String msg = "NO FOCUS";
public void paint(Graphics g) {
g.drawString(msg, 50, 50);
}
}

JButton does not appear on JDialog

I have a problem in this code that is, I have added a JButton on JDialog but the button is not visible when dialog appears. Please help.
import java.awt.FlowLayout;
import java.awt.event.ActionEvent;
import java.awt.event.ActionListener;
import javax.swing.JButton;
import javax.swing.JDialog;
import javax.swing.JFrame;
public class A implements ActionListener {
JFrame f = new JFrame();
public A() {
JButton b = new JButton("JDialog");
f.add(b);
b.addActionListener(this);
f.setVisible(true);
f.setSize(500,500);
}
public static void main(String arg[]) {
new A();
}
public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {
JDialog d = new JDialog(f,"Dialog",true);
d.setSize(100,100);
d.setVisible(true);
d.setLayout(new FlowLayout());
JButton b = new JButton("OK");
d.add(b);
}
}

add button before calling to setvisible(true).
import java.awt.FlowLayout;
import java.awt.event.ActionEvent;
import java.awt.event.ActionListener;
import javax.swing.JButton;
import javax.swing.JDialog;
import javax.swing.JFrame;
public class A implements ActionListener {
JFrame f = new JFrame();
public A() {
JButton b = new JButton("JDialog");
f.add(b);
b.addActionListener(this);
f.setVisible(true);
f.setSize(500,500);
}
public static void main(String arg[]) {
new A();
}
public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {
JDialog d = new JDialog(f,"Dialog",true);
d.setSize(100,100);
d.setLayout(new FlowLayout());
JButton b = new JButton("OK");
d.add(b);
d.setVisible(true);
}
}

I believe your Component is rendered before you add your button to it. Try adding the button before you render your Component. Try to add it before you call setVisible or repaint your Component.

stopCellEditing on JDialog

My question is similar to this one: JTable Cell Update doesn't work.
However, I am using JDialog instead of a JTable specified in above link. I have a custom class which extends JDialog. I use JEditorPane as a text-component in that dialog and create simple OK, Cancel buttons. Now the problem is, when I enter something in the JEdiorPane and presses OK button, the value is not applied to the text-component until I move the focus out of a JDialog or hit tab/ENTER.
I want the container to be notified that I am done with editing as soon as I press the OK button. In short I want to explicitly have a feature similar to stopCellEditing(). How can I do that?

See this example which seems to work correctly and does the same thing as you described:
import java.awt.BorderLayout;
import java.awt.GridLayout;
import java.awt.event.ActionEvent;
import java.awt.event.ActionListener;
import javax.swing.JButton;
import javax.swing.JDialog;
import javax.swing.JEditorPane;
import javax.swing.JFrame;
import javax.swing.JOptionPane;
import javax.swing.JPanel;
import javax.swing.JScrollPane;
import javax.swing.SwingUtilities;
public class TestEditorPaneDialog {
public void init() {
final JFrame frame = new JFrame();
JButton clickMe = new JButton("Click me");
clickMe.addActionListener(new ActionListener() {
#Override
public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {
showDialog(frame);
}
});
frame.add(clickMe);
frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
frame.setSize(400, 300);
frame.setLocationRelativeTo(null);
frame.setVisible(true);
showDialog(frame);
}
private void showDialog(final JFrame frame) {
final JDialog dialog = new JDialog(frame, true);
final JEditorPane pane = new JEditorPane();
pane.setText("Type something here");
JPanel south = new JPanel();
JPanel buttons = new JPanel(new GridLayout(1, 0, 10, 10));
JButton ok = new JButton("OK");
ok.addActionListener(new ActionListener() {
#Override
public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {
dialog.dispose();
JOptionPane.showMessageDialog(frame, "You have typed in: " + pane.getText());
}
});
JButton cancel = new JButton("Cancel");
cancel.addActionListener(new ActionListener() {
#Override
public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {
dialog.dispose();
}
});
buttons.add(ok);
buttons.add(cancel);
south.add(buttons);
dialog.add(new JScrollPane(pane));
dialog.add(south, BorderLayout.SOUTH);
dialog.setSize(250, 150);
dialog.setLocationRelativeTo(frame);
dialog.setVisible(true);
}
public static void main(String[] args) {
SwingUtilities.invokeLater(new Runnable() {
#Override
public void run() {
new TestEditorPaneDialog().init();
}
});
}
}

Java EventHandling

When I compile it show error in line 33 : Cannot find symbol.
I am calling jbtNew.addActionListener(listener), so why it's unable to find jbtNew in
(e.getSource() == jbtNew) in line 33.
from code
import java.awt.event.ActionEvent;
import java.awt.event.ActionListener;
import javax.swing.JButton;
import javax.swing.JFrame;
import javax.swing.JPanel;
public class AnonymousListenerDemo extends JFrame {
public AnonymousListenerDemo() {
// Create four buttons
JButton jbtNew = new JButton("New");
JButton jbtOpen = new JButton("Open");
JButton jbtSave = new JButton("Save");
JButton jbtPrint = new JButton("Print");
// Create a panel to hold buttons
JPanel panel = new JPanel();
panel.add(jbtNew);
panel.add(jbtOpen);
panel.add(jbtSave);
panel.add(jbtPrint);
add(panel);
// Create and register anonymous inner-class listener
AnonymousListenerDemo.ButtonListener listener = new AnonymousListenerDemo.ButtonListener();
jbtNew.addActionListener(listener);
}
class ButtonListener implements ActionListener {
public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {
if (e.getSource() == jbtNew) //Here it show the problem
{
System.out.println("Process New");
}
}
}
/** Main method */
public static void main(String[] args) {
JFrame frame = new AnonymousListenerDemo();
frame.setTitle("AnonymousListenerDemo");
frame.setLocationRelativeTo(null); // Center the frame
frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
frame.pack();
frame.setVisible(true);
}
}

That's a local variable.
It doesn't exist outside the constructor.
You need to make a field in the class.

this could be work (in the form as you posted here) and #SLaks mentioned +1, with a few major changes
in the case that all methods will be placed into separated classes to use put/getClientProperty()
import java.awt.EventQueue;
import java.awt.event.ActionEvent;
import java.awt.event.ActionListener;
import javax.swing.JButton;
import javax.swing.JFrame;
import javax.swing.JPanel;
public class AnonymousListenerDemo {
private static final long serialVersionUID = 1L;
private JFrame frame = new JFrame("AnonymousListenerDemo");
// Create four buttons
private JButton jbtNew = new JButton("New");
private JButton jbtOpen = new JButton("Open");
private JButton jbtSave = new JButton("Save");
private JButton jbtPrint = new JButton("Print");
public AnonymousListenerDemo() {
JPanel panel = new JPanel();// Create a panel to hold buttons
panel.add(jbtNew);
panel.add(jbtOpen);
panel.add(jbtSave);
panel.add(jbtPrint);
// Create and register anonymous inner-class listener
jbtNew.addActionListener(new ButtonListener());
frame.add(panel);
//frame.setTitle("AnonymousListenerDemo");
frame.setLocationRelativeTo(null); // Center the frame
frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
frame.pack();
frame.setVisible(true);
}
class ButtonListener implements ActionListener {
public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {
if (e.getSource() == jbtNew) {
System.out.println("Process New");
}
}
}
public static void main(String[] args) {
EventQueue.invokeLater(new Runnable() {
public void run() {
new AnonymousListenerDemo();
}
});
}
}