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Java: JFrame Graphics not drawing rectangle

Hello fellow programmers,
I've ran into a little issue in my code that I can't seem to crack. It has to do with the Jframe; Graphics area of Java. The code that I'll post below, is over a drawing method. Which purpose is to draw the "rooms" that are in a ArrayList roomList which is located in another class hence lvl. before. This off-course doesn't happen, hence the post on here.
public class LevelGUI implements Observer {
private Level lv;
private Display d;
public LevelGUI(Level level, String name) {
this.lv = level;
JFrame frame = new JFrame(name);
frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
d = new Display(lv, 500, 500);
frame.getContentPane().add(d);
frame.pack();
frame.setLocation(0, 0);
frame.setVisible(true);
}
private class Display extends JPanel {
public Display(Level fp, int x, int y) {
addKeyListener(new Listener());
setBackground(Color.GRAY);
setPreferredSize(new Dimension(x + 20, y + 20));
setFocusable(true);
}
public void paintComponent(Graphics g) {
super.paintComponent(g);
draw(g);
}
private void draw(Graphics g) {
Level lvl = new Level();
for(int i = 0; i < lvl.roomList.size(); i++) {
Room room = lvl.roomList.get(i);
g.setColor(room.floorColor);
g.drawRect(room.posX, room.posY, room.roomWidth, room.roomHeight);
}
}
}
}
To get some background info on the program. roomList is the ArrayList, and it is filled with various different sized and colored rooms. The rooms themselves are objects.
Here comes first Level class:
public class Level extends Observable {
private boolean Switch = true;
public ArrayList<Room> roomList = new ArrayList<Room>();
(...)
}
Here is the Class Room() that is used to create the rooms.
public class Room {
Color floorColor;
int roomWidth;
int roomHeight;
int posX;
int posY;
public Room(int dx, int dy, Color color) {
this.floorColor = color;
this.roomHeight = dy;
this.roomWidth = dx;
this.posY = 0;
this.posX = 0;
}
(...)
}
I've managed to locate where the problem is thought to occur, and it's the code in the for-loop. I tried switching the roomList.size() for an integer to test if it was the loop., But it wasn't. It is possible to draw a figure outside of the for-loop.
and again, the problem isn't an error message, the program simply doesn't draw the rooms that I've instructed it to draw in the method draw().
The display output looks like this:
Thanks beforehand!

Be aware that the paintComponent() method is invoked by Swing whenever the framework thinks the component needs to be rendered on screen. This usually is when the window is getting visible - initially or because some other window no longer hides the component. Such events are out of your control.
So your application should create a state and be ready to draw it anytime. Therefore you do not create state (like a level) inside the paint() or paintComponent() method. Put that elsewhere - if need be into the constructor.
Looking at you code:
As you are creating a new level inside paintComponent()/draw(), is it correct to assume that this level has no rooms associated? In that case the method is right to return without having painted anything.
If your application thinks the screen should be updated call repaint(), knowing that the paint() method will be called by the framework soon.

Java Swing DrawRect: creating new replaces old dimensions

I tried making two rectangles using the class below: DrawRect but when I create a new DrawRect object it replaces old one's width and height.
package MemDiagramVisualizer;
import java.awt.Dimension;
import java.awt.Graphics;
import javax.swing.*;
public class DrawRect extends JPanel {
private static int RECT_X;
private static int RECT_Y;
private static int RECT_WIDTH;
private static int RECT_HEIGHT;
public DrawRect(int w, int h) {
RECT_X = 20;
RECT_Y = 20;
RECT_WIDTH = w;
RECT_HEIGHT = h;
}
#Override
protected void paintComponent(Graphics g) {
super.paintComponent(g);
g.drawRect(RECT_X, RECT_Y, RECT_WIDTH, RECT_HEIGHT);
}
#Override
public Dimension getPreferredSize() {
return new Dimension(RECT_WIDTH + 2 * RECT_X, RECT_HEIGHT + 2 * RECT_Y);
}
}
JPanel visDisplay = new JPanel();
visDisplay.setLayout(new GridLayout(1,3));
DrawRect rec2 = new DrawRect(40,60);
visDisplay.add(rec2);
DrawRect rec = new DrawRect(100,600);
visDisplay.add(rec);
The code above when added to frame content pane creates two rectangles with 100,600 dimensions

You have a couple of issues in your program:
All these 4 variables:
private static int RECT_X;
private static int RECT_Y;
private static int RECT_WIDTH;
private static int RECT_HEIGHT;
They all are static, but you're trying to change them inside the program, this will apply for all the instances of your program and they all are gonna share the value. In this case I'd suggest you to remove that and you should be good. This is the reason why when you create another class with the same code, it worked.
RECT_X = 20; and RECT_Y = 20; inside the constructor, if these are constants, then initialize them at the top and don't set them in every instance of the class.
Not an error, but depending on your requirements, you might want to stop using multiple JPanels and instead use the Shape API as shown in this answer to create an Array of Shapes that you can draw in a single JPanel. Again, this all depends on your needs.
After removing the static keyword from those constants above, we have this:

Swing animation flickers and makes GUI slow to respond

I'm trying to write a simple program: a bouncing ball that appears and starts bouncing after you press the "Start" button on the screen. The program should be closed by pressing "X".
For some reason, it runs very slowly. The ball is blinking, and I have to wait for a long time after I press the "X" for program to close.
Here is the code:
import java.awt.*;
import java.awt.event.*;
import java.awt.geom.*;
import java.util.*;
import javax.swing.*;
public class Bounce
{
public static void main(String[] args)
{
JFrame frame = new BounceFrame();
frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
frame.show();
}
}
class BounceFrame extends JFrame
{
public BounceFrame()
{
setSize(WIDTH, HEIGHT);
setTitle("Bounce");
Container contentPane = getContentPane();
canvas = new BallCanvas();
contentPane.add(canvas, BorderLayout.CENTER);
JPanel buttonPanel = new JPanel();
addButton(buttonPanel, "Start", new ActionListener()
{
public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent evt)
{
addBall();
}
});
contentPane.add(buttonPanel, BorderLayout.SOUTH);
}
public void addButton(Container c, String title, ActionListener listener)
{
JButton button = new JButton(title);
c.add(button);
button.addActionListener(listener);
}
public void addBall()
{
try
{
Ball b = new Ball(canvas);
canvas.add(b);
for (int i = 1; i <= 10000; i++)
{
b.move();
Thread.sleep(10);
}
}
catch (InterruptedException exception)
{
}
}
private BallCanvas canvas;
public static final int WIDTH = 300;
public static final int HEIGHT = 200;
}
class BallCanvas extends JPanel
{
public void add(Ball b)
{
balls.add(b);
}
public void paintComponent(Graphics g)
{
super.paintComponent(g);
Graphics2D g2 = (Graphics2D)g;
for (int i = 0; i < balls.size(); i++)
{
Ball b = (Ball)balls.get(i);
b.draw(g2);
}
}
private ArrayList balls = new ArrayList();
}
class Ball
{
public Ball(Component c) { canvas = c; }
public void draw(Graphics2D g2)
{
g2.fill(new Ellipse2D.Double(x, y, XSIZE, YSIZE));
}
public void move()
{
x += dx;
y += dy;
if (x < 0)
{
x = 0;
dx = -dx;
}
if (x + XSIZE >= canvas.getWidth())
{
x = canvas.getWidth() - XSIZE;
dx = -dx;
}
if (y < 0)
{
y = 0;
dy = -dy;
}
if (y + YSIZE >= canvas.getHeight())
{
y = canvas.getHeight() - YSIZE;
dy = -dy;
}
canvas.paint(canvas.getGraphics());
}
private Component canvas;
private static final int XSIZE = 15;
private static final int YSIZE = 15;
private int x = 0;
private int y = 0;
private int dx = 2;
private int dy = 2;
}

The slowness comes from two related problems, one simple and one more complex.
Problem #1: paint vs. repaint
From the
JComponent.paint docs:
Invoked by Swing to draw components.
Applications should not invoke paint directly, but should instead use the repaint method to schedule the component for redrawing.
So the canvas.paint() line at the end of Ball.move must go.
You want to call
Component.repaint
instead...
but just replacing the paint with repaint will reveal the second problem, which prevents the ball from even appearing.
Problem #2: Animating inside the ActionListener
The ideal ActionListener.actionPerformed method changes the program's state and returns as soon as possible, using lazy methods like repaint to let Swing schedule the actual work for whenever it's most convenient.
In contrast, your program does basically everything inside the actionPerformed method, including all the animation.
Solution: A Game Loop
A much more typical structure is to start a
javax.swing.Timer
when your GUI starts, and just let it run
"forever",
updating your simulation's state every tick of the clock.
public BounceFrame()
{
// Original code here.
// Then add:
new javax.swing.Timer(
10, // Your timeout from `addBall`.
new ActionListener()
{
public void actionPerformed(final ActionEvent ae)
{
canvas.moveBalls(); // See below for this method.
}
}
).start();
}
In your case, the most important
(and completely missing)
state is the
"Have we started yet?"
bit, which can be stored as a boolean in BallCanvas.
That's the class that should do all the animating, since it also owns the canvas and all the balls.
BallCanvas gains one field, isRunning:
private boolean isRunning = false; // new field
// Added generic type to `balls` --- see below.
private java.util.List<Ball> balls = new ArrayList<Ball>();
...and a setter method:
public void setRunning(boolean state)
{
this.isRunning = state;
}
Finally, BallCanvas.moveBalls is the new
"update all the things"
method called by the Timer:
public void moveBalls()
{
if (! this.isRunning)
{
return;
}
for (final Ball b : balls)
{
// Remember, `move` no longer calls `paint`... It just
// updates some numbers.
b.move();
}
// Now that the visible state has changed, ask Swing to
// schedule repainting the panel.
repaint();
}
(Note how much simpler iterating over the balls list is now that the list has a proper generic type.
The loop in paintComponent could be made just as straightforward.)
Now the BounceFrame.addBall method is easy:
public void addBall()
{
Ball b = new Ball(canvas);
canvas.add(b);
this.canvas.setRunning(true);
}
With this setup, each press of the space bar adds another ball to the simulation.
I was able to get over 100 balls bouncing around on my 2006 desktop without a hint of flicker.
Also, I could exit the application using the 'X' button or Alt-F4, neither of which responded in the original version.
If you find yourself needing more performance
(or if you just want a better understanding of how Swing painting works),
see
"Painting in AWT and Swing:
Good Painting Code Is the Key to App Performance"
by Amy Fowler.

I would suggest you to use 'Timer' class for running your gameloop.It runs infinitely and you can stop it whenever you want using timer.stop()
You can also set its speed accordingly.

grid layout with JPanels java

I am trying to create a program in Java that is sort of like a board game. I have gameTiles, currently with only one color as I try to get the layout right. I want the tiles to appear about halfway of the width of the window and extend to the bottom, maybe anywhere from 9x9 or 11x11 different tiles. I have tried to use the grid layout to get these to be close together, not necessarily touching but close enough to look like a board game. However, no matter what I try, the tiles are space so far apart, and change shape when I resize window. I have been using the GridLayout manager to try to achieve this. Here is my code.
import java.awt.GridLayout;
import javax.swing.JFrame;
public class GameWindow extends JFrame {
public GameWindow(String title){
super(title);
setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
setSize(1200,400);
}
/**
* #param args
*/
public static void main(String[] args) {
GameWindow gameWindow = new GameWindow("Game");
gameWindow.setLayout(new GridLayout(0,2));
GameTile greenTile = new GameTile(0,true,0,10);
GameTile greenTile2 = new GameTile(0,true,0,10);
gameWindow.add(greenTile);
gameWindow.add(greenTile2);
gameWindow.setVisible(true);
}
}
This is the GameWindow.java file. The GameTile.java I have so far (which is still mainly not finished just for testing) is as follows:
import java.awt.Color;
import java.awt.Graphics;
import java.awt.Image;
import java.io.File;
import java.io.IOException;
import javax.imageio.ImageIO;
import javax.swing.JPanel;
/**
* #author Zachary Parks
*
*/
public class GameTile extends JPanel {
private Color color;
private Color[] colors = {Color.BLUE, Color.YELLOW, Color.BLACK};
private int score, multiplier,initialX,initialY;
private boolean positiveEffect;
public GameTile(int colorTile, boolean effect, int initX, int initY){
color = colors[colorTile];
score = getScore(color);
multiplier = getMultiplier(color);
positiveEffect = effect;
initialX = initX;
initialY = initY;
}
protected void paintComponent(Graphics g) {
super.paintComponent(g);
Image image = null;
try {
image = ImageIO.read(new File("greentile.png"));
} catch (IOException e) {
e.printStackTrace();
}
g.drawImage(image,initialX,initialY,this);
}
private int getMultiplier(Color color2) {
return 0;
}
private int getScore(Color color2) {
return 0;
}
/**
* Method that returns the data from the tile in
* array of int. 0 index = added score, 1 index = tile effect score
* #return
*/
public int[] getData() {
int [] scoreData = null;
scoreData[0] = score*multiplier;
return null;
}
}
A lot of the code is still in progress, like the GameTile's properties, all I'm trying at this point is get the tiles next to each other.
This is what I am getting:

To add tiles like a grid. A tileSize variable is great to have. Let's say the image/tile is 32 pixels.
public static final tileSize = 32;
With this, we can now add tiles using a for loop:
for(int x = 0; x < SCREEN_WIDTH / GameTile.tileSize; x++) { // loop through as many tiles fit the x-axis.
for(int y = 0; y < SCREEN_HEIGHT / GameTile.tileSize; y++) { // do the same with y-axis
GameTile greenTile = new GameTile(0,true, x * GameTile.tileSize , y * GameTile.tileSize);
gameWindow.add(greenTile);
}
}
SCREEN_WIDTH and SCREEN_HEIGHT is the size of your JFrame.
Keep in mind this loops through the whole screen, you wanted the half but it's easily configurable.
Please format your code next time (tab in), much easier to read and help you.
I highly recommend moving image = ImageIO.read(new File("greentile.png")); into the constructor, right now you're loading the image every framerate for every gameTile which will cause performance drop.
Also do not have a JPanel for every GameTile. Instead keep it in your main drawing class and loop through all GameTiles using an ArrayList
public static ArrayList<GameTile> gameTiles = new ArrayList<GameTile>();
protected void paintComponent(Graphics g) {
for(int i = 0; i < gameTiles.size(); i++) {
gameTiles.get(i).draw(g);
}
So instead of adding a JPanel to the JFrame for every gameTile, we draw gameTiles at the specified coordinates. Good luck!
To answer your question in the comment field: the code will look similar to this
public class GameWindow extends JPanel {
public static ArrayList<GameTile> gameTiles = new ArrayList<GameTile>();
public static void main(String[] args) {
new GameWindow();
}
public GameWindow() {
JFrame frame = new JFrame();
frame.setSize(300, 300);
frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
frame.add(this);
frame.setVisible(true);
// add all the tiles (I just use x and y as parameters here)
gameTiles.add(new GameTile(10, 10));
gameTiles.add(new GameTile(50, 10));
}
public void paintComponent(Graphics g) {
for(int i = 0; i < gameTiles.size(); i++) {
gameTiles.get(i).draw(g);
}
}
}
And inside your GameTile class, remove the extends JPanel. And rename the paintComponent as draw or something alike.

However, no matter what I try, the tiles are space so far apart, and change shape when I resize window
A GridLayout expands each cell to fill the space available to the component. If you only have two cells each cell will take up half the width of the frame.
So the solution is to wrap your tile panel into another panel that will respect the preferred size of the tiles. So don't set the layout of the frame, set the layout of a panel holding the tiles:
Something like:
JPanel tilePanel = new JPane( new GridLayout(0, 2, 5, 5) );
tilePanel.add( new GameTile(...) );
tilePanel.add( new GameTile(...) );
JPanel wrapper = new JPanel( new GridBagLayout() );
wrapper.add(tilePanel, new GridBagConstraints() );
frame.add(wrapper, BorderLayout.CENTER );
The above code will cause the tiles to be centered in the frame.
frame.add(wrapper, BorderLayout.LINE_END);
The above will cause the tiles to display on the right of the frame vertically centered.

Coin flip program

I tried making a program that flips a coin(shows image of heads first and later shows image of tails) and I encountered problems trying to have the image of the coin viewed when I ran the problem; only a blank screen would show. I don't know whether this is from an improper saving method of the jpg images or from an error in the code. I also came across an error before again coding the program where I had the heads image show and tails image not show.
CoinTest.java runs coin runner and Coin.java is the class for the program.
import java.awt.*;
import java.awt.event.*;
import javax.swing.*;
public class CoinTest extends JPanel
implements ActionListener
{
private Coin coin;
public CoinTest ()
{
Image heads = (new ImageIcon("quarter-coin-head.jpg")).getImage();
Image tails = (new ImageIcon("Indiana-quarter.jpg")).getImage();
coin = new Coin(heads, tails);
Timer clock = new Timer(2000, this);
clock.start();
}
public void paintComponent(Graphics g)
{
super.paintComponent(g);
int x = getWidth() / 2;
int y = getHeight() / 2;
coin.draw(g, x, y);
}
public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e)
{
coin.flip();
repaint();
}
public static void main(String[] args)
{
JFrame w = new JFrame("Flipping coin");
w.setSize(300, 300);
w.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
CoinTest panel = new CoinTest();
panel.setBackground(Color.WHITE);
Container c = w.getContentPane();
c.add(panel);
w.setVisible(true);
}
}
Now the actual Coin class.
import java.awt.Image;
import java.awt.Graphics;
public class Coin
{
private Image heads;
private Image tails;
private int side = 1;
public Coin(Image h, Image t)
{
heads = h;
tails = t;
}
//flips the coin
public void flip()
{
if (side == 1)
side = 0;
else
side = 1;
}
//draws the appropriate side of the coin - centered in the JFrame
public void draw(Graphics g, int x, int y)
{
if (side == 1)
g.drawImage(heads, heads.getWidth(null)/3, heads.getHeight(null)/3, null);
else
g.drawImage(heads, tails.getWidth(null)/3, tails.getHeight(null)/3, null);
}
}

Firstly, ensure that both images are in the correct location to load.
Secondly, you have a typo here:
if (side == 1)
g.drawImage(heads, heads.getWidth(null)/3, heads.getHeight(null)/3, null);
else
g.drawImage(heads, tails.getWidth(null)/3, tails.getHeight(null)/3, null);
^^^^
should be tails...

The width and height of the applet are coded in the tag. The code that draws the applet uses the two methods to get these values at run time. So now, different tags can ask for the same applet to paint different sized rectangles. The source code does not need to be recompiled for different sizes.