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Adding a action listener in java for a counter

I am a fairly new user with programming in Java with about a week and a bit experience, as of before I have been using python for about 3 years but thought to give java a try.
I have been trying to develop my skills by creating small projects and applications and am now creating a small GUI counter.
I have achieved creating the GUI with 2 buttons and a label and have tested the maths behind the application but I am struggling to work out how the ActionListener works as it feels a lot different to python when making a button have a action.
This is My Code;
package gui;
import java.awt.Color;
import java.awt.Dimension;
import java.awt.Frame;
import java.awt.event.ActionEvent;
import java.awt.event.ActionListener;
import javax.swing.JButton;
import javax.swing.JFrame;
import javax.swing.JLabel;
import javax.swing.JPanel;
import javax.swing.JTextField;
import javax.swing.*;
public class GUI{
//This creates a frame or panel to contain things
public static void main(String[] args) {
//Maths To The Counter
int Counter = 0;
System.out.println(Counter);
Counter =+ 1;
System.out.println(Counter);
//Creating The Frame
JFrame frame = new JFrame();
JPanel panel = new JPanel();
panel.setBackground(Color.WHITE);
frame.getContentPane().add(panel);
//Creating The Label
JLabel label3 = new JLabel("Counter: ");
panel.add(label3);
//Button Which should have a funtion to add and display the number
JButton button = new JButton("Click Here.");
panel.add(button);
//Button to reset the counter
JButton buttonReset = new JButton("Reset Counter.");
panel.add(buttonReset);
//Set Size Of Window
frame.setSize(new Dimension(500, 400));
//Set Starting Position to centre
frame.setLocationRelativeTo(null);
//Setting a default close action
frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
//Set Title
frame.setTitle("Counter");
//Disable Resize
frame.setResizable(false);
//Setting if its visible
frame.setVisible(true);
//Fits frame to fit everything
frame.pack();
}
}
enter code here
I know that in python a action is in a function so that has been my logic to this problem however I have seen that I need to use the actionlistener instead and I am struggling to get my head around it.
If Someone could show me how this type of action should be implemented it would be great help, I have watch some youtube videos and done a bit of research but im still struggling to understand in my situation how to do it.
For any confussion im sorry, overall my question is how do I add a action to a button in my program that can implement my maths at the start.
As well any feedback on the structure of my code would be welcomed as I am just starting in java and I do know poor structure can lead to mistakes.

This code should work:
Basically, in the main method I am creating an instance of the class and calling a method to create the gui.
I also created an instance variable as the counter, otherwise you won't be able to update the variable in your action listener.
public class Gui {
private int counter;
// This creates a frame or panel to contain things
public static void main(String[] args) {
Gui gui = new Gui();
gui.create();
}
private void create() {
// Creating The Frame
JFrame frame = new JFrame();
JPanel panel = new JPanel();
panel.setBackground(Color.WHITE);
frame.getContentPane().add(panel);
// Creating The Label
JLabel label3 = new JLabel("Counter: ");
panel.add(label3);
// Button Which should have a funtion to add and display the number
JButton button = new JButton("Click Here.");
panel.add(button);
button.addActionListener(new ActionListener() {
#Override
public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {
System.out.println(counter++);
}
});
// Button to reset the counter
JButton buttonReset = new JButton("Reset Counter.");
panel.add(buttonReset);
buttonReset.addActionListener(new ActionListener() {
#Override
public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {
counter = 0;
}
});
// Set Size Of Window
frame.setSize(new Dimension(500, 400));
// Set Starting Position to centre
frame.setLocationRelativeTo(null);
// Setting a default close action
frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
// Set Title
frame.setTitle("Counter");
// Disable Resize
frame.setResizable(false);
// Setting if its visible
frame.setVisible(true);
// Fits frame to fit everything
}
}
With Lambda expressions, you can simplify your action listeners as follows:
button.addActionListener(a -> System.out.println(counter++));
buttonReset.addActionListener(a -> counter = 0);
If you want to write more than 1 statement, then you can just put your code in curly brackets:
button.addActionListener(a -> {
System.out.println(counter++);
System.out.println("doing more stuff...");
});

JButton has a function called addActionListener. You can pass on an action listener by doing this:
button.addActionListener(() -> {
// Do some logic here
});
Here, I use a lambda expression as an action listener. Within the lambda expression you can place whatever logic you want to have.
Also note that you can add multiple different action listeners to the same button. In a nutshell, the way the JButton interacts with the ActionListeners is based on the observer-pattern.
Imagine this: When the JButton is pressed, it will notify all of it's observers saying "Hey, I have been pressed". Each observer can then independently decide what to do. In case of the JButton, all observers are ActionListeners. If you add multiple ActionListeners then the JButton will notify all of them, and as a result all of their actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) functions are executed. In the example above, I used a lambda expression which then by java is interpreted as an ActionListener.
Other ways to achieve the exact same functionality are:
button.addActionListener(new ActionListener() {
#Override
public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {
// Do some logic here
}
});
In the example above, you use an anonymous class as an actionlistener.
public class MyClass {
public MyClass() {
JButton button = new JButton("press me");
button.addActionListener(new MyActionListener());
}
private class MyActionListener implements ActionListener {
#Override
public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {
// Do some logic here
}
}
}
In the example above, an inner class is used.
In a nutshell, there is a ton of ways you can make your button have functionality. Above are just a few examples of how to do so.
Does this clarify it a bit more, or do you have some remaining questions?

using listeners with both list and button

Very new to Java, but I am slowly picking my way through things. So please be kind. I understand most things I've tried so far, and built a version of the following that uses console output, but now I'm trying to make a GUI. I tried the netbeans GUI maker, but it created so much new code that when I tried to pick through it, I got lost. I'm much better at learning by piecing new things together myself, not having an IDE generate a ton of code and then attempt to find where I want to work.
I am trying to build an window that has a list with three choices on the left side, a button in the middle that confirms your choice, and an answer output on the right. Once the button is pressed, the input from the list is read and is converted into a corresponding answer. As of right now, all I get is "We recommend... null" after selecting an option in the list. The button appears to do nothing at the moment.
I have used tutorials, hacked up others' code from online, and referenced a few books, but I'm stuck.
Here is what I have:
package diffguidegui;
import java.awt.*;
import java.awt.event.*;
import javax.swing.*;
import javax.swing.event.*;
public class DiffGuideGUI extends JPanel implements ListSelectionListener {
private JList resultsTabList;
private DefaultListModel listModel;
private static final String recommendString = "Recommend a Option";
private JButton recommendButton;
private String recommendOutput;
final JLabel output = new JLabel("We recommend..." + recommendOutput);
//build list
public DiffGuideGUI () {
super(new BorderLayout());
listModel = new DefaultListModel();
listModel.addElement("A");
listModel.addElement("B");
//create the list and put it in the scroll pane
resultsTabList = new JList(listModel);
resultsTabList.setSelectionMode(ListSelectionModel.SINGLE_SELECTION);
resultsTabList.setSelectedIndex(0);
//listener for user input
resultsTabList.addListSelectionListener(this);
resultsTabList.setVisibleRowCount(2);
JScrollPane listScrollPane = new JScrollPane(resultsTabList);
//build the button at the bottom to fire overall behavior
recommendButton = new JButton(recommendString);
recommendButton.setActionCommand(recommendString);
recommendButton.addActionListener(new RecommendListener());
//create a panel that uses Boxlayout for the button
JPanel buttonPane = new JPanel();
buttonPane.setLayout(new BoxLayout(buttonPane, BoxLayout.LINE_AXIS));
buttonPane.add(recommendButton);
//create a panel that uses Boxlayout for the label
JPanel outputPane = new JPanel();
outputPane.setLayout(new BoxLayout(outputPane, BoxLayout.LINE_AXIS));
outputPane.add(output);
add(listScrollPane, BorderLayout.WEST);
add(buttonPane, BorderLayout.CENTER);
add(outputPane, BorderLayout.EAST);
}
//build listener class
class RecommendListener implements ActionListener {
public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {
//build in logic for choice made here
String resultsTabChoice;
resultsTabChoice = (String)resultsTabList.getSelectedValue();
if( resultsTabChoice.equals("A")) {
recommendOutput = "One";}
else {recommendOutput = "Two";}
}
}
public void valueChanged(ListSelectionEvent e) {
if(e.getValueIsAdjusting() == false) {
if(resultsTabList.getSelectedIndex() == -1) {
recommendButton.setEnabled(false);
} else {
recommendButton.setEnabled(true);
}
}
}
//Create GUI and show it
private static void createAndShowGUI() {
JFrame frame = new JFrame("Recommend Window");
frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
//create and set up content pane
JComponent newContentPane = new DiffGuideGUI();
newContentPane.setOpaque(true);
frame.setContentPane(newContentPane);
//display the window
frame.pack();
frame.setVisible(true);
}
public static void main(String[] args) {
javax.swing.SwingUtilities.invokeLater(new Runnable() {
public void run() {
createAndShowGUI();
}
});
}
}

The button appears to do nothing at the moment.
It does something. It calculates the value for your recommendOutput varable. But you never output this value.
try the following:
//build listener class
class RecommendListener implements ActionListener {
public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {
//build in logic for choice made here
String resultsTabChoice;
resultsTabChoice = (String)resultsTabList.getSelectedValue();
if( resultsTabChoice.equals("A")) {
recommendOutput = "One";}
else {recommendOutput = "Two";}
System.out.println(recommendOutput); // <-###################
}
}
This should print the value to stdout
To put the value into your label try this instead:
output.setText(recommendOutput);

where do you set the text for the JLabel? It says "We recommend NULL" because recommenedOutput is null when the object is created. I dont see
output.setText("We recommend "+value) anywhere. You probably need output.invalidate() also. Try putting setText(String text)/invalidate() in the RecommendListener.actionPerformed() method.
output.setText("We recommend A");
output.invalidate();

How do I add data to a JList via user input captured by JOptionPane?

I have a JButton named 'course' that has an actionListener that populates a JOptionPane asking the user to enter a course name. I'm trying to add the course name to the JList to display after the add course action is completed. I've tried classList.add(input) in the actionListener method but it's not working. Any help is appreciated. This is for class so tips are appreciated; I'm not after full code. Thanks.
import javax.swing.*;
import java.awt.*;
import java.awt.event.ActionEvent;
import java.awt.event.ActionListener;
public class LabEleven extends JFrame{
public LabEleven(){
String[] list = {"Math", "\nComputer", "\nPhysics", "\nChemistry"}; // create array of String data for JList
JList<String> classList = new JList<String> (list); // create JList to pass to JPanel
JPanel p1 = new JPanel(new FlowLayout(FlowLayout.LEFT, 2, 2));
p1.add(classList);
p1.setBackground(Color.white);
JPanel p2 = new JPanel(new FlowLayout(FlowLayout.RIGHT, 2, 2));
// add "add course" button and attach action listener
JButton course = new JButton("Add Course");
course.addActionListener(new ActionListener(){
#Override
public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {
String input = (JOptionPane.showInputDialog("Please enter another course"));
} // end actionPerformed
}); // end addActionListener
// add "close" button and attach action listener
JButton close = new JButton("Close");
close.addActionListener(new ActionListener(){
#Override
public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {
System.exit(0);
} // end actionPerformed
}); // end addActionListener
p2.add(course);
p2.add(close);
add(p1, BorderLayout.CENTER);
add(p2, BorderLayout.SOUTH);
} // end LabEleven constructor
public static void main(String[] args) {
JFrame frame = new LabEleven();
frame.setSize(400, 420);
frame.setLocationRelativeTo(null);
frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
frame.setVisible(true);
} // end main method
} // end LabEleven class

You should be using a ListModel when dealing with the JList, for example, an easily manageable DefaultListModel. You can then use the method DefaultListModel.addElement for dynamic population of the list.
You first need to initialize your list with the model
final DefaultListModel model = new DefaultListModel();
JList jList = new JList(model);
// you can loop to populate the model here with your default list[] data
After doing that, you can call model.addElement(input) in your listener
See more at How to use Lists and maybe focus on the section using models.
Also see the API for DefaultListModel for more available methods.

This can be helpful:
http://docs.oracle.com/javase/tutorial/uiswing/components/list.html#creating
Manipulating JList after declaring It's model can be very effective.

How to make a JList "refresh" method in a JPanel class

I'm a beginner at java and want to make a JFrame with tabs containing a seperate JPanel. One panel has a list where it displays things that you select in a different panel, so I want this panel to always display a list of stuff that you have selected in a different panel (I hope that makes sense). To do this, I need to make a method to refresh the JList. This is the Farthest that I've gotten on that:
public class PanelClass extends JPanel {
private JList list;
private DefaultListModel listModel = new DefaultListModel();
private ArrayList<SomeOtherClass> objectArray = new ArrayList<SomeOtherClass>();
public PanelClass() {
list.setModel(listModel);
}
public void refresh() {
updateListModel();
list.setModel(listModel);
}
public void updateListModel() {
if (objectArray.isEmpty()) {
System.out.println("No Objects In Array!");
} else {
listModel.clear();
for (SomeOtherClass SOC : objectArray) {
// SOC.getName() just returns a string
listModel.addElement(SOC.getName());
}
}
}
public void addObjectToArray(SomeOtherClass SOC) {
objectArray.add(SOC);
}
}
Could someone please tell me how to make a "refresh" method to constantly keep the JList up to date?

The AWT/Swing event model is based upon the widgets being event sources (in the MVC paradigm, they are both view and controller). Different widgets source different event types.
Look at the java.awt.event (primarily), and javax.swing.event packages for the listener interfaces you'll need to implement and register in order to produce your desired effect.
Basically, you write a Listener implementation, and register it with Widget1. When Widget1 detects an event, it will notify you, and you can then use the information it provides to update Widget2.
For instance, if a button being clicked would add an object to your list, you might have something like below (I usually put this code in the encompassing JFrame class, and make it implement the listener interfaces; but you can choose to use inner classes or separate listener classes):
import java.awt.*;
import java.awt.event.*;
import javax.swing.*;
public class MyFrame extends JFrame implements ActionListener {
private JButton button = new JButton("Click me!");
private DefaultListModel<String> listModel = new DefaultListModel<String>();
private JList<String> list = new JList<String>(listModel);
private int counter = 1;
public MyFrame() {
setTitle("Test Updates");
JTabbedPane tabs = new JTabbedPane();
add(tabs, BorderLayout.CENTER);
JPanel panel = new JPanel();
panel.add(list);
tabs.add("Selections", panel);
panel = new JPanel();
button.addActionListener(this);
panel.add(button);
tabs.add("Options", panel);
pack();
}
#Override
public void actionPerformed(final ActionEvent event) {
if (button.equals(event.getSource())) {
listModel.addElement("Item " + counter++);
}
}
/* Test it! */
public static void main(String[] args) {
final MyFrame frame = new MyFrame();
frame.addWindowListener(new WindowAdapter() {
#Override public void windowClosing(final WindowEvent e) {
frame.setVisible(false);
frame.dispose();
System.exit(0);
}
});
frame.setVisible(true);
}
}
This code sample is minimal, but it should give you an idea of how to go about implementing what you want.

You can do it in two way. First : Write it in infinite thread loop so that it will constantly update JList. Second : You can call refresh() method whenever new SOC objects are added in your ArrayList. It means you can call refresh() method from addObjectToArray() method which ultimately call the refresh method only when you have some change in your ArrayList.
FYI : I did it in my project and I went for second option.

What text input component last had the focus?

Suppose I have a Java application that has more than one component in which you can enter text. Now suppose this application also has a dialog that lets you insert a single character (like the dialog in Word that comes up when you select Insert from the Edit menu) into those components. You want it to insert the character into whichever text component last had the focus.
But how do you know which text component last had the focus?
I could keep track of this manually, by having each text component report to the application whenever it gets the focus and then have the application insert the new character into whichever component that last had the focus.
But this must be a common problem (consider Paste buttons in tool bars---how does it know where to paste it into?). Is there something already built in to Swing that lets you get a handle to the last text component that had the focus? Or do I need to write this myself?

Is there something already built in to Swing that lets you get a handle to the last text component that had the focus?
You create an Action that extends TextAction. The TextAction class has a method that allows you to obtain the last text component that had focus.
Edit:
You can create your own Action and do whatever you want. The Action can then be added to any JMenuItem or JButton. For example:
class SelectAll extends TextAction
{
public SelectAll()
{
super("Select All");
}
public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e)
{
JTextComponent component = getFocusedComponent();
component.selectAll();
}
}
If you just want to insert a character at the caret position of the text field then you can probably just do
component.replaceSelection(...);
Edit 2:
I don't understand what the confusion is with this answer. Here is a simple example:
select some text
use the mouse to click on the check box
tab or use the mouse to click on the "Cut" button
It doesn't matter that the text field doesn't currently have focus when the Action is invoked. The TextAction tracks the last text component that had focus.
import java.awt.*;
import java.awt.event.*;
import javax.swing.*;
import javax.swing.text.*;
public class TextActionTest extends JFrame
{
JTextField textField = new JTextField("Select Me");
JTabbedPane tabbedPane;
public TextActionTest()
{
add(textField, BorderLayout.NORTH);
add(new JCheckBox("Click Me!"));
add(new JButton(new CutAction()), BorderLayout.SOUTH);
}
public static void main(String[] args)
{
TextActionTest frame = new TextActionTest();
frame.setDefaultCloseOperation( EXIT_ON_CLOSE );
frame.pack();
frame.setLocationRelativeTo( null );
frame.setVisible(true);
}
class CutAction extends TextAction
{
public CutAction()
{
super("Click to Cut Text");
}
public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e)
{
JTextComponent component = getFocusedComponent();
// JTextComponent component = getTextComponent(e);
component.cut();
}
}
}

Just like suggested by #lesmana (+1 for that).
Here you have an example that shows that on focusLost the focus listener returns the previously focused component.
import java.awt.event.FocusEvent;
import java.awt.event.FocusListener;
import javax.swing.JComponent;
import javax.swing.JFrame;
import javax.swing.JPanel;
import javax.swing.JTextField;
public class Focusing
{
public static void main(String[] args)
{
JPanel p = new JPanel();
JTextField tf1 = new JTextField(6);
tf1.setName("tf1");
p.add(tf1);
JTextField tf2 = new JTextField(6);
tf2.setName("tf2");
p.add(tf2);
FocusListener fl = new FocusListener()
{
#Override
public void focusGained(FocusEvent e)
{
System.out.println("focusGained e.getSource().c=" + ((JComponent) e.getSource()).getName());
}
#Override
public void focusLost(FocusEvent e)
{
System.out.println("focusLost e.getSource().c=" + ((JComponent) e.getSource()).getName());
}
};
tf1.addFocusListener(fl);
tf2.addFocusListener(fl);
JPanel contentPane = new JPanel();
contentPane.add(p);
JFrame f = new JFrame();
f.setContentPane(contentPane);
f.setSize(800, 600);
f.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
f.setVisible(true);
}
}
All the best, Boro.

I've never done this directly, but you could look into the FocusEvents and the Focus Subsystem.
Hopefully there is something in the Focus Subsystem that would fire events that you could listen for.

You can register a FocusListener to every text component. The FocusEvent object has a reference to the last component which had focus.