We Keep Coding

run function on JButton press

I'm attempting to make a program in java that uses a robot to press a specific key every few seconds. It has a GUI with a start and stop button and a label which tells which state its in. I've got everything working so far except that when I click "start" it runs the loop for my robot function (which is infinite) it doesn't enable the stop button like I thought it would. I know its something stupid with where the infinite loop is placed but I'm not sure how to make it work correctly.
I don't do a lot of java work, this was just a fun thing I thought to try but got stuck part way through. Any help is appreciated.
import java.awt.AWTException;
import java.awt.FlowLayout;
import java.awt.Robot;
import java.awt.event.ActionEvent;
import java.awt.event.ActionListener;
import java.awt.event.KeyEvent;
import javax.swing.JButton;
import javax.swing.JFrame;
import javax.swing.JLabel;
public class Main extends JFrame {
/**
*
*/
private static final long serialVersionUID = 1L;
private static boolean running = false;;
private JButton start_button;
private JButton stop_button;
private JLabel tl;
private static int i = 0;
Robot robot;
void start() {
JFrame frame = new JFrame("Helper");
tl = new JLabel("Running: " + running);
start_button = new JButton("Start");
stop_button = new JButton("Stop");
stop_button.setEnabled(false);
frame.add(tl);
frame.add(start_button);
frame.add(stop_button);
frame.setSize(300, 100);
frame.setVisible(true);
frame.setLayout(new FlowLayout());
frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
frame.setLocation(400, 400);
try {
robot = new Robot();
} catch (AWTException e2) {
// TODO Auto-generated catch block
e2.printStackTrace();
}
robot.setAutoDelay(200);
start_button.addActionListener(new ActionListener() {
#Override
public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {
start_button.setEnabled(false);
stop_button.setEnabled(true);
running = true;
tl.setText("Running: " + running);
while (running) {
robot_loop(robot);
}
}
});
stop_button.addActionListener(new ActionListener() {
#Override
public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {
start_button.setEnabled(true);
stop_button.setEnabled(false);
running = false;
tl.setText("Running: " + running);
}
});
}
public static void main(String[] args) {
new Main().start();
}
private static void robot_loop(Robot robot) {
robot.keyPress(KeyEvent.VK_NUMPAD0);
robot.keyRelease(KeyEvent.VK_NUMPAD0);
System.out.println("numpad 0 pressed! - " + i);
i++;
}
}

I've adapted my comment into an answer.
The actionPerformed method of those event listeners are invoked on Swing's event dispatch thread, and since you're entering into an infinite loop, it'll cause the GUI to freeze. You could create a thread inside of your actionPerformed method and do your work inside of the new thread. Though the next issue you'd run into is finding a nice way to stop the thread whenever the user presses the stop button.
What's cool is that you've already got all the logic to do this in your code. So getting it to work is as simple as changing:
start_button.addActionListener(new ActionListener() {
#Override
public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {
start_button.setEnabled(false);
stop_button.setEnabled(true);
running = true;
tl.setText("Running: " + running);
while (running) {
robot_loop(robot);
}
}
});
To do your work on its own thread:
start_button.addActionListener(new ActionListener() {
#Override
public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {
start_button.setEnabled(false);
stop_button.setEnabled(true);
running = true;
tl.setText("Running: " + running);
Executors.newSingleThreadExecutor().submit(new Runnable() {
#Override public void run() {
while (running) {
robot_loop(robot);
}
}
});
}
});
The code above makes use of the executors framework (java.util.concurrent.*) rather than directly creating a thread. Another alternative as nachokk suggested would be to use a timer java.util.Timer or javax.swing.Timer (either should be fine in this case).

You can do something like this using SwingTimer
int delay = 400*1000;// you can inject this property
ActionListener taskPerformer = new ActionListener(){
#Override
public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent evt2) {
robot_loop(robot);
}
};
Timer timer = new Timer(delay, taskPerformer);
timer.start();

Using a thread loop to update a JFrame

ive done some extensive searching on using threads in a loop and whilst I understand the concept how how seperate threads work, I still cant seem to grasp how to implement it in my simple application.
My application consists of a form with a text box. This textbox needs to be updated once ever iteration of a loop. It starts with the press of a button but the loop should also finish with the press of a stop button. Ive used a boolean value to track if its been pressed.
Here is my form code:
package threadtester;
public class MainForm extends javax.swing.JFrame {
public MainForm() {
initComponents();
}
private void RunButtonActionPerformed(java.awt.event.ActionEvent evt) {
ThreadTester.setRunnable(true);
ThreadTester example = new ThreadTester(2,this);
example.run();
}
private void StopButtonActionPerformed(java.awt.event.ActionEvent evt) {
ThreadTester.setRunnable(false);
}
public static void main(String args[]) {
java.awt.EventQueue.invokeLater(new Runnable() {
public void run() {
new MainForm().setVisible(true);
}
});
}
public void setTextBox(String myString){
MainTextbox.setText(myString);
}
}
As you can see I have a button that is pressed. When the button is pressed this executes the code thats in a different class called ThreadTester. Here is the code for that class:
package threadtester;
import java.util.logging.Level;
import java.util.logging.Logger;
public class ThreadTester implements Runnable
{
int thisThread;
MainForm myMainForm;
private static boolean runnable;
// constructor
public ThreadTester (int number,MainForm mainForm)
{
thisThread = number;
myMainForm = mainForm;
}
public void run ()
{
for (int i =0;i< 20; i++) {
if(runnable==false){
break;
}
System.out.println("I'm in thread " + thisThread + " line " + i);
myMainForm.setTextBox(i + "counter");
try {
Thread.sleep(1000);
} catch (InterruptedException ex) {
Logger.getLogger(ThreadTester.class.getName()).log(Level.SEVERE, null, ex);
}
} }
public static void setRunnable(Boolean myValue){
runnable = myValue;
}
public static void main(String[] args) {
MainForm.main(args);
}
}
as you can see the loop has been created on a seperate thread... but the textbox only updates after the loop has finished. Now as far as im aware in my MainForm I created a seperate thread to run the loop on, so I dont understand why its not running? Any guidence would be much appreciated, ive tried looking at examples on stack exchange but I cant seem to get them to fit into my implemntation.
With the recommendation suggested by Tassos my run method now looks like this:
public void run ()
{
for (int i =0;i< 20; i++) {
if(runnable==false){
break;
}
System.out.println("I'm in thread " + thisThread + " line " + i);
final String var = i + "counter";
java.awt.EventQueue.invokeLater(new Runnable() {
public void run() {
myMainForm.setTextBox(var);
}
});
try {
Thread.sleep(1000);
} catch (InterruptedException ex) {
Logger.getLogger(ThreadTester.class.getName()).log(Level.SEVERE, null, ex);
}
} }

In order for Tassos' answer to work, you actually have to create an new thread, which you did not do. Simply calling
ThreadTester example = new ThreadTester(2,this);
example.run();
is not enough, sice that just calls the run method from EDT. You need to do the following:
Thread t = new Thread(new ThreadTester(2,this));
t.start();
Please refer to Defining and Starting a Thread.
Also, you want modify the same field from two different threads (runnable), which is a bug. You should read more about java concurrency.

Change this line
myMainForm.setTextBox(i + "counter");
into
final String var = i + "counter";
java.awt.EventQueue.invokeLater(new Runnable() {
public void run() {
myMainForm.setTextBox(var);
}
});
}
Why? Because you can't do UI work in non-UI threads.

The problem is that you are blocking the EDT (Event Dispatching Thread), preventing the UI to refresh until your loop is finished.
The solutions to these issues is always the same, use a Swing Timer or use a SwingWorker.
Here is an example of the usage of a SwingWorker:
import java.awt.BorderLayout;
import java.awt.event.ActionEvent;
import java.awt.event.ActionListener;
import java.util.List;
import javax.swing.JButton;
import javax.swing.JFrame;
import javax.swing.JTextField;
import javax.swing.SwingUtilities;
import javax.swing.SwingWorker;
public class TestSwingWorker {
private JTextField progressTextField;
protected void initUI() {
final JFrame frame = new JFrame();
frame.setTitle(TestSwingWorker.class.getSimpleName());
frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
JButton button = new JButton("Clik me to start work");
button.addActionListener(new ActionListener() {
#Override
public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {
doWork();
}
});
progressTextField = new JTextField(25);
progressTextField.setEditable(false);
frame.add(progressTextField, BorderLayout.NORTH);
frame.add(button, BorderLayout.SOUTH);
frame.pack();
frame.setVisible(true);
}
protected void doWork() {
SwingWorker<Void, Integer> worker = new SwingWorker<Void, Integer>() {
#Override
protected Void doInBackground() throws Exception {
// Here not in the EDT
for (int i = 0; i < 100; i++) {
// Simulates work
Thread.sleep(10);
publish(i); // published values are passed to the #process(List) method
}
return null;
}
#Override
protected void process(List<Integer> chunks) {
// chunks are values retrieved from #publish()
// Here we are on the EDT and can safely update the UI
progressTextField.setText(chunks.get(chunks.size() - 1).toString());
}
#Override
protected void done() {
// Invoked when the SwingWorker has finished
// We are on the EDT, we can safely update the UI
progressTextField.setText("Done");
}
};
worker.execute();
}
public static void main(String[] args) {
SwingUtilities.invokeLater(new Runnable() {
#Override
public void run() {
new TestSwingWorker().initUI();
}
});
}
}

Make method that returns when JButton is pressed

I need to make a method that returns only when a JButton is pressed. I have a custom JButton class
public class MyButton extends JButton {
public void waitForPress() {
//returns only when user presses this button
}
}
and I want to implement waitForPress. Basically, the method should only return when the user presses the button with their mouse. I have achieved similar behavior for JTextField (to return only when user presses Space):
public void waitForTriggerKey() {
final CountDownLatch latch = new CountDownLatch(1);
KeyEventDispatcher dispatcher = new KeyEventDispatcher() {
public boolean dispatchKeyEvent(KeyEvent e) {
if (e.getID() == KeyEvent.KEY_PRESSED && e.getKeyCode() == KeyEvent.VK_SPACE) {
System.out.println("presed!");
latch.countDown();
}
return false;
}
};
KeyboardFocusManager.getCurrentKeyboardFocusManager().addKeyEventDispatcher(dispatcher);
try {
//current thread waits here until countDown() is called (see a few lines above)
latch.await();
} catch (InterruptedException e1) {
e1.printStackTrace();
}
KeyboardFocusManager.getCurrentKeyboardFocusManager().removeKeyEventDispatcher(dispatcher);
}
but I would like to do the same thing with JButton.
In advance: Please, if you wish to comment saying that this is not a good idea and that one should simply wait for actionPerformed event on a JButton and then do some action, please realize I already know that and have a good reason for doing what I'm asking here. Please try to only help with what I've asked. Thanks!!
In advance: Please, also realize that implementing actionPerformed also will not directly solve the problem. Because the code will progress even without the button being pressed. I need the program to stop, and only return when the button has been pressed. Here is a terrible solution if I were to use actionPerformed:
public class MyButton extends JButton implements ActionPerformed {
private boolean keepGoing = true;
public MyButton(String s) {
super(s);
addActionListener(this);
}
public void waitForPress() {
while(keepGoing);
return;
}
public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {
keepGoing = false;
}
}

For what it's worth, here is how you can do it with wait() and notify() but yet I feel that there is a deeper problem here. I would not consider this as a satisfying solution:
import java.awt.event.ActionEvent;
import java.awt.event.ActionListener;
import java.util.concurrent.Executors;
import java.util.concurrent.ScheduledExecutorService;
import javax.swing.JButton;
import javax.swing.JFrame;
import javax.swing.SwingUtilities;
public class TestBlockingButton {
boolean clicked = false;
private Object toNotify;
private void initUI() {
JFrame frame = new JFrame(TestBlockingButton.class.getSimpleName());
JButton button = new JButton("Click me");
button.addActionListener(new ActionListener() {
#Override
public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {
clicked = true;
if (toNotify != null) {
synchronized (TestBlockingButton.this) {
toNotify.notify();
}
}
}
});
frame.add(button);
frame.setSize(400, 400);
frame.setLocationRelativeTo(null);
frame.setVisible(true);
}
public void waitForProcess() {
toNotify = this;
while (!clicked) {
synchronized (this) {
try {
wait();
} catch (InterruptedException e) {
// TODO Auto-generated catch block
e.printStackTrace();
}
}
}
System.out.println("continuing work");
}
public static void main(String[] args) {
final TestBlockingButton test = new TestBlockingButton();
SwingUtilities.invokeLater(new Runnable() {
#Override
public void run() {
test.initUI();
}
});
ScheduledExecutorService pool = Executors.newScheduledThreadPool(1);
pool.execute(new Runnable() {
#Override
public void run() {
System.out.println("I was doing something and now I will wait for button click");
test.waitForProcess();
System.out.println("User has now cliked the button and I can continue my work");
}
});
}
}

As you asked for an implementation with a mutex, here's what it would be like.
I'm using an ActionListener though, but there's no busy wait in it. If that isn't what you desire, you atleast saw what Burkhard meant ;)
public class MyButton extends JButton implements ActionListener
{
private Semaphore sem = new Semaphore(1);
public MyButton(String text) throws InterruptedException
{
super(text);
addActionListener(this);
sem.acquire();
}
#Override
public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {
sem.release();
}
public void waitForPress() throws InterruptedException {
sem.acquire();
//do your stuff
sem.acquire();
//or just
//waitForPress()
//if you dont want it to end.
}
public static void main(String[] args) throws InterruptedException {
JFrame frame = new JFrame();
MyButton m = new MyButton("test");
frame.add(m);
frame.pack();
frame.setVisible(true);
m.waitForPress();
//another time, if you only want it to block twice
m.waitForPress();
}
}
But I don't think this is a clean approach, but it doesn't consume CPU-time like a while(isStatementTrue)-implementation.
An important thing here is: you're blocking the main thread with m.waitForPress() but as you wrote you're quite experienced and you know how to handle that.

strange bug - how to pause a java program?

I'm trying to:
display a text in a jLabel,
wait for two seconds,
then write a new text in the jLabel
this should be simple, but I get a strange bug:
the first text is never written, the application just waits for 2 seconds and then displays the final text. here is the example code:
private void testButtonActionPerformed(java.awt.event.ActionEvent evt) {
displayLabel.setText("Clicked!");
// first method with System timer
/*
long t0= System.currentTimeMillis();
long t1= System.currentTimeMillis();
do{
t1 = System.currentTimeMillis();
}
while ((t1 - t0) < (2000));
*/
// second method with thread.sleep()
try {
Thread.currentThread().sleep(2000);
} catch (InterruptedException e) {}
displayLabel.setText("STOP");
}
with this code, the text "Clicked!" is never displayed. I just get a 2 seconds - pause and then the "STOP" text.
I tried to use System timer with a loop, or Thread.sleep(), but both methods give the same result.

Just to provide more background on Andrew Thompson's comment: the EDT is responsible for handling gui updates. If you block it using Thread.sleep(...) those updates are blocked as well. That's why you don't see the first text - the EDT just can't do the update on the label.

Here's a runnable example which does what you're after. As Andrew Thompson's comment stated, a SwingWorker is a good way to approach this problem.
The basic principal is to never block the Event Dispatch Thread. That's the thread responsible for repainting the GUI and responding to user interaction, so if you do something computationally expensive on the EDT, your GUI will stop responding.
import java.awt.event.ActionEvent;
import java.awt.event.ActionListener;
import java.util.concurrent.ExecutionException;
import javax.swing.JButton;
import javax.swing.JFrame;
import javax.swing.SwingWorker;
public class ButtonTest {
public static void main(String[] args) {
// create a frame and a button
JFrame frame = new JFrame();
final JButton button = new JButton("Button");
frame.add(button);
// add an action listener to the button
button.addActionListener(new ActionListener() {
#Override
public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent arg0) {
// change the button text right away
button.setText( "Clicked" );
// create a SwingWorker which simply waits 2000 milliseconds
// simulating a computation being performed
SwingWorker<String, Object> worker = new SwingWorker<String, Object>() {
#Override
public String doInBackground() {
// it's safe to call Thread.sleep( ) here
// doInBackground is executed on a separate worker
// thread
try {
Thread.sleep(2000);
} catch (InterruptedException e) {
}
return "Done";
}
#Override
protected void done() {
// done() is executed back on the Swing thread
// so it's safe to updated the state of the button
try {
button.setText(get());
} catch (Exception e) { }
}
};
// run the worker
worker.execute();
}
});
frame.setSize( 300, 300 );
frame.setVisible( true );
}
}

You are messing with the event dispatcher thread.
That will cause un-expected UI behavior as you are seeing. If you plan to do these type of animations, make sure to read up on what #Andrew Thompson suggested and also, see if you can read this - Filthy rich clients
Better to use a Swing Timer as shown in curde-example below:(yes, it is crude, I did not worry about stopping the timer etc):
public class DelayTest extends JPanel{
JLabel messageLabel = new JLabel();
JButton actionButton = new JButton("Click Me");
String[] messages = {"Clicked", "Stop!"};
int i=0;
public DelayTest(){
super();
add(messageLabel);
add(actionButton);
actionButton.addActionListener(new ActionListener() {
#Override
public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent arg0) {
Timer timer = new Timer(1000, new ActionListener() {
#Override
public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent arg0) {
if(i<=1)
messageLabel.setText(messages[i++]);
}
});
timer.start();
}
});
}
}
Edit
Why not stop the Timer:
#Override
public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent evt) {
if (i <= 1) {
messageLabel.setText(messages[i++]);
} else {
((Timer)evt.getSource()).stop();
}
}
});

Calling a Background Thread in Swing

First code:
import java.awt.*;
import java.awt.event.*;
import javax.swing.*;
public class cos {
public static int a;
private static JLabel labeler;
// public static Runnable r1;
private JFrame frame;
/**
* Launch the application.
*/
public static void main(String[] args) {
a = 0;
EventQueue.invokeLater(new Runnable() {
public void run() {
try {
cos window = new cos();
window.frame.setVisible(true);
} catch (Exception e) {
e.printStackTrace();
}
}
});
}
/**
* Create the application.
*/
public cos() {
initialize();
}
/**
* Initialize the contents of the frame.
*/
public void initialize() {
frame = new JFrame();
frame.setBounds(100, 100, 205, 194);
frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
JLabel lblTime = new JLabel("Time:");
frame.getContentPane().add(lblTime, BorderLayout.WEST);
final JLabel labeler = new JLabel("");
frame.getContentPane().add(labeler, BorderLayout.CENTER);
JButton btnNewButton = new JButton("New button");
btnNewButton.addActionListener(new ActionListener() {
Runnable r1 = new Runnable() {
public void run() {
while (a <= 10) {
a = a + 1;
labeler.setText(Integer.toString(a));
try {
Thread.sleep(1000);
} catch (InterruptedException e) {
// TODO Auto-generated catch block
e.printStackTrace();
}
}
}
};
public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent arg0) {
Thread threder = new Thread(r1);
threder.start();
// liczniczek bla = new liczniczek();
}
});
frame.getContentPane().add(btnNewButton, BorderLayout.SOUTH);
}
public void licznik() {
while (a < 60) {
a = a + 1;
labeler.setText(Integer.toString(a));
try {
Thread.sleep(1000);
} catch (InterruptedException e) {
// TODO Auto-generated catch block
e.printStackTrace();
}
}
}
}
And now my question. I wanna use code like this:
Runnable r1 = new Runnable(){
public void run(){
licznik();
}
};
But that doesen't work. What i must do to separate this code ? Sorry for my bad english
Sierran.

never use Thread#sleep(int) during EDT, sure if is there only this thread then works correctly (with blockng EDT),
Runnable r1 = new Runnable(){
public void run(){
licznik();
}
};
is wrong than same as you call plain licznik();, you have to wrap that this way
Runnable r1 = new Runnable(){
public void run(){
labeler.setText(Integer.toString(a));
}
};
but again without Thread#sleep(int), you have three choises
1) change Thread to the javax.swing.Timer
2) change Thread to the Runnable#Thread, there you can delaying with Thread#sleep(int), but output to the GUI must be
Runnable r1 = new Runnable(){
public void run(){
labeler.setText(Integer.toString(a));
}
};
3) use SwingWorker, where output is in the EDT and you can use Thread#sleep(int) too
example Thread#sleep(int) during EDT
put all together
EDIT
don't use reserved words as class, method, variable, whatever Name in the Programing languages (meaning cos)
your code works by implements all three options that I post here,

What do you mean "it doesn't work"? It works for me. How are you trying to use this code, and what errors or problems are you having when you run it? Myself, I'd use a SwingWorker though and I'd set the JLabel's text via the SwingWorker's publish/process method pair. To learn more on how to use this, please see this tutorial: Concurrency in Swing
Edit
Actually, an easier way to accomplish what you want is to not use threads or Runnables directly at all but to use a Swing Timer as they're built for just this case. For more on this, please check out the Swing Timer Tutorial

I gather that you want the function licznik() to run in a separate thread. You create a Runnable, but you have to do something more to make its run() method execute. There are a couple of ways to do this:
Runnable r1 = new Runnable(){
public void run(){
licznik();
}
};
new Thread(r1).start();
or you can just subclass Thread directly:
Thread r1 = new Thread(){
public void run(){
licznik();
}
};
r1.start();

Runnable interface has no method licznik(). You can create class that implements Runnable with licznik() method.
Or if you do not need to reuse this method and use it just once, then the fastest way is to move its implementation inside new Runnable() block
Runnable r1 = new Runnable(){
public void run(){
this.licznik();
}
public void licznik(){
while (a < 60){
a = a + 1 ;
labeler.setText(Integer.toString(a));
try {
Thread.sleep(1000);
} catch (InterruptedException e) {
// TODO Auto-generated catch block
e.printStackTrace();
}
}
}
};

Look on GitHub under at https://github.com/greggwon/Ham. Look at the source code in https://github.com/greggwon/Ham/blob/master/SwingUtil/src/org/wonderly/swing/ComponentUpdateThread.java to see how I've packaged this whole detail into a single class which uses anonymous inner classes to do the work. It would be possible to change this to lambdas now, but I have not used Java in several years and thus haven't made that change.
new ComponentUpdateThread( new Action[] { add, del, edit } ) {
public void setup() {
super.setup();
list.setEnabled(false);
list.clearSelection();
}
public Object construct() {
try {
Vector v = remote.getData();
Collections.sort( v );
return v;
} catch( Exception ex ) {
reportException(ex);
}
return null;
}
public void finished() {
try {
Vector v = (Vector)getValue();
if( v != null ) list.setListData(v);
} finally {
super.finished();
list.setEnabled(true);
edit.setEnabled(false);
del.setEnaled(false);
}
}
}.start();
With this style of work, you can use final values from surrounding blocks or other class visible data to control various aspects of what happens before, during and after background thread execution.
I've change this code around over the years in various ways and there are other variations of this that exist.
The arguments to the ComponentUpdateThread constructor are controls/actions to be "disabled" while the background thread is running. Other enable/disable activities can be more literally embedded into the activities in setup() and finished() (which are run in the AWT event thread) before "construct" is run in the background thread.