Question

In this chapter, we will program our first Swing programs. We will cover some basic functionality.

Our first example

The first example shows a basic window on the screen.

package com.zetcode;

import java.awt.EventQueue;
import javax.swing.JFrame;

public class SimpleEx extends JFrame {

  public SimpleEx() {

    initUI();
  }

  private void initUI() {
    
    setTitle("Simple example");
    setSize(300, 200);
    setLocationRelativeTo(null);
    setDefaultCloseOperation(EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
  }

  public static void main(String[] args) {

    EventQueue.invokeLater(new Runnable() {
    
      @Override
      public void run() {
        SimpleEx ex = new SimpleEx();
        ex.setVisible(true);
      }
    });
  }
}

While this code is very short, the application window can do quite a lot. It can be resized, maximised, or minimised. All the complexity that comes with it has been hidden from the application programmer.

import java.awt.EventQueue;
import javax.swing.JFrame;

Here we import Swing classes that will be used in the code example.

public class SimpleEx extends JFrame {

The SimpleEx class inherits from the JFrame component. JFrame is a top-level container. The basic purpose of containers is to hold components of the application.

public SimpleEx() {

  initUI();
}

It is a good programming practice not to put the application code into constructors, but delegate the task to a specific method.

setTitle("Simple example");

Here we set the title of the window using the setTitle() method.

setSize(300, 200);

This code will resize the window to be 300 px wide and 200 px tall.

setLocationRelativeTo(null);

This line will center the window on the screen.

setDefaultCloseOperation(EXIT_ON_CLOSE);

This method will close the window if we click on the close button of the titlebar. By default nothing happens.

EventQueue.invokeLater(new Runnable() {
  @Override
  public void run() {
    SimpleExample ex = new SimpleExample();
    ex.setVisible(true);
  }
});

We create an instance of our code example and make it visible on the screen. The invokeLater() method places the application on the Swing Event Queue. It is used to ensure that all UI updates are concurrency-safe. In other words, it is to prevent GUI from hanging in certain situations.

Figure: Simple example

Quit button

In our next example, we will have a button. When we click on the button, the application terminates.

package com.zetcode;

import java.awt.Container;
import java.awt.EventQueue;
import java.awt.event.ActionEvent;
import java.awt.event.ActionListener;
import javax.swing.GroupLayout;
import javax.swing.JButton;
import javax.swing.JComponent;
import javax.swing.JFrame;

public class QuitButtonEx extends JFrame {

  public QuitButtonEx() {

    initUI();
  }

  private void initUI() {

    JButton quitButton = new JButton("Quit");

    quitButton.addActionListener(new ActionListener() {
      @Override
      public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent event) {
        System.exit(0);
      }
    });

    createLayout(quitButton);

    setTitle("Quit button");
    setSize(300, 200);
    setLocationRelativeTo(null);
    setDefaultCloseOperation(EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
  }

  private void createLayout(JComponent... arg) {

    Container pane = getContentPane();
    GroupLayout gl = new GroupLayout(pane);
    pane.setLayout(gl);

    gl.setAutoCreateContainerGaps(true);

    gl.setHorizontalGroup(gl.createSequentialGroup()
        .addComponent(arg[0])
    );

    gl.setVerticalGroup(gl.createSequentialGroup()
        .addComponent(arg[0])
    );
  }

  public static void main(String[] args) {

    EventQueue.invokeLater(new Runnable() {
    
      @Override
      public void run() {
        QuitButtonEx ex = new QuitButtonEx();
        ex.setVisible(true);
      }
    });
  }
}

We position a JButton on the window and add an action listener to this button.

JButton quitButton = new JButton("Quit");

Here we create a button component. This constructor takes a string label as a parameter.

quitButton.addActionListener(new ActionListener() {
  @Override
  public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent event) {
    System.exit(0);
  }
});

We plug an action listener to the button. The listener's actionPerformed() method will be called when we click on the button. The action terminates the application by calling the System.exit() method.

createLayout(quitButton);

The child components need to be placed into containers. We delegate the task to the createLayout() method.

Container pane = getContentPane();
GroupLayout gl = new GroupLayout(pane);
pane.setLayout(gl);

The content pane of a JFrame is an area where child components are placed. The children are organised by specialised non-visible components called layout managers. The default layout manager of a content pane is the BorderLayout manager. This manager is very simple and is useful only in certain cases. In this tutorial, we use the GroupLayout manager which is more powerful and flexible.

gl.setAutoCreateContainerGaps(true);

The setAutoCreateContainerGaps() method creates gaps between components and the edges of the container. Space or gaps are important part of the design of each application.

gl.setHorizontalGroup(gl.createSequentialGroup()
    .addComponent(quitButton)
);

gl.setVerticalGroup(gl.createSequentialGroup()
    .addComponent(quitButton)
);

GroupLayout manager defines the layout for each dimension independently. In one step, we lay out components alongside the horizontal axis; in the other step, we lay out components along the vertical axis. In both kinds of layouts we can arrange components sequentially or in parallel. In a horizontal layout, a row of components is called a sequential group and a column of components is called a parallel group. In a vertical layout, a column of components is called a sequential group and a row of components a parallel group.

In our example we have only one button, so the layout is very simple. For each dimension, we call the addComponent() method with the button component as a parameter. (Each child component must be added for both dimensions.)

Figure: Quit button

A tooltip

Tooltips are part of the internal application's help system. Swing shows a small window if we hover a mouse pointer over an object that has a tooltip set.

package com.zetcode;

import java.awt.EventQueue;
import javax.swing.GroupLayout;
import javax.swing.JButton;
import javax.swing.JComponent;
import javax.swing.JFrame;
import javax.swing.JPanel;


public class TooltipEx extends JFrame {

  public TooltipEx() {
    
    initUI();
  }

  private void initUI() {

    JButton btn = new JButton("Button");
    btn.setToolTipText("A button component");

    createLayout(btn);
    
    setTitle("Tooltip");
    setLocationRelativeTo(null);
    setDefaultCloseOperation(EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
  }
  
  private void createLayout(JComponent... arg) {
    
    JPanel pane = (JPanel) getContentPane();
    GroupLayout gl = new GroupLayout(pane);
    pane.setLayout(gl);
    
    pane.setToolTipText("Content pane");    
    
    gl.setAutoCreateContainerGaps(true);
    
    gl.setHorizontalGroup(gl.createSequentialGroup()
        .addComponent(arg[0])
        .addGap(200)
    );

    gl.setVerticalGroup(gl.createSequentialGroup()
        .addComponent(arg[0])
        .addGap(120)
    );
    
    pack();    
  }

  public static void main(String[] args) {
    
    EventQueue.invokeLater(new Runnable() {
    
      @Override
      public void run() {
        TooltipEx ex = new TooltipEx();
        ex.setVisible(true);
      }
    });
  }
}

In the example, we set a tooltip for the frame and the button.

btn.setToolTipText("A button component");

To enable a tooltip, we call the setTooltipText() method.

JPanel pane = (JPanel) getContentPane();
GroupLayout gl = new GroupLayout(pane);
pane.setLayout(gl);

A content pane is an instance of a JPanel component. The getContentPane() method returns a Container type. Since setting a tooltip requires a JComponent instance, we cast the object to a JPanel .

pane.setToolTipText("Content pane");

A tooltip is set for the content pane.

gl.setHorizontalGroup(gl.createSequentialGroup()
    .addComponent(arg[0])
    .addGap(200)
);

gl.setVerticalGroup(gl.createSequentialGroup()
    .addComponent(arg[0])
    .addGap(120)
);

We call the addGap() method for horizontal and vertical dimensions. It creates some space to the right and to the bottom of the button.

pack();

The pack() method automatically sizes the JFrame based on the size of its components. It takes the defined space into account too. Our window will display the button and the spaces that we have set with the addGap() method.

Figure: Tooltip

Mnemonics

Mnemonics are shortcut keys that activate a component that supports mnemonics. For instance, they can be used with labels, buttons, or menu items.

package com.zetcode;

import java.awt.Container;
import java.awt.EventQueue;
import java.awt.event.ActionEvent;
import java.awt.event.ActionListener;
import java.awt.event.KeyEvent;
import javax.swing.GroupLayout;
import javax.swing.JButton;
import javax.swing.JComponent;
import javax.swing.JFrame;


public class MnemonicEx extends JFrame {
  
  public MnemonicEx() {
    
    initUI();
  }
  
  private void initUI() {
    
    JButton btn = new JButton("Button");
    btn.addActionListener(new ActionListener() {

      @Override
      public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {
        System.out.println("Button pressed");
      }
      
    });
    
    btn.setMnemonic(KeyEvent.VK_B);
    
    createLayout(btn);
    
    setTitle("Mnemonics");
    setLocationRelativeTo(null);
    setDefaultCloseOperation(EXIT_ON_CLOSE);    
  }
  
  private void createLayout(JComponent... arg) {
    
    Container pane = getContentPane();
    GroupLayout gl = new GroupLayout(pane);
    pane.setLayout(gl);    

    gl.setAutoCreateContainerGaps(true);

    gl.setHorizontalGroup(gl.createSequentialGroup()
        .addComponent(arg[0])
        .addGap(200)
    );

    gl.setVerticalGroup(gl.createParallelGroup()
        .addComponent(arg[0])
        .addGap(200)
    );     

    pack();
  }    

  public static void main(String[] args) {

    EventQueue.invokeLater(new Runnable() {
      
      @Override
      public void run() {
        MnemonicEx ex = new MnemonicEx();
        ex.setVisible(true);
      }
    });
  }
}

We have a button with an action listener. We set a mnemonic for this button. It can be activated with the Alt+B keyboard shortcut.

btn.setMnemonic(KeyEvent.VK_B);

The setMnemonic() method sets a keyboard mnemonic for the button. The mnemonic key is specified with a virtual keycode from the KeyEvent class. The mnemonic is combined with the look and feel's mouseless modifier (usually Alt).

At this moment, there are three ways to activate the button: a left mouse button click, the Alt+B shortcut, and the Space key (provided the button has the focus). The Space key binding was automatically created by Swing. (Under Metal look and feel, the focus is visually represented by a small rectangle around the button's label.)

In this chapter, we have created some simple Java Swing programs.