Java programme to colour in a grid

**why_always_me** · March 24th, 2012, 07:54 AM

Hi this is my first post here.

basically i want a programme to do teh following:

1)create a 6x6 grid.
2)ask the user to choose from 6 colours to fill a square
3)test to see if one row or column has 5 colours in and autocomplete with the final colour. also it should not allow the user to click on any squares in that row or column if it is complete.
4) if a square has already been filled in and gets clicked again it should go back to blank/empty colour.
5) if a square is going to be coloured the same as one already in that row/column the square should be left blank and an error message displayed saying why and allowing the user to try again
the starting pattern is to be read in from a file i.e.
R1 C2 Green
where R1 is 1st row and C2 is second column.

I can create a 6x6 grid and open up a menu bar to ask for a colour but i can not get the button pressed to go into that colour. i also want the second window that opens to close when a colour is picked but dont know how to do that.

I can get to grips with file reading but not the testing of rows columns and colouring them in from button clicks etc.

the code belwo is what i have so far

import java.awt.*;
import java.awt.event.*;
import javax.swing.*;

public class ButtonGrid extends JFrame implements ActionListener {

private int numClicks = 0;

public static void main(String[] args) {
int rowsGrid = 6;
int colsGrid = 6;
int sizeGrid = 600;

ButtonGrid grid = new ButtonGrid(rowsGrid, colsGrid);
grid.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE );
grid.setPreferredSize(new Dimension(sizeGrid, sizeGrid));
grid.pack();
grid.setLocationRelativeTo(null);
grid.setVisible(true);
}//end main

public ButtonGrid(int rows, int cols) {
Container pane = getContentPane();
pane.setLayout(new GridLayout(rows, cols));
for(int j =0; j<rows; j++)
for (int i = 0; i < cols; i++) {
JButton button = new JButton("");
button.addActionListener(this);
button.setBackground(new Color(100,100,100));
pane.add(button);
}
}//end buttonGrid

public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {
numClicks++;
int rows = 6;
int cols = 6;
int size = 300;
ColourChoice choice = new ColourChoice(rows, cols);
choice.setPreferredSize(new Dimension(size/2, size));
choice.pack();
choice.setVisible(true);
}

public class ColourChoice extends JFrame{

public ColourChoice(int rows, int cols) {
String[] colourName ={"RED","GREEN","BLUE","YELLOW","PURPLE","BROWN" };
Color[] choices = {Color.RED, Color.GREEN, Color.BLUE, Color.YELLOW, new Color(102, 0, 102), new Color(102, 51, 0)};
Container pane = getContentPane();
pane.setLayout(new GridLayout(rows, cols));
for (int i = 0; i < choices.length; i++) {
JButton button = new JButton(""+colourName[i]);
button.setForeground(new Color(100,100,100));
button.setBackground(choices[i]);
pane.add(button);
}
}

}//end choice class

}//end class

it creates a 6x6 grid and each time a button is pressed a new window opens with the colour choices.

**Norm** · March 25th, 2012, 11:31 AM

Please Edit your post and wrap your code with[code=java]<YOUR CODE HERE>[/code] to get highlighting

Look at using a JDialog to prompt the user for his choices.

Putting the button objects in an arraylist might be useful.
The event object passed to the listener contains a reference to the source of the event and could be used to call its methods.

**why_always_me** · March 25th, 2012, 08:22 PM

Hi ok thanks for that. I have now managed to get the squares to change colour. How will i now make them go back to default if they are clicked and they have been coloured in? thanks

here is the code using at the moment

import java.awt.*;
import java.awt.event.*;
import javax.swing.*;
 
public class ButtonGridv2 extends JFrame implements ActionListener {
 
	public static void main(String[] args) {
		int rowsGrid = 6;
		int colsGrid = 6;
		int sizeGrid = 600;
 
		ButtonGridv2 grid = new ButtonGridv2(rowsGrid, colsGrid);
		grid.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
		grid.setPreferredSize(new Dimension(sizeGrid, sizeGrid));
		grid.pack();
		grid.setLocationRelativeTo(null);
		grid.setVisible(true);
 
	}//end main  
 
	public ButtonGridv2(int rows, int cols) {
		int rowsGrid = 6;
		int colsGrid = 6;
		int size = 600;
		JButton[][] buttons;
		buttons = new JButton[rowsGrid][colsGrid];
		Container pane = getContentPane();
		pane.setLayout(new GridLayout(rows, cols));
		for(int j =0; j<rows; j++)
		for (int i = 0; i < cols; i++) {
			buttons[j][i] = new JButton("");
			buttons[j][i].setOpaque(true);
			buttons[j][i].addActionListener(this);
			buttons[j][i].setBackground(Color.GRAY);
			pane.add(buttons[j][i]);
			System.out.println(""+j+""+i);
		}
	}//end buttonGrid
 
	public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) { 
 
		int rows = 6;
		int cols = 1;
		int size = 300;
		ColourChoicev2 choice = new ColourChoicev2(rows, cols, (JButton) e.getSource());
		choice.setPreferredSize(new Dimension(size/2, size));
		choice.pack();
		choice.setVisible(true);
	}//end actionperformed       
 
	class ColourChoicev2 extends JFrame {
 
		public JButton redButton;
		public JButton yellowButton;
		public JButton blueButton;
		public JButton greenButton;
		public JButton purpleButton;
		public JButton brownButton;
		public JPanel panel;
		private JButton clickedButton;
 
		public ColourChoicev2(int rows, int cols, JButton button)
		{
			redButton = new JButton("Red");
			yellowButton = new JButton("Yellow");
			blueButton = new JButton("Blue");
			greenButton = new JButton("Green");
			purpleButton = new JButton("Purple");
			brownButton = new JButton("Brown");
 
			clickedButton = button;
 
			redButton.addActionListener(new RedButtonListener());
			yellowButton.addActionListener(new YellowButtonListener());
			blueButton.addActionListener(new BlueButtonListener());
			greenButton.addActionListener(new GreenButtonListener());
			purpleButton.addActionListener(new PurpleButtonListener());
			brownButton.addActionListener(new BrownButtonListener());
 
			panel = new JPanel();
 
			panel.add(redButton);
			panel.add(yellowButton);
			panel.add(blueButton);
			panel.add(greenButton);
			panel.add(purpleButton);
			panel.add(brownButton);
			add(panel);
			setVisible(true);
		}
 
		public class RedButtonListener implements ActionListener
		{
			public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e)
			{        	
				clickedButton.setBackground(Color.RED); 
				dispose();
			}
		}
 
		private class YellowButtonListener implements ActionListener
		{
			public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e)
			{
				clickedButton.setBackground(Color.YELLOW); 
				dispose(); 
			}
		}
 
		private class BlueButtonListener implements ActionListener
		{
			public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e)
			{   
				clickedButton.setBackground(Color.BLUE);    
				dispose();          
			}
		}
 
		private class GreenButtonListener implements ActionListener
		{
			public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e)
			{    	    	
				clickedButton.setBackground(Color.GREEN);   
				dispose();
			}
		}
 
		private class PurpleButtonListener implements ActionListener
		{
			public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e)
			{    	    	
				clickedButton.setBackground(new Color(102,0,102));
				dispose();
			}
		}
 
		private class BrownButtonListener implements ActionListener
		{
			public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e)
			{    	    	
				clickedButton.setBackground(new Color(102,51,0));
				dispose();
			}
		}
	}//end colour choice
}//end class

**Norm** · March 26th, 2012, 06:31 AM

make them go back to default if they are clicked and they have been coloured in

When do you want them to go back to the default? Is it when some event happens?

**why_always_me** · March 26th, 2012, 06:47 PM

Originally Posted by Norm

When do you want them to go back to the default? Is it when some event happens?

Hi I have managed to get the colouring in part to work

but i am now confused on how to do the file reading. below is the new code that colours squares and SHOULD fill some in from the start. the file will be of the form
R1 C2 Green
R2 C3 Red
etc

but i do not know how to modify the filereader to colour in the correct square.

here is the new code

import java.awt.*;
import java.awt.event.*;
import javax.swing.*;
import javax.swing.event.*;
import java.util.*;
import java.io.*;
 
public class ButtonGridv3 extends JFrame implements ActionListener 
{
    private ColourChoicev2 choice = null;
    private JButton[][] buttons = new JButton[6][6];
 
    public static void main(String[] args) 
    {
    	int rowsGrid = 6;
    	int colsGrid = 6;
    	int sizeGrid = 600;
    	ButtonGridv3 grid = new ButtonGridv3(rowsGrid, colsGrid);
    	grid.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
    	grid.setPreferredSize(new Dimension(sizeGrid, sizeGrid));
    	grid.pack();
    	grid.setLocationRelativeTo(null);
    	grid.setVisible(true);
 
    }//end main  
 
    public ButtonGridv3(int rows, int cols) 
    {
    	int rowsGrid = 6;
    	int colsGrid = 6;
    	int sizeGrid = 600;
    	Container pane = getContentPane();
    	pane.setLayout(new GridLayout(rows, cols));
    	for(int j =0; j<rows; j++)
    	    for (int i = 0; i < cols; i++) 
    	    {
    	    	buttons[j][i] = new JButton("");
    	    	buttons[j][i].setOpaque(true); 
    	    	buttons[j][i].setName("");      
    	    	buttons[j][i].addActionListener(this);      
    	    	buttons[j][i].setBackground(Color.darkGray);
    	    	pane.add(buttons[j][i]);
    	    }
    	    readStartFile("start.txt");
    }//end buttonGrid
 
    public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) 
    {
    	JButton button = (JButton) e.getSource();
 
    	//if ((button.getName()).equals(""))  //wont open colour window if button clicked is not default
    	//{
 
    	// this is to check if any previous window is showing or not
    	// if one found , dispose that and open a new one
    	// for the new button.
    	if ( choice != null && choice.isShowing())
    	    choice.dispose();
    	int rows = 6;
    	int cols = 1;
    	int size = 300;
    	choice = new ColourChoicev2(rows, cols, (JButton) e.getSource());
    	choice.setPreferredSize(new Dimension(size/3, size));
    	choice.pack();
    	choice.setVisible(true);
    	if ((button.getName()).equals("ColouredButton"))    
    	{
    	    button.setBackground(Color.darkGray);
    	    button.setName("");
    	    //}
    	}
    	/*else if ((button.getName()).equals("ColouredButton")) 
    	{
    	button.setBackground(Color.darkGray);
    	}*/
 
    }//end actionperformed    
 
    public void readStartFile(String fileName){
 
    	try{
    	    // Open the file that is the first 
    	    // command line parameter
    	    FileInputStream fstream = new FileInputStream("start.txt");
    	    // Get the object of DataInputStream
    	    DataInputStream in = new DataInputStream(fstream);
    	    BufferedReader br = new BufferedReader(new InputStreamReader(in));
    	    String strLine;
    	    //Read File Line By Line
    	    while ((strLine = br.readLine()) != null)   {
    	    	System.out.println(strLine);
    	    }
    	    //Close the input stream
    	    in.close();
    	}catch (Exception e){//Catch exception if any
    	    System.err.println("Error: " + e.getMessage());
    	}
    }
 
    class ColourChoicev2 extends JFrame 
    {
	public JButton redButton;
	public JButton yellowButton;
	public JButton blueButton;
	public JButton greenButton;
	public JButton purpleButton;
	public JButton brownButton;
	public JPanel panel;
	private JButton clickedButton; 
 
	public ColourChoicev2(int rows, int cols, JButton button)
	{
	    redButton = new JButton("Red");
	    yellowButton = new JButton("Yellow");
	    blueButton = new JButton("Blue");
	    greenButton = new JButton("Green");
	    purpleButton = new JButton("Purple");
	    brownButton = new JButton("Brown");
 
	    clickedButton = button;
 
	    redButton.addActionListener(new RedButtonListener());
	    yellowButton.addActionListener(new YellowButtonListener());
	    blueButton.addActionListener(new BlueButtonListener());
	    greenButton.addActionListener(new GreenButtonListener());
	    purpleButton.addActionListener(new PurpleButtonListener());
	    brownButton.addActionListener(new BrownButtonListener());
 
	    panel = new JPanel();
 
	    panel.add(redButton);
	    panel.add(yellowButton);
	    panel.add(blueButton);
	    panel.add(greenButton);
	    panel.add(purpleButton);
	    panel.add(brownButton);
	    add(panel);
	}
 
	private class RedButtonListener implements ActionListener
	{
	    public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e)
	    {
	    	clickedButton.setBackground(Color.RED);
	    	clickedButton.setName("ColouredButton");
	    	dispose();
	    }
	}
 
	private class YellowButtonListener implements ActionListener
	{
	    public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e)
	    {             
	    	clickedButton.setBackground(Color.YELLOW);
	    	clickedButton.setName("ColouredButton");
	    	dispose();
	    }
	}
 
	private class BlueButtonListener implements ActionListener
	{
	    public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e)
	    { 
	    	clickedButton.setBackground(Color.BLUE);    
	    	clickedButton.setName("ColouredButton");
	    	dispose();          
	    }
	}
 
	private class GreenButtonListener implements ActionListener
	{
	    public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e)
	    {
	    	clickedButton.setBackground(Color.GREEN);   
	    	clickedButton.setName("ColouredButton");
	    	dispose();
	    }
	}
 
	private class PurpleButtonListener implements ActionListener
	{
	    public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e)
	    {
 
	    	clickedButton.setBackground(new Color(102,0,102));
	    	clickedButton.setName("ColouredButton");
	    	dispose();
	    }
	}
 
	private class BrownButtonListener implements ActionListener
	{
	    public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e)
	    {
	    	clickedButton.setBackground(new Color(102,51,0));
	    	clickedButton.setName("ColouredButton");
	    	dispose();
	    }
	}
    }
}//end class

**Norm** · March 26th, 2012, 06:53 PM

How do you determine the "correct" square to color?

**why_always_me** · March 27th, 2012, 05:58 AM

Hi I will be determining the correct square by trying to parse the row and column info from the file as well as the colour and then using

buttons[row][col].setBackground(colour)

where row = the number after R
column = number after C
and colour = string after R1 C2 such as Green

**Norm** · March 27th, 2012, 06:27 AM

You could use the String class's split method on the input String, then use the substring method on each substring to remove the leading R or C character. Then use the Integer class's parse method to convert the String to an int.

**why_always_me** · March 27th, 2012, 07:16 AM

Originally Posted by Norm

You could use the String class's split method on the input String, then use the substring method on each substring to remove the leading R or C character. Then use the Integer class's parse method to convert the String to an int.

ok thanks. so would that mean i would do something like

while ((strLine = br.readLine()) != null)   {
                strLine.split(" ");
                strLine = strLine.substring(0, strLine.length() - 1)
 
            }

thanks

**Norm** · March 27th, 2012, 07:19 AM

You should read the API doc for the String class to see how to use its methods.
For example the split method returns a value that you will use. Your code ignores what is returned.

**why_always_me** · March 27th, 2012, 07:35 AM

Originally Posted by Norm

You should read the API doc for the String class to see how to use its methods.
For example the split method returns a value that you will use. Your code ignores what is returned.

ok so it should be something like

while ((strLine = br.readLine()) != null)   {
                strLine.split(" ");
                strLine.removeCharAt(strLine[0]);
 
            }

**Norm** · March 27th, 2012, 07:43 AM

Not yet. You are still ignoring what the split method returns.

Did what you posted compile? Try compiling before posting to see if the compiler likes your code.

**why_always_me** · March 27th, 2012, 07:54 AM

Originally Posted by Norm

Not yet. You are still ignoring what the split method returns.

Did what you posted compile? Try compiling before posting to see if the compiler likes your code.

i removed the bottom line strLine.removeCharAt(strLine[0]);
and it compiles fine.

**Norm** · March 27th, 2012, 07:56 AM

What happens to the value returned by the split() method?

**why_always_me** · March 27th, 2012, 02:12 PM

Originally Posted by Norm

What happens to the value returned by the split() method?

sorry i am not too sure

. Can not get any code to compile on my laptop at the minute after trying to install jdk 7. no matter what program i try and run i just get the error could not find or load main class programName

**why_always_me** · March 27th, 2012, 03:45 PM

Originally Posted by why_always_me

sorry i am not too sure

. Can not get any code to compile on my laptop at the minute after trying to install jdk 7. no matter what program i try and run i just get the error could not find or load main class programName

managed to get jdk 7 working now. still slightly confused by the split() method though. is there any easier way of detecting the R,C and colour?

thanks

**Norm** · March 27th, 2012, 03:49 PM

The split() method would be the easiest.
Other choices would be the indexOf and substring methods.

To see what split() does, try writing a 3 line program with a sample input String. Call the split() method and print out contents of the returned array

**why_always_me** · March 28th, 2012, 05:59 PM

Originally Posted by Norm

The split() method would be the easiest.
Other choices would be the indexOf and substring methods.

To see what split() does, try writing a 3 line program with a sample input String. Call the split() method and print out contents of the returned array

Hi I have now found out how to use the split method correctly. here is my piece of code used for an example as you suggested.

public class SplitExample{
 
  public static void main(String args[]){
 
       String str = "one two three";
 
  /* delimiter */
  String delimiter = " ";
  /* given string will be split by the argument delimiter provided. */
  String[] temp = str.split(delimiter);
  /* print substrings */
  for(int i =0; i < temp.length ; i++)
    System.out.println(temp[i]);
  }
}

so how would i now get the second part of the first word in my case the 1 and the second part of the second word?
thanks

**Norm** · March 28th, 2012, 06:39 PM

Use the substring method to get parts of a String.

**why_always_me** · March 29th, 2012, 03:50 AM

Originally Posted by Norm

Use the substring method to get parts of a String.

Hi so i tried using if statements to set my rNum variable and it never changes from 0? any ideas?

 public void readStartFile(String fileName){
     	 int rNum=0;
     	 int cNum=0;
 
        try{
            // Open the file that is the first 
            // command line parameter
            FileInputStream fstream = new FileInputStream("start.txt");
            // Get the object of DataInputStream
            DataInputStream in = new DataInputStream(fstream);
            BufferedReader br = new BufferedReader(new InputStreamReader(in));
            String strLine;
            //Read File Line By Line
            while ((strLine = br.readLine()) != null)   {
                String[] temp = strLine.split(" ");
                if(temp[0] == "R1"){
                rNum =1;
                System.out.println(""+rNum);
                }else if(temp[0] == "R2"){
                rNum =1;
                }else if(temp[0] == "R3"){
                rNum =2;
                }else if(temp[0] == "R4"){
                rNum =3;
                }else if(temp[0] == "R5"){
                rNum =4;
                }else if(temp[0] == "R6"){
                rNum =5;
                }
                System.out.println(""+rNum);
 
            }
            //Close the input stream
            in.close();
        }catch (Exception e){//Catch exception if any
            System.err.println("Error: " + e.getMessage());
        }
    }

thanks

**Norm** · March 29th, 2012, 06:09 AM

You should use the equals() method do compare Strings not the == operator.

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