Thread: Chess Game. Code to move pieces.

Dear friends,

I currently am working on programming a chess game. Nothing difficult, just a board with pieces that can be moved around. I got the first part working (draw board with pieces), but I am having problems with writing the methods for the pieces to be moved (MousePressed, mouseDragged, mouseReleased). Could any of you please help me? I am still a beginner, so lots of help would be appreciated. Thank you in advance.

P.S. I know this sounds horrible, but if the answer could contain a finished version of this code that would be heavens... but maybe thats really me asking too much already (i just learn better that way)

import javax.swing.*;
import java.awt.*;
import java.awt.Color;
import java.awt.Font;
import java.awt.event.*;
import javax.swing.JLabel;
import javax.swing.SwingConstants;
 
public class Chess2 extends JFrame implements MouseListener, MouseMotionListener 
{
    JFrame frame;
    JLayeredPane chessPane;
    JLabel chessPiece;
    JPanel chessBoard;
    JPanel squares[][] = new JPanel[8][8];
    int xCoordinate;
    int yCoordinate;
 
 
    public Chess2() 
    {
        frame = new JFrame("Chess2");
        frame.setSize(600, 600);
        frame.setLayout(new GridLayout(8, 8));
        chessPane = new JLayeredPane();
        getContentPane().add(chessPane);
 
        chessPane.addMouseListener(this);
        chessPane.addMouseMotionListener(this);
 
        //drawing the board
 
        for (int a = 0; a < 8; a++) 
        {
            for (int b = 0; b < 8; b++) 
            {
                squares[a][b] = new JPanel();
 
                if ((a + b) % 2 == 0) 
                {
                    squares[a][b].setBackground(new Color(238, 221, 187));
                } 
                else 
                {
                    squares[a][b].setBackground(new Color(204,136,68));
                }   
                frame.add(squares[a][b]);
            }
        }
            //first row top
                squares[0][0].add(new JLabel(new ImageIcon("Rooka8.png")));
                squares[0][1].add(new JLabel(new ImageIcon("Knightb8.png")));
                squares[0][2].add(new JLabel(new ImageIcon("Bishopc8.png")));
                squares[0][3].add(new JLabel(new ImageIcon("Queend8.png")));
                squares[0][4].add(new JLabel(new ImageIcon("Kinge8.png")));
                squares[0][5].add(new JLabel(new ImageIcon("Bishopf8.png")));
                squares[0][6].add(new JLabel(new ImageIcon("Knightg8.png")));
                squares[0][7].add(new JLabel(new ImageIcon("Rookh8.png")));
            //second row top a
                for (int x = 0; x < 8; x++) 
                {
                   squares[1][x].add(new JLabel(new ImageIcon("Pawna7.png")));
                }
            //third row bottom
                for (int x = 0; x < 8; x++)
                {
                    squares[6][x].add(new JLabel(new ImageIcon("Pawna2.png")));
                }
            //fourth row bottom
                squares[7][0].add(new JLabel(new ImageIcon("Rooka1.png")));
                squares[7][1].add(new JLabel(new ImageIcon("Knightb1.png")));
                squares[7][2].add(new JLabel(new ImageIcon("Bishopc1.png")));
                squares[7][3].add(new JLabel(new ImageIcon("Queend1.png")));
                squares[7][4].add(new JLabel(new ImageIcon("Kinge1.png")));
                squares[7][5].add(new JLabel(new ImageIcon("Bishopf1.png")));
                squares[7][6].add(new JLabel(new ImageIcon("Knightg1.png")));
                squares[7][7].add(new JLabel(new ImageIcon("Rookh1.png")));
 
                frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
                frame.setVisible(true);
    }
 
   public void mousePressed(MouseEvent event)
  {
      Component component =  frame.findComponentAt(event.getX(), event.getY());
 
      if (component instanceof JPanel) 
      return;
 
      Point parentLocation = component.getParent().getLocation();
      xCoordinate = parentLocation.x - event.getX();
      yCoordinate = parentLocation.y - event.getY();
      chessPiece = (JLabel)component;
      chessPiece.setLocation(event.getX() + xCoordinate, event.getY() + yCoordinate);
      chessPiece.setSize(chessPiece.getWidth(), chessPiece.getHeight());
      chessPane.add(chessPiece, JLayeredPane.DRAG_LAYER);
  }
 
  //move pieces
 
  public void mouseDragged(MouseEvent me) 
  {
     if (chessPiece == null) return;
     chessPiece.setLocation(me.getX() + xCoordinate, me.getY() + yCoordinate);
  }
 
  //drop a piece when mouse is released
 
  public void mouseReleased(MouseEvent e) 
  {
       if(chessPiece == null) return;
 
      chessPiece.setVisible(false);
      Component c =  chessBoard.findComponentAt(e.getX(), e.getY());
 
      if (c instanceof JLabel)
      {
          Container parent = c.getParent();
          parent.remove(0);
          parent.add( chessPiece );
      }
      else 
      {
          Container parent = (Container)c;
          parent.add( chessPiece );
        }
 
  chessPiece.setVisible(true);
  }
 
  public void mouseClicked(MouseEvent e) 
  {
      }
  public void mouseMoved(MouseEvent e) 
  {
      }
  public void mouseEntered(MouseEvent e)
  {
      }
  public void mouseExited(MouseEvent e) 
  {  
      }
 
    public static void main(String[] args) 
    {
        JFrame frame = new Chess2();
        frame.setResizable(true);
        frame.setLocationRelativeTo(null);
    }
}

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