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Thread: New Java user ActionListener question

  1. #1
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    Default New Java user ActionListener question

    Hello all,

    I'm a new Java user and I'm trying out the ActionListener feature but I am not sure what is the best way to implement it. Below is my code where I've been testing out different Java features.

    Based on my code below, what is the best way to add an ActionListener to the OK Button and the Close Button? Perhaps the OK Button has a MessageBox that says "OK Button Pressed" and the Close Button closes the application.


    Thanks for the help!
    VBGuy

    package test;
     
    import javax.swing.*;
    import java.awt.*;
     
     
     
    public class Main {
     
        public static void main(String[] args) {
            //Hello();
            //Calc();
     
            ShowFrame();
        }
     
        public static void Hello() {
        System.out.println("Hello World");
        }
     
        public static void Calc() {
            int a, b, c;
            a = 1;
            b = 1;
            c = a + b;
            System.out.println(c);
        }
     
        public static void ShowFrame() {
     
            JFrame MyWindow = new JFrame("Hello World");
            MyWindow.setSize(800, 600);
            MyWindow.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
            MyWindow.setLayout(null);
     
            //Text Field
            JTextField bbox = new JTextField(16);
            bbox.setBounds(10, 10, 100, 25);
     
            //Add Buttons
            JButton CloseButton = new JButton("Close");
            CloseButton.setBounds(10, 100, 90, 40);
     
            JButton OkButton = new JButton("Ok");
            OkButton.setBounds(100, 100, 90, 40);
     
            //Add to Frame
            MyWindow.add(CloseButton);
            MyWindow.add(bbox);
            MyWindow.add(OkButton);
     
     
            //Set Visible
            MyWindow.setVisible(true);
            bbox.setVisible(true);
            CloseButton.setVisible(true);
            OkButton.setVisible(true);
     
     
            //Set Action Listener
            CloseButton.addActionListener(null);
     
     
        }
     
    }
    Last edited by helloworld922; July 7th, 2010 at 04:03 PM. Reason: Please use [highlight=Java] tags around your code


  2. #2
    Super Moderator Norm's Avatar
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    Default Re: New Java user ActionListener question

    what is the best way to add an ActionListener
    The only way I know is to use the addActionListener() method.

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    VBGuy (July 7th, 2010)

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    Default Re: New Java user ActionListener question

    You must implement the ActionListener interface by creating a new class or have your main class implement it for you. See
    How to Write an Action Listener (The Java™ Tutorials > Creating a GUI With JFC/Swing > Writing Event Listeners)

  5. The Following User Says Thank You to copeg For This Useful Post:

    VBGuy (July 7th, 2010)

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    Default Re: New Java user ActionListener question

    Please surround your code snippets with [highlight=Java]CODE goes here[/highlight]. It makes reading the code much easier.

  7. The Following User Says Thank You to helloworld922 For This Useful Post:

    VBGuy (July 7th, 2010)

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    Default Re: New Java user ActionListener question

    Or you can simply create an anonymous class when adding the listener.
    Example:
    //Set Action Listener
            CloseButton.addActionListener(new ActionListener() {
                     public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent event) {
                           //actions perform when the CloseButton is clicked
                     }
            });

    The other way by creating inner class would look like this:
    public class Main {
    ...
         TheHandler handler = new TheHandler();
         CloseButton.addActionListener(handler);
    ...
         //////// private inner class ////////
         private class TheHandler implements ActionListener {
                 public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent event) {
                          //actions perform when the CloseButton is clicked
                 }
         }
    }
    Last edited by Asido; July 19th, 2010 at 12:19 PM.

  9. #6
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    Default Re: New Java user ActionListener question

    I think the inner class is the best method by my opinion. It means you can create 1 actionListener that takes account of all possible actions and whatnot. By doing the other way, you have to create a new actionListener that is specific to that object. Here is a little bit of helper code for my perferred method:

    public class ButtonListener implements ActionListener
    {
    	public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e)
        	{
        		Object source = e.getSource();
        		if(source instanceof JButton)
        		{
        			if(source == fileChooserButton)
        			{...}
        			else if(source == runButton)
                    {...}
                 }
                 else if(source instanceOf JComboBox)
                 {
                     if(source == whatever)
                     {...}
                  }
          }
    }

    And to assign the actionListener, you do this:
    ActionListener listener = new ButtonListener();
    fileChooserButton.addActionListener(listener);
    runButton.addActionListener(listener);
    whatever.addActionListener(listener);

    As long as you include the instanceOf comparisons and the object comparisons in the ActionListener, the listener will run fast and accurately. You can do it without them, but including them means including less if/else statements.
    Last edited by aussiemcgr; July 19th, 2010 at 12:20 PM.

  10. #7
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    Default Re: New Java user ActionListener question

    create a new actionListener that is specific to that object
    That can make for easier to maintain code that will have fewer bugs and cause fewer problems.

    Having it all in one method multiplies the chances of coding/logic problems.

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    Lightbulb Re: New Java user ActionListener question

    Try this:

    package test;
     
    import javax.swing.*;
    import java.awt.*;
     
     
     
    public class Main {
     
        public static void main(String[] args) {
            //Hello();
            //Calc();
     
            ShowFrame();
        }
     
        public static void Hello() {
        System.out.println("Hello World");
        }
     
        public static void Calc() {
            int a, b, c;
            a = 1;
            b = 1;
            c = a + b;
            System.out.println(c);
        }
     
        public static void ShowFrame() {
     
            JFrame MyWindow = new JFrame("Hello World");
            MyWindow.setSize(800, 600); // kinda big isn't it?  
            MyWindow.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
            MyWindow.setLayout(null);
     
            //Text Field
            JTextField bbox = new JTextField(16);
            bbox.setBounds(10, 10, 100, 25);
     
            //Add Buttons
            JButton CloseButton = new JButton("Close");
            CloseButton.setBounds(10, 100, 90, 40);
     
            JButton OkButton = new JButton("Ok");
            OkButton.setBounds(100, 100, 90, 40);
     
            //Add to Frame
            MyWindow.add(CloseButton);
            MyWindow.add(bbox);
            MyWindow.add(OkButton);
     
     
            //Set Visible
            MyWindow.setVisible(true);
            bbox.setVisible(true);
            CloseButton.setVisible(true);
            OkButton.setVisible(true);
     
     
            //Set Action Listener
            CloseButton.addActionListener(this);
            OkButton.addActionListener(this);
     
        }
     
    public void actionPerformed (ActionEvent e)
    {
     if (e.getActionCommand().equals("Close")
    {
     System.exit(0);  // I'm assuming that's what you want by close
    }
     
    else if (e.getActionCommand().equals("Ok")
    {
     // code for whatever ok button is supposed to do
    }
     
     
    }
    }
    [/QUOTE]

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