Thread: JTextField getting text values

Hey guys, I'm trying to make a simple JFrame where the user will input information and the information will then be printed out. The problem is, I have no idea how to acquire the string which the user input. I've tried many different things and the main problem seems to be that I can't add an ActionListener to my JTextField for some reason...

Here is the full code:

package layout;
import javax.swing.AbstractButton;
import javax.swing.JButton;
import javax.swing.JPanel;
import javax.swing.JPasswordField;
import javax.swing.SpringLayout;
import javax.swing.JFrame;
import javax.swing.JLabel;
import javax.swing.JTextField;
import java.awt.Container;
import java.awt.event.ActionEvent;
import java.awt.event.ActionListener;
import java.awt.event.KeyEvent;
 
public class testing2 extends JPanel implements ActionListener {
	JTextField textField = new JTextField("", 15);
	protected static JButton b1;
	protected JButton b2, b3;
 
    private static void createAndShowGUI() {
        //Create and set up the window.
        JFrame frame = new JFrame("SpringDemo2");
        frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
 
        //Set up the content pane.
        Container contentPane = frame.getContentPane();
        SpringLayout layout = new SpringLayout();
        contentPane.setLayout(layout);
 
        //Create and add the components.
        JLabel label = new JLabel("Username: ");
        JTextField textField = new JTextField("", 15);
        JLabel label2 = new JLabel("Password: ");
        JPasswordField textField2 = new JPasswordField("", 15);
        JLabel label3 = new JLabel("Re-enter Password: ");
        JPasswordField textField3 = new JPasswordField("", 15);
        JLabel label4 = new JLabel("Email Address: ");
        JTextField textField4 = new JTextField("", 15);
        b1 = new JButton("Finish");
        b1.setVerticalTextPosition(AbstractButton.CENTER);
        b1.setHorizontalTextPosition(AbstractButton.LEADING);
        b1.setMnemonic(KeyEvent.VK_F);
        b1.setActionCommand("Finish");
        contentPane.add(label);
        contentPane.add(textField);
        contentPane.add(label2);
        contentPane.add(textField2);
        contentPane.add(label3);
        contentPane.add(textField3);
        contentPane.add(label4);
        contentPane.add(textField4);
        contentPane.add(b1);
 
        //SET HEIGHT/WIDTH
        layout.putConstraint(SpringLayout.WEST, label,
                             5,
                             SpringLayout.WEST, contentPane);
        layout.putConstraint(SpringLayout.NORTH, label,
                             5,
                             SpringLayout.NORTH, contentPane);
 
 
        layout.putConstraint(SpringLayout.WEST, textField,
                             56,
                             SpringLayout.EAST, label);
        layout.putConstraint(SpringLayout.NORTH, textField,
                             5,
                             SpringLayout.NORTH, contentPane);
        //END SET HEIGHT/WIDTH
 
       //SET HEIGHT/WIDTH
 
        layout.putConstraint(SpringLayout.WEST, label2,
                             5,
                             SpringLayout.WEST, contentPane);
        layout.putConstraint(SpringLayout.NORTH, label2,
                             33,
                             SpringLayout.NORTH, contentPane);
 
 
 
        layout.putConstraint(SpringLayout.WEST, textField2,
                             57,
                             SpringLayout.EAST, label2);
        layout.putConstraint(SpringLayout.NORTH, textField2,
                             33,
                             SpringLayout.NORTH, contentPane);
 
        //END SET HEIGHT/WIDTH
 
      //SET HEIGHT/WIDTH
 
          layout.putConstraint(SpringLayout.WEST, label3,
                               5,
                               SpringLayout.WEST, contentPane);
          layout.putConstraint(SpringLayout.NORTH, label3,
                               61,
                               SpringLayout.NORTH, contentPane);
 
 
          layout.putConstraint(SpringLayout.WEST, textField3,
                               5,
                               SpringLayout.EAST, label3);
          layout.putConstraint(SpringLayout.NORTH, textField3,
                               61,
                               SpringLayout.NORTH, contentPane);
 
          //END SET HEIGHT/WIDTH
 
        //SET HEIGHT/WIDTH
 
            layout.putConstraint(SpringLayout.WEST, label4,
                                 5,
                                 SpringLayout.WEST, contentPane);
            layout.putConstraint(SpringLayout.NORTH, label4,
                                 89,
                                 SpringLayout.NORTH, contentPane);
 
 
 
            layout.putConstraint(SpringLayout.WEST, textField4,
                                 32,
                                 SpringLayout.EAST, label4);
            layout.putConstraint(SpringLayout.NORTH, textField4,
                                 89,
                                 SpringLayout.NORTH, contentPane);
 
            //END SET HEIGHT/WIDTH
 
          //SET HEIGHT/WIDTH
 
              layout.putConstraint(SpringLayout.WEST, b1,
                                   125,
                                   SpringLayout.WEST, contentPane);
              layout.putConstraint(SpringLayout.NORTH, b1,
                                   120,
                                   SpringLayout.NORTH, contentPane);
 
              //END SET HEIGHT/WIDTH
 
        //Display the window.
        frame.pack();
        frame.setSize(325, 200);
        frame.setVisible(true);
    }
 
    [B]
    public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {
    	if ("Finish".equals(e.getActionCommand())) {
    		String x = textField.getText();                       This piece of code here does nothing. :(
    		System.out.println(x);
    	}
	}
    [/B]
 
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        //Schedule a job for the event-dispatching thread:
        //creating and showing this application's GUI.
        javax.swing.SwingUtilities.invokeLater(new Runnable() {
            public void run() {
                createAndShowGUI();
            }
        });
    }
}

Any help would be greatly appreciated

I don't see where any actionListeners are added to the components. In addition, if you wish to add an ActionListener to a JTextField and filter those events via the action command, you should set the ActionCommand of the JTextField.

Well, that's just the problem, I can't add the actionlistener anywhere. For example, I try to add it here:

private static void createAndShowGUI() {
        ...
        JTextField textField = new JTextField("", 15);
        [B]textField.addActionListener(this);[/B]

And it comes up with the error "Cannot use this in a static context" I understand what the means but there's just no other way to do it.

okay here's what i found in your code

 
public class Test extends JPanel implements ActionListener {
	 // I MADE IT STATIC SO THAT WE CAN USE IT ON createAndShowGUI
      static JTextField textField = new JTextField("", 15);
	protected static JButton b1;
	protected JButton b2, b3;
 
    private static void createAndShowGUI() {
        //Create and set up the window.
        JFrame frame = new JFrame("SpringDemo2");
        frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
 
        //Set up the content pane.
        Container contentPane = frame.getContentPane();
        SpringLayout layout = new SpringLayout();
        contentPane.setLayout(layout);
 
        //Create and add the components.
        JLabel label = new JLabel("Username: ");
 
        // THIS ONE IS THE PROBLEM, THIS OBJECT IS HIDING UR GLOBAL FIELD DELETE THIS LINE
        JTextField textField = new JTextField("", 15);
 
 
        JLabel label2 = new JLabel("Password: ");
        JPasswordField textField2 = new JPasswordField("", 15);
        JLabel label3 = new JLabel("Re-enter Password: ");

As for your action listener: its better to do this

    public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {
    	if (e.getSource()==b1) {
    		String x = textField.getText();
    		System.out.println(x);
    	}
}

so this code works for me:

package util;
import javax.swing.AbstractButton;
import javax.swing.JButton;
import javax.swing.JPanel;
import javax.swing.JPasswordField;
import javax.swing.SpringLayout;
import javax.swing.JFrame;
import javax.swing.JLabel;
import javax.swing.JTextField;
import java.awt.Container;
import java.awt.event.ActionEvent;
import java.awt.event.ActionListener;
import java.awt.event.KeyEvent;
 
public class Test extends JPanel implements ActionListener {
	static JTextField textField = new JTextField("", 15);
	protected static JButton b1;
	protected JButton b2, b3;
 
    private static void createAndShowGUI() {
        //Create and set up the window.
        JFrame frame = new JFrame("SpringDemo2");
        frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
 
        //Set up the content pane.
        Container contentPane = frame.getContentPane();
        SpringLayout layout = new SpringLayout();
        contentPane.setLayout(layout);
 
        //Create and add the components.
        JLabel label = new JLabel("Username: ");
  //      JTextField textField = new JTextField("", 15);
        JLabel label2 = new JLabel("Password: ");
        JPasswordField textField2 = new JPasswordField("", 15);
        JLabel label3 = new JLabel("Re-enter Password: ");
        JPasswordField textField3 = new JPasswordField("", 15);
        JLabel label4 = new JLabel("Email Address: ");
        JTextField textField4 = new JTextField("", 15);
        b1 = new JButton("Finish");
        b1.setVerticalTextPosition(AbstractButton.CENTER);
        b1.setHorizontalTextPosition(AbstractButton.LEADING);
        b1.setMnemonic(KeyEvent.VK_F);
        b1.addActionListener(new Test());
        b1.setActionCommand("Finish");
        contentPane.add(label);
        contentPane.add(textField);
        contentPane.add(label2);
        contentPane.add(textField2);
        contentPane.add(label3);
        contentPane.add(textField3);
        contentPane.add(label4);
        contentPane.add(textField4);
        contentPane.add(b1);
 
        //SET HEIGHT/WIDTH
        layout.putConstraint(SpringLayout.WEST, label,
                             5,
                             SpringLayout.WEST, contentPane);
        layout.putConstraint(SpringLayout.NORTH, label,
                             5,
                             SpringLayout.NORTH, contentPane);
 
 
        layout.putConstraint(SpringLayout.WEST, textField,
                             56,
                             SpringLayout.EAST, label);
        layout.putConstraint(SpringLayout.NORTH, textField,
                             5,
                             SpringLayout.NORTH, contentPane);
        //END SET HEIGHT/WIDTH
 
       //SET HEIGHT/WIDTH
 
        layout.putConstraint(SpringLayout.WEST, label2,
                             5,
                             SpringLayout.WEST, contentPane);
        layout.putConstraint(SpringLayout.NORTH, label2,
                             33,
                             SpringLayout.NORTH, contentPane);
 
 
 
        layout.putConstraint(SpringLayout.WEST, textField2,
                             57,
                             SpringLayout.EAST, label2);
        layout.putConstraint(SpringLayout.NORTH, textField2,
                             33,
                             SpringLayout.NORTH, contentPane);
 
        //END SET HEIGHT/WIDTH
 
      //SET HEIGHT/WIDTH
 
          layout.putConstraint(SpringLayout.WEST, label3,
                               5,
                               SpringLayout.WEST, contentPane);
          layout.putConstraint(SpringLayout.NORTH, label3,
                               61,
                               SpringLayout.NORTH, contentPane);
 
 
          layout.putConstraint(SpringLayout.WEST, textField3,
                               5,
                               SpringLayout.EAST, label3);
          layout.putConstraint(SpringLayout.NORTH, textField3,
                               61,
                               SpringLayout.NORTH, contentPane);
 
          //END SET HEIGHT/WIDTH
 
        //SET HEIGHT/WIDTH
 
            layout.putConstraint(SpringLayout.WEST, label4,
                                 5,
                                 SpringLayout.WEST, contentPane);
            layout.putConstraint(SpringLayout.NORTH, label4,
                                 89,
                                 SpringLayout.NORTH, contentPane);
 
 
 
            layout.putConstraint(SpringLayout.WEST, textField4,
                                 32,
                                 SpringLayout.EAST, label4);
            layout.putConstraint(SpringLayout.NORTH, textField4,
                                 89,
                                 SpringLayout.NORTH, contentPane);
 
            //END SET HEIGHT/WIDTH
 
          //SET HEIGHT/WIDTH
 
              layout.putConstraint(SpringLayout.WEST, b1,
                                   125,
                                   SpringLayout.WEST, contentPane);
              layout.putConstraint(SpringLayout.NORTH, b1,
                                   120,
                                   SpringLayout.NORTH, contentPane);
 
              //END SET HEIGHT/WIDTH
 
        //Display the window.
        frame.pack();
        frame.setSize(325, 200);
        frame.setVisible(true);
    }
 
    //HERE
    public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {
    	if (e.getSource()==b1) {
    		String x = textField.getText();
    		System.out.println(x);
    	}
	}
 
 
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        //Schedule a job for the event-dispatching thread:
        //creating and showing this application's GUI.
        javax.swing.SwingUtilities.invokeLater(new Runnable() {
            public void run() {
                createAndShowGUI();
            }
        });
    }
}

PS: JUST RENAME THE PACKAGE AND CLASS NAME,

Originally Posted by The_Mexican

And it comes up with the error "Cannot use this in a static context" I understand what the means but there's just no other way to do it.

That information would have been helpful in your original post. this in a static function is out of context because there is not this. Create an instance of the class, then add that as the action listener.

testing2 t2 = new testing2();
textField.addActionListener(t2);

Thanks relixus.

Copeg, why is there no this in a static function? I dont get it, sorry I'm a beginner xD.

You need to have that class that you have the text field in having the method

actionPerformed(ActionEvent e)

if you use this

Originally Posted by The_Mexican

Thanks relixus.

Copeg, why is there no this in a static function? I dont get it, sorry I'm a beginner xD.

Because this refers to a specific instance of an object.

Static methods don't have a this because they are defined on the class level, and there is no instance to refer to.

Read this for more info: Understanding Instance and Class Members (The Java™ Tutorials > Learning the Java Language > Classes and Objects)

You mean you call them like this:

ClassName.method();

?

Thought so.