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JavaSwing
CIS172JavaI Prof.Rasley

8.6.2: GUI: Model-View-Controller Pattern

Graphical User Interfaces have classes collaborate in a standardized pattern, Model-View-Controller.

User Interface View Model Controller

Model: Models the current problem (e.g. counting votes). Has nothing to do with interacting with the user. View: Shows relevant information in the model to the user. Controller: Gathers input from the user to modify the model.
Java: Learning to Program with Robots

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WhatisSwing?
AnAPIforGraphicalUserInterfaces(GUI) Createdtoprovideamoresophisticatedsetof GUIcomponentsthantheAbstractWindows Toolkit(AWT) Toolkit (AWT) PartoftheJavaFoundationClasses(JFC) Lightweight componentsbecausetheylook consistentonplatforms

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JavaSwingClassHierarchy
TheclassJComponent, descendeddirectlyfrom Container,istherootclass formostofSwing'suser interfacecomponents.

From:http://www.javabeginner.com/javaswingtutorial.htm

JFrame inheritance
Creatingwindows Graphicalobjecttobedisplayed

Holdsotherobjects

Createsbasicwindows

Addstitlebar&border

JFrame constructors&methods
Constructors: JFrame()notextinthetitlebar JFrame (Stringtitlebartext) Methods: getContentPane() returnsthecontentpaneobjectforthe window setDefaultCloseOperation(int operation)setsthedefault operationwhentheuserclosestheXintheuppercorner setSize (int width,int height)setsthewindowsizeinpixels setVisible (boolean mode)displayswindowifmode=true; hidesiffalse

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GUIapplicationtasks:
CallconstructoroftheJFrame superclass Getanobjectreferencetothecontentpane container GUIobjectsareaddedtothispane SetthelayoutmanagertoarrangeGUI componentsinthewindow Instantiateeachcomponent Addeachcomponenttothecontentpane Setthewindowsize Displaythewindow

SwingComponents:
JLabel displaysanimageorreadonlytext JTextField singlelinetextboxforinput JTextArea multiplelinetextbox JPasswordField singlelineforacceptingpasswordsbut notdisplayingwhatistyped d l h d JButton commandbutton JRadioButton toggleoneinagroup JCheckBox userselects0,1,ormoreoptionsinagroup JList listofitemstoselect1ormore JComboBox dropdownlisttoselectoneitem

JComponent Methods:(allreturnvoid)
setVisible (boolean mode)truemeansvisible setToolTipText (StringtoolTip)mousehovershowsthis text setForeground (ColorforeColor)foregroundcolorof thecomponent p setBackground (Colorbackcolor)backgroundcolorof thecomponent setOpaque (boolean mode)backgroundisopaqueif trueandtransparentiffalse setEnabled (boolean mode)enablediftrueandcan respondtouserinput

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EventHandling
GUIsareeventdriven userchoosetoactandtheGUI respondsviaaneventhandler Toprogramforthisweneedto:
Writealistener(eventhandler) Instantiateanobjectofthatclass Registerthelisteneron1ormorecomponents

What fires? Whatfires?

JTextField andJTextArea pressingenter;eventobject= ActionEvent JButton pressingthebutton;eventobject=ActionEvent JRadioButton,JCheckBox,JComboBox makingachoice;event object=ItemEvent JList selectinganitem;eventobject=ListSelectionEvent Anycomponent mouseup ormousedown ormovingthe mouse;eventobject=MouseEvent

DialogBoxesinSwing
JDialog isdirectlydescendedfromtheDialog class JDialog containsarootPane hierarchy includingacontentPane including a contentPane Alldialogsaremodal,whichmeansthe currentthreadisblockeduntiluserinteraction withithasbeencompleted.
From:http://www.javabeginner.com/javaswingtutorial.htm

TypesofDialogBoxes
JOptionPane.showMessageDialog reports somethingthathashappenedtotheuser JOptionPane.showConfirmDialog asksfora confirmingresponsee.g.yes,no,cancel JOptionPane showInputDialog prompt the user JOptionPane.showInputDialog prompttheuser forinput Lotsofgoodinformationat: http://java.sun.com/docs/books/tutorial/uiswing /components/dialog.html