Ok. I am pretty new to Java GUIs. I am using NetBeans to design a GUI.
The application I am designing has a menu bar with different functionality to choose from. I wanted the main section of the GUI (below the menu bar) to change when a user selects a different menu item. So I set this main section to be a JPanel, then designed the layout of each functionality in new classes that extend from JPanel. Then when a menu item is selected, the mainPanel is set to equal a new instance of one of the corresponding class that extends JPanel. However, the main panel never changes.
/*
* MainGUI2.java
*
* Created on April 10, 2008, 12:52 AM
*/
package edu.umbc.bsched.ui.swing;
import org.apache.log4j.Logger;
/**
*
* @author Tim
*/
public class MainGUI2 extends javax.swing.JFrame {
private static final Logger logger = Logger.getLogger(MainGUI2.class);
/** Creates new form MainGUI2 */
public MainGUI2() {
logger.trace("MainGUI2 Constructor\n");
m_initComponents();
setMainPanelLogin();
}
/**
* This method should sets the main panel area to the login screen.
* This is done initially
*/
private void setMainPanelLogin(){
mainPanel = new LoginPanel();
}
private void m_initComponents() {
statusPanel = new javax.swing.JPanel();
javax.swing.JSeparator statusPanelSeparator = new javax.swing.JSeparator();
statusMessageLabel = new javax.swing.JLabel();
statusAnimationLabel = new javax.swing.JLabel();
progressBar = new javax.swing.JProgressBar();
mainPanel = new javax.swing.JPanel(); //The main section that
// should change when a menu item is selected
menuBar = new javax.swing.JMenuBar();
javax.swing.JMenu userMenu = new javax.swing.JMenu();
addUserMI = new javax.swing.JMenuItem();
modifyUserMI = new javax.swing.JMenuItem();
deleteUserMI = new javax.swing.JMenuItem();
jSeparator2 = new javax.swing.JSeparator();
changePasswordMI = new javax.swing.JMenuItem();
jSeparator1 = new javax.swing.JSeparator();
logoutMI = new javax.swing.JMenuItem();
javax.swing.JMenuItem exitMI = new javax.swing.JMenuItem();
roomMenu = new javax.swing.JMenu();
addRoomMI = new javax.swing.JMenuItem();
modifyRoomMI = new javax.swing.JMenuItem();
deleteRoomMI = new javax.swing.JMenuItem();
accomodationMenu = new javax.swing.JMenu();
addAccommodationMI = new javax.swing.JMenuItem();
deleteAccommodationMI = new javax.swing.JMenuItem();
eventMenu = new javax.swing.JMenu();
addEventMI = new javax.swing.JMenuItem();
modifyEventMI = new javax.swing.JMenuItem();
deleteEventMI = new javax.swing.JMenuItem();
bootEventMI = new javax.swing.JMenuItem();
setDefaultCloseOperation(javax.swing.WindowConstants.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
statusAnimationLabel.setHorizontalAlignment(javax.swing.SwingConstants.LEFT);
javax.swing.GroupLayout statusPanelLayout = new javax.swing.GroupLayout(statusPanel);
statusPanel.setLayout(statusPanelLayout);
statusPanelLayout.setHorizontalGroup(
statusPanelLayout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.LEADING)
.addComponent(statusPanelSeparator, javax.swing.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, 500, Short.MAX_VALUE)
.addGroup(statusPanelLayout.createSequentialGroup()
.addContainerGap()
.addComponent(statusMessageLabel)
.addPreferredGap(javax.swing.LayoutStyle.ComponentPlacement.RELATED, 326, Short.MAX_VALUE)
.addComponent(progressBar, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE, javax.swing.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE)
.addPreferredGap(javax.swing.LayoutStyle.ComponentPlacement.RELATED)
.addComponent(statusAnimationLabel)
.addContainerGap())
);
statusPanelLayout.setVerticalGroup(
statusPanelLayout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.LEADING)
.addGroup(statusPanelLayout.createSequentialGroup()
.addComponent(statusPanelSeparator, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE, 2, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE)
.addPreferredGap(javax.swing.LayoutStyle.ComponentPlacement.RELATED, javax.swing.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, Short.MAX_VALUE)
.addGroup(statusPanelLayout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.BASELINE)
.addComponent(statusMessageLabel)
.addComponent(statusAnimationLabel)
.addComponent(progressBar, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE, javax.swing.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE))
.addGap(3, 3, 3))
);
/**
* The mainPanel layout is handled. Took this from NetBeans Generated Code
*/
javax.swing.GroupLayout mainPanelLayout = new javax.swing.GroupLayout(mainPanel);
mainPanel.setLayout(mainPanelLayout);
mainPanelLayout.setHorizontalGroup(
mainPanelLayout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.LEADING)
.addGap(0, 500, Short.MAX_VALUE)
);
mainPanelLayout.setVerticalGroup(
mainPanelLayout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.LEADING)
.addGap(0, 365, Short.MAX_VALUE)
);
//Menu bar stuff removed to shorten this display
setJMenuBar(menuBar);
javax.swing.GroupLayout layout = new javax.swing.GroupLayout(getContentPane());
getContentPane().setLayout(layout);
layout.setHorizontalGroup(
layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.LEADING)
.addComponent(statusPanel, javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.TRAILING, javax.swing.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, javax.swing.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, Short.MAX_VALUE)
.addComponent(mainPanel, javax.swing.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, javax.swing.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, Short.MAX_VALUE)
);
layout.setVerticalGroup(
layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.LEADING)
.addGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.TRAILING, layout.createSequentialGroup()
.addComponent(mainPanel, javax.swing.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, javax.swing.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, Short.MAX_VALUE)
.addPreferredGap(javax.swing.LayoutStyle.ComponentPlacement.RELATED)
.addComponent(statusPanel, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE, javax.swing.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE))
);
pack();
}
/**
* When a Menu Item is selected mainPanel is set to equal the corresponding
* class that extends JPanel
*/
private void addUserMIActionPerformed(java.awt.event.ActionEvent evt) {
mainPanel = new AddUserPanel();
}
//other ActionPreformed functions removed. same format as above.
/**
* @param args the command line arguments
*/
public static void main(String args[]) {
java.awt.EventQueue.invokeLater(new Runnable() {
public void run() {
new MainGUI2().setVisible(true);
}
});
}
// Variables declaration
private javax.swing.JMenu accomodationMenu;
private javax.swing.JMenuItem addAccommodationMI;
private javax.swing.JMenuItem addEventMI;
private javax.swing.JMenuItem addRoomMI;
private javax.swing.JMenuItem addUserMI;
private javax.swing.JMenuItem bootEventMI;
private javax.swing.JMenuItem changePasswordMI;
private javax.swing.JMenuItem deleteAccommodationMI;
private javax.swing.JMenuItem deleteEventMI;
private javax.swing.JMenuItem deleteRoomMI;
private javax.swing.JMenuItem deleteUserMI;
private javax.swing.JMenu eventMenu;
private javax.swing.JSeparator jSeparator1;
private javax.swing.JSeparator jSeparator2;
private javax.swing.JMenuItem logoutMI;
private javax.swing.JPanel mainPanel;
private javax.swing.JMenuBar menuBar;
private javax.swing.JMenuItem modifyEventMI;
private javax.swing.JMenuItem modifyRoomMI;
private javax.swing.JMenuItem modifyUserMI;
private javax.swing.JProgressBar progressBar;
private javax.swing.JMenu roomMenu;
private javax.swing.JLabel statusAnimationLabel;
private javax.swing.JLabel statusMessageLabel;
private javax.swing.JPanel statusPanel;
// End of variables declaration
}
an example of the classes that extend JPanel:
/*
* AddUserPanel.java
*
* Created on April 10, 2008, 1:42 AM
*/
package edu.umbc.bsched.ui.swing;
import org.apache.log4j.Logger;
/**
*
* @author Tim
*/
public class AddUserPanel extends javax.swing.JPanel {
private static final Logger logger = Logger.getLogger(AddUserPanel.class);
/** Creates new form AddUserPanel */
public AddUserPanel() {
initComponents();
logger.trace("Did addUser Constr\n");
}
/** This method is called from within the constructor to
* initialize the form.
* WARNING: Do NOT modify this code. The content of this method is
* always regenerated by the Form Editor.
*/
// <editor-fold defaultstate="collapsed" desc="Generated Code">
private void initComponents() {
jPanel1 = new javax.swing.JPanel();
jLabel2 = new javax.swing.JLabel();
jPanel2 = new javax.swing.JPanel();
jLabel1 = new javax.swing.JLabel();
jTextField1 = new javax.swing.JTextField();
jLabel7 = new javax.swing.JLabel();
jTextField5 = new javax.swing.JTextField();
jLabel3 = new javax.swing.JLabel();
jTextField2 = new javax.swing.JTextField();
jTextField3 = new javax.swing.JTextField();
jLabel4 = new javax.swing.JLabel();
jTextField4 = new javax.swing.JTextField();
jLabel5 = new javax.swing.JLabel();
jPanel3 = new javax.swing.JPanel();
jButton1 = new javax.swing.JButton();
jButton2 = new javax.swing.JButton();
jLabel2.setText("Add User");
javax.swing.GroupLayout jPanel1Layout = new javax.swing.GroupLayout(jPanel1);
jPanel1.setLayout(jPanel1Layout);
jPanel1Layout.setHorizontalGroup(
jPanel1Layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.LEADING)
.addGroup(jPanel1Layout.createSequentialGroup()
.addContainerGap()
.addComponent(jLabel2)
.addContainerGap(javax.swing.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, Short.MAX_VALUE))
);
jPanel1Layout.setVerticalGroup(
jPanel1Layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.LEADING)
.addGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.TRAILING, jPanel1Layout.createSequentialGroup()
.addContainerGap(javax.swing.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, Short.MAX_VALUE)
.addComponent(jLabel2)
.addContainerGap())
);
jLabel1.setText("E-Mail Address:");
jLabel7.setText("Confirm E-Mail Address:");
jLabel3.setText("Last Name:");
jLabel4.setText("First Name:");
jLabel5.setText("Middle Initial:");
javax.swing.GroupLayout jPanel2Layout = new javax.swing.GroupLayout(jPanel2);
jPanel2.setLayout(jPanel2Layout);
jPanel2Layout.setHorizontalGroup(
jPanel2Layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.LEADING)
.addGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.TRAILING, jPanel2Layout.createSequentialGroup()
.addContainerGap(javax.swing.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, Short.MAX_VALUE)
.addGroup(jPanel2Layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.TRAILING)
.addComponent(jLabel3)
.addComponent(jLabel7)
.addComponent(jLabel1)
.addComponent(jLabel4)
.addComponent(jLabel5))
.addPreferredGap(javax.swing.LayoutStyle.ComponentPlacement.RELATED)
.addGroup(jPanel2Layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.LEADING, false)
.addComponent(jTextField2)
.addComponent(jTextField1, javax.swing.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, 213, Short.MAX_VALUE)
.addComponent(jTextField3)
.addComponent(jTextField4)
.addComponent(jTextField5, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE, 213, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE))
.addContainerGap())
);
jPanel2Layout.setVerticalGroup(
jPanel2Layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.LEADING)
.addGroup(jPanel2Layout.createSequentialGroup()
.addGroup(jPanel2Layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.BASELINE)
.addComponent(jTextField1, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE, javax.swing.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE)
.addComponent(jLabel1))
.addPreferredGap(javax.swing.LayoutStyle.ComponentPlacement.RELATED)
.addGroup(jPanel2Layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.BASELINE)
.addComponent(jTextField5, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE, javax.swing.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE)
.addComponent(jLabel7))
.addPreferredGap(javax.swing.LayoutStyle.ComponentPlacement.RELATED)
.addGroup(jPanel2Layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.BASELINE)
.addComponent(jTextField2, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE, javax.swing.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE)
.addComponent(jLabel3))
.addPreferredGap(javax.swing.LayoutStyle.ComponentPlacement.RELATED)
.addGroup(jPanel2Layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.BASELINE)
.addComponent(jTextField3, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE, javax.swing.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE)
.addComponent(jLabel4))
.addPreferredGap(javax.swing.LayoutStyle.ComponentPlacement.RELATED)
.addGroup(jPanel2Layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.BASELINE)
.addComponent(jTextField4, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE, javax.swing.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE)
.addComponent(jLabel5))
.addContainerGap(javax.swing.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, Short.MAX_VALUE))
);
jButton1.setText("OK");
jButton2.setText("Cancel");
javax.swing.GroupLayout jPanel3Layout = new javax.swing.GroupLayout(jPanel3);
jPanel3.setLayout(jPanel3Layout);
jPanel3Layout.setHorizontalGroup(
jPanel3Layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.LEADING)
.addGap(0, 317, Short.MAX_VALUE)
.addGroup(jPanel3Layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.LEADING)
.addGroup(jPanel3Layout.createSequentialGroup()
.addGap(63, 63, 63)
.addComponent(jButton1, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE, 78, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE)
.addGap(36, 36, 36)
.addComponent(jButton2, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE, 76, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE)
.addContainerGap(64, Short.MAX_VALUE)))
);
jPanel3Layout.setVerticalGroup(
jPanel3Layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.LEADING)
.addGap(0, 63, Short.MAX_VALUE)
.addGroup(jPanel3Layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.LEADING)
.addGroup(jPanel3Layout.createSequentialGroup()
.addGap(20, 20, 20)
.addGroup(jPanel3Layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.BASELINE)
.addComponent(jButton1)
.addComponent(jButton2))
.addContainerGap(20, Short.MAX_VALUE)))
);
javax.swing.GroupLayout layout = new javax.swing.GroupLayout(this);
this.setLayout(layout);
layout.setHorizontalGroup(
layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.LEADING)
.addGroup(layout.createSequentialGroup()
.addGroup(layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.LEADING)
.addGroup(layout.createSequentialGroup()
.addGap(220, 220, 220)
.addComponent(jPanel1, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE, javax.swing.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE))
.addGroup(layout.createSequentialGroup()
.addGap(77, 77, 77)
.addGroup(layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.LEADING)
.addGroup(layout.createSequentialGroup()
.addGap(10, 10, 10)
.addComponent(jPanel3, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE, javax.swing.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE))
.addComponent(jPanel2, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE, javax.swing.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE))))
.addContainerGap(100, Short.MAX_VALUE))
);
layout.setVerticalGroup(
layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.LEADING)
.addGroup(layout.createSequentialGroup()
.addContainerGap()
.addComponent(jPanel1, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE, javax.swing.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE)
.addGap(18, 18, 18)
.addComponent(jPanel2, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE, javax.swing.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE)
.addPreferredGap(javax.swing.LayoutStyle.ComponentPlacement.RELATED)
.addComponent(jPanel3, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE, javax.swing.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE)
.addContainerGap(119, Short.MAX_VALUE))
);
}// </editor-fold>
// Variables declaration - do not modify
private javax.swing.JButton jButton1;
private javax.swing.JButton jButton2;
private javax.swing.JLabel jLabel1;
private javax.swing.JLabel jLabel2;
private javax.swing.JLabel jLabel3;
private javax.swing.JLabel jLabel4;
private javax.swing.JLabel jLabel5;
private javax.swing.JLabel jLabel7;
private javax.swing.JPanel jPanel1;
private javax.swing.JPanel jPanel2;
private javax.swing.JPanel jPanel3;
private javax.swing.JTextField jTextField1;
private javax.swing.JTextField jTextField2;
private javax.swing.JTextField jTextField3;
private javax.swing.JTextField jTextField4;
private javax.swing.JTextField jTextField5;
// End of variables declaration
}
what is wrong here? what do i need to add or do differently. and help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks