Java GUI with NetBeans

Question

I'm trying to make a graph in GUI but I really don't understand how it works. I can use the netbeans drop and drag to make the visual side of things but when it comes to coding I don't understand.

After i make the visual side of things, how do I put things together like action/events etc. Here is my design code.

package my.mathamaticsui;

public class MathamaticsUI extends javax.swing.JFrame {

    /**
     * Creates new form MathamaticsUI
     */
    public MathamaticsUI() {
        initComponents();
    }

    /**
     * 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.
     */
    @SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
    // <editor-fold defaultstate="collapsed" desc="Generated Code">
    private void initComponents() {

        jPanel1 = new javax.swing.JPanel();
        jScrollPane5 = new javax.swing.JScrollPane();
        jList1 = new javax.swing.JList();
        jTabbedPane1 = new javax.swing.JTabbedPane();
        jScrollPane2 = new javax.swing.JScrollPane();
        jTextArea2 = new javax.swing.JTextArea();
        jScrollPane1 = new javax.swing.JScrollPane();
        jTextArea1 = new javax.swing.JTextArea();
        jScrollPane3 = new javax.swing.JScrollPane();
        jTextArea3 = new javax.swing.JTextArea();
        jScrollPane4 = new javax.swing.JScrollPane();
        jTextArea4 = new javax.swing.JTextArea();
        jPanel2 = new javax.swing.JPanel();
        jLabel1 = new javax.swing.JLabel();
        jTabbedPane2 = new javax.swing.JTabbedPane();
        jLabel2 = new javax.swing.JLabel();

        javax.swing.GroupLayout jPanel1Layout = new javax.swing.GroupLayout(jPanel1);
        jPanel1.setLayout(jPanel1Layout);
        jPanel1Layout.setHorizontalGroup(
            jPanel1Layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.LEADING)
            .addGap(0, 100, Short.MAX_VALUE)
        );
        jPanel1Layout.setVerticalGroup(
            jPanel1Layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.LEADING)
            .addGap(0, 100, Short.MAX_VALUE)
        );

        jList1.setModel(new javax.swing.AbstractListModel() {
            String[] strings = { "Item 1", "Item 2", "Item 3", "Item 4", "Item 5" };
            public int getSize() { return strings.length; }
            public Object getElementAt(int i) { return strings[i]; }
        });
        jScrollPane5.setViewportView(jList1);

        setDefaultCloseOperation(javax.swing.WindowConstants.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);

        jTabbedPane1.setBackground(new java.awt.Color(204, 204, 204));

        jTextArea2.setBackground(new java.awt.Color(204, 204, 204));
        jTextArea2.setColumns(20);
        jTextArea2.setEditable(false);
        jTextArea2.setFont(new java.awt.Font("Times New Roman", 3, 18)); // NOI18N
        jTextArea2.setRows(5);
        jTextArea2.setText("Polynominal Functions:\nf(x)= ax^3 + bx^2 + c\n\n");
        jScrollPane2.setViewportView(jTextArea2);

        jTabbedPane1.addTab("Polynominal", jScrollPane2);

        jTextArea1.setBackground(new java.awt.Color(204, 204, 204));
        jTextArea1.setColumns(20);
        jTextArea1.setFont(new java.awt.Font("Times New Roman", 3, 18)); // NOI18N
        jTextArea1.setRows(5);
        jTextArea1.setText("Exponential Functions:\nf(x) = Ae^x\nf(x) = Ab^x");
        jScrollPane1.setViewportView(jTextArea1);

        jTabbedPane1.addTab("Exponential", jScrollPane1);

        jTextArea3.setBackground(new java.awt.Color(204, 204, 204));
        jTextArea3.setColumns(20);
        jTextArea3.setFont(new java.awt.Font("Times New Roman", 3, 18)); // NOI18N
        jTextArea3.setRows(5);
        jTextArea3.setText("Trigonometric Functions:\nf(x) = AsinBx + c");
        jScrollPane3.setViewportView(jTextArea3);

        jTabbedPane1.addTab("Trigonometric", jScrollPane3);

        jTextArea4.setBackground(new java.awt.Color(204, 204, 204));
        jTextArea4.setColumns(20);
        jTextArea4.setFont(new java.awt.Font("Times New Roman", 3, 18)); // NOI18N
        jTextArea4.setRows(5);
        jTextArea4.setText("Parametric Functions:\nf(t) = (AcosBt, AsinDt)\n");
        jTextArea4.setBorder(javax.swing.BorderFactory.createBevelBorder(javax.swing.border.BevelBorder.RAISED));
        jScrollPane4.setViewportView(jTextArea4);

        jTabbedPane1.addTab("Parametric", jScrollPane4);

        jPanel2.addAncestorListener(new javax.swing.event.AncestorListener() {
            public void ancestorMoved(javax.swing.event.AncestorEvent evt) {
            }
            public void ancestorAdded(javax.swing.event.AncestorEvent evt) {
                jPanel2AncestorAdded(evt);
            }
            public void ancestorRemoved(javax.swing.event.AncestorEvent evt) {
            }
        });

        jLabel1.setFont(new java.awt.Font("Times New Roman", 1, 18)); // NOI18N
        jLabel1.setText("Graph");

        javax.swing.GroupLayout jPanel2Layout = new javax.swing.GroupLayout(jPanel2);
        jPanel2.setLayout(jPanel2Layout);
        jPanel2Layout.setHorizontalGroup(
            jPanel2Layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.LEADING)
            .addGroup(jPanel2Layout.createSequentialGroup()
                .addComponent(jLabel1)
                .addGap(0, 0, Short.MAX_VALUE))
            .addComponent(jTabbedPane2)
        );
        jPanel2Layout.setVerticalGroup(
            jPanel2Layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.LEADING)
            .addGroup(jPanel2Layout.createSequentialGroup()
                .addComponent(jLabel1)
                .addPreferredGap(javax.swing.LayoutStyle.ComponentPlacement.RELATED)
                .addComponent(jTabbedPane2, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE, 178, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE)
                .addGap(0, 0, Short.MAX_VALUE))
        );

        jLabel2.setFont(new java.awt.Font("Times New Roman", 1, 18)); // NOI18N
        jLabel2.setText("Data");

        javax.swing.GroupLayout layout = new javax.swing.GroupLayout(getContentPane());
        getContentPane().setLayout(layout);
        layout.setHorizontalGroup(
            layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.LEADING)
            .addComponent(jTabbedPane1)
            .addComponent(jPanel2, javax.swing.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, javax.swing.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, Short.MAX_VALUE)
            .addGroup(layout.createSequentialGroup()
                .addComponent(jLabel2)
                .addGap(0, 0, Short.MAX_VALUE))
        );
        layout.setVerticalGroup(
            layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.LEADING)
            .addGroup(layout.createSequentialGroup()
                .addGap(9, 9, 9)
                .addComponent(jLabel2)
                .addPreferredGap(javax.swing.LayoutStyle.ComponentPlacement.RELATED)
                .addComponent(jTabbedPane1, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE, 155, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE)
                .addPreferredGap(javax.swing.LayoutStyle.ComponentPlacement.UNRELATED)
                .addComponent(jPanel2, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE, javax.swing.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE)
                .addGap(0, 0, Short.MAX_VALUE))
        );

        pack();
    }// </editor-fold>

    private void jPanel2AncestorAdded(javax.swing.event.AncestorEvent evt) {                                      
        // TODO add your handling code here:
    }                                     

    /**
     * @param args the command line arguments
     */
    public static void main(String args[]) {
        /*
         * Set the Nimbus look and feel
         */
        //<editor-fold defaultstate="collapsed" desc=" Look and feel setting code (optional) ">
        /*
         * If Nimbus (introduced in Java SE 6) is not available, stay with the
         * default look and feel. For details see
         * http://download.oracle.com/javase/tutorial/uiswing/lookandfeel/plaf.html
         */
        try {
            for (javax.swing.UIManager.LookAndFeelInfo info : javax.swing.UIManager.getInstalledLookAndFeels()) {
                if ("Nimbus".equals(info.getName())) {
                    javax.swing.UIManager.setLookAndFeel(info.getClassName());
                    break;
                }
            }
        } catch (ClassNotFoundException ex) {
            java.util.logging.Logger.getLogger(MathamaticsUI.class.getName()).log(java.util.logging.Level.SEVERE, null, ex);
        } catch (InstantiationException ex) {
            java.util.logging.Logger.getLogger(MathamaticsUI.class.getName()).log(java.util.logging.Level.SEVERE, null, ex);
        } catch (IllegalAccessException ex) {
            java.util.logging.Logger.getLogger(MathamaticsUI.class.getName()).log(java.util.logging.Level.SEVERE, null, ex);
        } catch (javax.swing.UnsupportedLookAndFeelException ex) {
            java.util.logging.Logger.getLogger(MathamaticsUI.class.getName()).log(java.util.logging.Level.SEVERE, null, ex);
        }
        //</editor-fold>

        /*
         * Create and display the form
         */
        java.awt.EventQueue.invokeLater(new Runnable() {

            public void run() {
                new MathamaticsUI().setVisible(true);
            }
        });
    }
    // Variables declaration - do not modify
    private javax.swing.JLabel jLabel1;
    private javax.swing.JLabel jLabel2;
    private javax.swing.JList jList1;
    private javax.swing.JPanel jPanel1;
    private javax.swing.JPanel jPanel2;
    private javax.swing.JScrollPane jScrollPane1;
    private javax.swing.JScrollPane jScrollPane2;
    private javax.swing.JScrollPane jScrollPane3;
    private javax.swing.JScrollPane jScrollPane4;
    private javax.swing.JScrollPane jScrollPane5;
    private javax.swing.JTabbedPane jTabbedPane1;
    private javax.swing.JTabbedPane jTabbedPane2;
    private javax.swing.JTextArea jTextArea1;
    private javax.swing.JTextArea jTextArea2;
    private javax.swing.JTextArea jTextArea3;
    private javax.swing.JTextArea jTextArea4;
    // End of variables declaration
}

If perhaps you already have experience with .Net or other GUI frameworks, your experience with Java might be disappointing. The GUI tools are nowhere near as simple and obvious to use. One usually ends up disposing of them and writing all code on their own. The tools may help somewhat with the graphical layout, but that's it. So it's "no pain, no gain" around here, unfortunately. As far as your GUI tool, there is surely a provision somewhere to add event listeners to your GUI elements. How to write any successful code there is another story. — Marko Topolnik
– Marko Topolnik, Commented Apr 15, 2012 at 16:51
Gee, thanks for dumping your 200+ lines of Netbeans code on us. "Can someone show me where to input code so that I can add another class to the GUI?" Umm.. in your IDE? But it really sounds mostly as though you need the Classes and Objects lesson of the tutorial. Note that is many steps before the GUI trail, and about 160 lines of code short of "how do I connect this up?". — Andrew Thompson
– Andrew Thompson, Commented Apr 15, 2012 at 16:52
@Marko: I had the oposite experience: I found it easier to write Swing GUIs, which properly resize, with NetBeans than writing Windows Forms with Visual Studio. — Puce
– Puce, Commented Apr 15, 2012 at 16:55
@Puce are you talking only about layout (yes, Swing has flexible layout managers) or the complete dev experience (I think .Net framework requires an overall lower skill level from the developer). — Marko Topolnik
– Marko Topolnik, Commented Apr 15, 2012 at 16:57

Puce · Accepted Answer · 2012-04-15 16:48:08Z

4

I suggest to start with the Swing tutorial:

http://docs.oracle.com/javase/tutorial/uiswing/TOC.html

Note: In NetBeans, to register event listeners

click on the component
in the properties panel: go to the events tab and register a name
go to the code view and add your listener code

answered Apr 15, 2012 at 16:48

Puce

38.3k14 gold badges87 silver badges159 bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

Comments

Eric Leschinski · Accepted Answer · 2012-04-15 17:03:47Z

3

If you want to add a new class, you will have to go to file-> new -> class in nebeans and define a new class named: "Dog". Then instantiate the Dog class within the main function like this:

public static void main(String args[]) { 
    Dog dog = new Dog();
}

Once you have instantiated your class, then you can add methods to Dog, and invoke them there. You do not "add classes to the GUI", you add classes to your java project. You cannot create and wire up new classes with the drag/drop visual editor features. This link explains how to add a class to your java project and wire it up:

http://docs.oracle.com/javase/tutorial/getStarted/cupojava/netbeans.html

edited Apr 15, 2012 at 17:03

answered Apr 15, 2012 at 16:58

Eric Leschinski

155k96 gold badges423 silver badges337 bronze badges

1 Comment

Pendo826 Over a year ago

that explains it perfectly. Thanks you

nckbrz · Accepted Answer · 2014-05-08 07:17:29Z

0

I suggest, you start at the beginning of java concepts and learn what the code actually means. GUI's should be learned well after abstraction and polymorphism. Plus design principles and patterns are good to know before getting into all that visual stuff. Without knowing how to write the code, all you have is a broken GUI.

answered May 8, 2014 at 7:17

nckbrz

6881 gold badge6 silver badges20 bronze badges

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

Java GUI with NetBeans

3 Answers 3

Comments

1 Comment

Comments

Your Answer

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

3 Answers 3

Comments

1 Comment

Comments

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Related