how to make java JPanel and graphics2d transparent?

Question

Hi all,

Well the title is quite self explanatory. I want to build two panels one on-top of each other in layers using java. I want the top layer to contain a JPanel which will contain a graphics2d object. I'd like both the JPanel and graphics2d to have transparent background (I still want the content drawn by the graphics2d visible). Does anyone have an idea how it can be done?

Answer 1

Call setOpaque(false) on the JPanel - that will not paint the JPanel's background.

Depending on what method you're overriding to get at the Graphics2D (JPanel's don't contain a Graphics2D object like a component - a Graphics2D object is used to paint the JPanel) - if it's paintComponent() you should read the JavaDocs for JComponent - and call super.paintComponent(g) first so that opacity is honored - and then do the rest of your painting.

Working example:

package com.stackoverflow.opaque;

import javax.swing.*;
import java.awt.*;
import java.awt.event.ActionListener;
import java.awt.event.ActionEvent;

public class OpaqueExample extends JFrame {

    private JLayeredPane layers;
    private JPanel up, down;
    private JButton toggleOpaque;

    public OpaqueExample() {
        layers = new JLayeredPane();

        down = new JPanel();
        down.setBackground(Color.GREEN);
        down.setBounds(100, 100, 200, 200);
        layers.add(down, new Integer(1));

        up = new JPanel() {
            public void paintComponent(Graphics og) {
                super.paintComponent(og);

                Graphics2D g = (Graphics2D)og;
                GradientPaint gradient = new GradientPaint(0, 0, Color.BLUE, 10, 0, 
                          Color.WHITE, true );

                Polygon poly = new Polygon();
                poly.addPoint(10, 10);
                poly.addPoint(100, 50);
                poly.addPoint(190, 10);
                poly.addPoint(150, 100);
                poly.addPoint(190, 190);
                poly.addPoint(100, 150);
                poly.addPoint(10, 190);
                poly.addPoint(50, 100);
                poly.addPoint(10, 10);

                g.setPaint(gradient);
                g.fill(poly);

                g.setPaint(Color.BLACK);
                g.draw(poly);
           }
        };
        up.setBackground(Color.RED);
        up.setBounds(150, 150, 200, 200);
        layers.add(up, new Integer(2));

        getContentPane().add(layers, BorderLayout.CENTER);

        JPanel buttonPanel = new JPanel(new FlowLayout(FlowLayout.CENTER));
        toggleOpaque = new JButton("Toggle Opaque");
        toggleOpaque.addActionListener(new ActionListener() {
            public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {
                up.setOpaque(!up.isOpaque());
                layers.repaint();
            }
        });
        buttonPanel.add(toggleOpaque);

        getContentPane().add(buttonPanel, BorderLayout.EAST);
    } 

    public static void main(String[] args) {
        JFrame f = new OpaqueExample();
        f.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
        f.setSize(500, 500);
        f.setLocationRelativeTo(null);
        f.setVisible(true);
    }
}