When I build a GUI for my Java SE app with Netbeans GUI builder, it puts all the codes in the initComponents() method which is private. I could not change it to public. So, all the components are accessible only to the class containing the UI.
I want to access those components from another class so that I can write custom event handlers and everything. Most importantly I want to separate my GUI code and non-GUI from each other.
I can copy paste the GUI code and later make them public by hand to achieve what I want. But thats a pain. I have to handcraft a portion whenever I need to re-design the UI.
What I tried to do:
I used the variable identifier to make the text box public. Now how can I access the text box from the Main class? I think I need the component generated in a public method as well.
I am new to Java. Any helps?
Here's the sample classes:
The UI (uiFrame.java)
/*
* To change this template, choose Tools | Templates
* and open the template in the editor.
*/
/*
* uiFrame.java
*
* Created on Jun 3, 2010, 9:33:15 PM
*/
package barcode;
import java.util.logging.Level;
import java.util.logging.Logger;
import javax.swing.JFileChooser;
import javax.swing.UIManager;
import javax.swing.UnsupportedLookAndFeelException;
import net.sourceforge.barbecue.output.OutputException;
/**
*
* @author masnun
*/
public class uiFrame extends javax.swing.JFrame {
/** Creates new form uiFrame */
public uiFrame() {
try {
try {
// Set cross-platform Java L&F (also called "Metal")
UIManager.setLookAndFeel(UIManager.getSystemLookAndFeelClassName());
} catch (ClassNotFoundException ex) {
Logger.getLogger(uiFrame.class.getName()).log(Level.SEVERE, null, ex);
} catch (InstantiationException ex) {
Logger.getLogger(uiFrame.class.getName()).log(Level.SEVERE, null, ex);
} catch (IllegalAccessException ex) {
Logger.getLogger(uiFrame.class.getName()).log(Level.SEVERE, null, ex);
} catch (UnsupportedLookAndFeelException ex) {
Logger.getLogger(uiFrame.class.getName()).log(Level.SEVERE, null, ex);
}
} finally {
}
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() {
label1 = new javax.swing.JLabel();
textBox = new javax.swing.JTextField();
saveButton = new javax.swing.JButton();
setDefaultCloseOperation(javax.swing.WindowConstants.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
label1.setFont(label1.getFont().deriveFont(label1.getFont().getStyle() | java.awt.Font.BOLD, 13));
label1.setText("Type a text:");
label1.setName("label1"); // NOI18N
saveButton.setText("Save");
saveButton.addMouseListener(new java.awt.event.MouseAdapter() {
public void mousePressed(java.awt.event.MouseEvent evt) {
saveButtonMousePressed(evt);
}
});
javax.swing.GroupLayout layout = new javax.swing.GroupLayout(getContentPane());
getContentPane().setLayout(layout);
layout.setHorizontalGroup(
layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.LEADING)
.addGroup(layout.createSequentialGroup()
.addGap(56, 56, 56)
.addComponent(textBox, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE, 272, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE)
.addContainerGap(72, Short.MAX_VALUE))
.addGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.TRAILING, layout.createSequentialGroup()
.addContainerGap(154, Short.MAX_VALUE)
.addComponent(saveButton, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE, 102, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE)
.addGap(144, 144, 144))
.addGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.TRAILING, layout.createSequentialGroup()
.addContainerGap(140, Short.MAX_VALUE)
.addComponent(label1, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE, 133, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE)
.addGap(127, 127, 127))
);
layout.setVerticalGroup(
layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.LEADING)
.addGroup(layout.createSequentialGroup()
.addContainerGap()
.addComponent(label1, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE, 25, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE)
.addPreferredGap(javax.swing.LayoutStyle.ComponentPlacement.RELATED)
.addComponent(textBox, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE, javax.swing.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE)
.addPreferredGap(javax.swing.LayoutStyle.ComponentPlacement.UNRELATED)
.addComponent(saveButton)
.addContainerGap(193, Short.MAX_VALUE))
);
pack();
}// </editor-fold>
@SuppressWarnings("static-access")
private void saveButtonMousePressed(java.awt.event.MouseEvent evt) {
JFileChooser file = new JFileChooser();
file.showSaveDialog(null);
String data = file.getSelectedFile().getAbsolutePath();
String text = textBox.getText();
BarcodeGenerator barcodeFactory = new BarcodeGenerator();
try {
barcodeFactory.generateBarcode(text, data);
} catch (OutputException ex) {
Logger.getLogger(uiFrame.class.getName()).log(Level.SEVERE, null, ex);
}
}
/**
* @param args the command line arguments
*/
// Variables declaration - do not modify
private javax.swing.JLabel label1;
private javax.swing.JButton saveButton;
public javax.swing.JTextField textBox;
// End of variables declaration
}
The Main Class (Main.java)
package barcode;
import javax.swing.JFrame;
public class Main {
public static void main(String[] args) {
JFrame ui = new uiFrame();
ui.pack();
ui.show();
}
}