Card Layout with Buttons

[jazob]

I've been looking at Card Layout, and I was curious about how I could use buttons with it.

The GUI I have currently navigates between the two cards with a "previous" and "next" button. However, I would like to know if I can call the card I want to appear by name, I know my commented code is incorrect. I looked at the API, and the addLayoutComponent(String name, Component comp) method is deprecated, but it's been replaced by another addLayoutComponent method. If this is part of the solution, I don't understand how I will be able to call my cards by name later.

Or, would it be better to just use ItemListener and a combo box?

Here is the code:

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

public class CardsDemo
{
  public static void main(String[] args) 
  {
    javax.swing.SwingUtilities.invokeLater(new Runnable() {
      public void run() {
        createAndShowGUI();
      }
    });
  }
  private static void createAndShowGUI() 
  {
    JFrame frame = new JFrame("CardLayoutDemo");
    frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
 
    CardLayoutDemo demo = new CardLayoutDemo();
    demo.addComponentToPane(frame.getContentPane());
    
    frame.pack();
    frame.setVisible(true);
  }
}

class CardLayoutDemo implements ActionListener 
{
  JPanel cards; 
  final static String BUTTONPANEL = "Card with JButtons";
  final static String TEXTPANEL = "Card with JTextField";
  
  public void addComponentToPane(Container pane) 
  {
    JPanel selection = new JPanel();
    JButton first = new JButton("Previous");
    JButton second = new JButton("Next");
    first.addActionListener(this);
    second.addActionListener(this);
    first.setActionCommand("prev");
    second.setActionCommand("next");
    selection.add(first);
    selection.add(second);

    JPanel card1 = new JPanel();
    card1.add(new JButton("Button 1"));
    card1.add(new JButton("Button 2"));
    card1.add(new JButton("Button 3"));
    
    JPanel card2 = new JPanel();
    card2.add(new JTextField("TextField", 20));
    cards = new JPanel(new CardLayout());
    cards.add(card1, BUTTONPANEL);
    cards.add(card2, TEXTPANEL);
    
    pane.add(selection, BorderLayout.PAGE_START);
    pane.add(cards, BorderLayout.CENTER);
  }
  
  public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent evt)
  {
    CardLayout cl = (CardLayout)(cards.getLayout());
    if (evt.getActionCommand().equals("prev"))
    {
      cl.previous(cards);
    }
    if (evt.getActionCommand().equals("next"))
    {
      cl.next(cards);
    }
    //
    //cl.show(cards, evt.getActionCommand());
    //
  }
}

[pbrockway2]

However, I would like to know if I can call the card I want to appear by name

That is the approach taken in the How to Use Card Layout page of Oracle's Tutorial.

[pbrockway2]

Moved to AWT/Swing forum.

[Fubarable]

For example, if you add to your code above:

class CardLayoutDemo implements ActionListener {
   JPanel cards;
   final static String BUTTONPANEL = "Card with JButtons";
   final static String TEXTPANEL = "Card with JTextField";
   private static final String[] COMBO_STRINGS = {BUTTONPANEL, TEXTPANEL};

   public void addComponentToPane(Container pane) {
      JPanel selection = new JPanel();
      JButton first = new JButton("Previous");
      JButton second = new JButton("Next");
      first.addActionListener(this);
      second.addActionListener(this);
      first.setActionCommand("prev");
      second.setActionCommand("next");
      selection.add(first);
      selection.add(second);
      
      final JComboBox combo = new JComboBox(COMBO_STRINGS);
      selection.add(combo);

      combo.addActionListener(new ActionListener() {
         
         @Override
         public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent evt) {
            CardLayout cl = (CardLayout) cards.getLayout();
            cl.show(cards, combo.getSelectedItem().toString());
         }
      });

[jazob]

Thank you for the post, I've never seen a combo box implemented like that, so it's good to know.
I guess that trying to use the show method with JButtons is not ideal.
Thanks for the help.

[Fubarable]

I guess that trying to use the show method with JButtons is not ideal.

Why say that?

Thanks for the help.

You're welcome!