problem communicating between GUIS

hi my problem is that i have one gui that when press button you can create another gui, so my problem is that if i have multiples of this GUIs open i need to know which reference is which so if i want to send value from the main gui to one of the guis i can do it but i do not have any idea on how to do it... please help this is my code so far:

this is what i have to do:
Modify MDIGridBag.java and MDICraps.java as necessary so that the MDIGridBag
instance has a button that causes the current “Sum of Craps Totals…”
value to be sent to a particular instance of MDICraps.

this is the main GUI

Code:

---

import java.awt.Component;
import java.awt.GridBagConstraints;
import java.awt.GridBagLayout;
import java.awt.event.ActionEvent;
import java.awt.event.ActionListener;
import java.io.*;
import javax.swing.*;

public class MDIGridBag extends JFrame implements ActionListener{
  private GridBagLayout gbLayout;
  private GridBagConstraints gbConstraints;
//70
  private int crapsTotal;
  private JTextField crapsTotalText;
  private JComboBox comboBox;
  private FileInputStream infile;
  private DataInputStream dataInputStream;
 

  public MDIGridBag( ) {
      super("MDIGridBag");
      String textFromFile="";
//80
      gbLayout = new GridBagLayout();
      setLayout( gbLayout );
 
      // instantiate gridbag constraints
      gbConstraints = new GridBagConstraints();

      // create GUI components
      String gamingRules[] = { "House Rules",
                            "Las Vegas Rules", "Atlantic City Rules"};
//90
      comboBox = new JComboBox( gamingRules );

      JTextArea textArea = new JTextArea(getDataFromFile());
     
      String maxBet[] = { "$10000", "$12000", "$14000" };
      JList list = new JList( maxBet );

      String names[] =
        { "Play Craps", "Play Rock-Scissor-Paper", "Play Go-Fish"};
//100
      JLabel crapsTotalLabel = new JLabel("Sum of Craps Totals "
                                          +"sent by Craps Games.");
      crapsTotalText = new JTextField( 5 );
      crapsTotalText.setEditable( false );

      JButton buttons[] = new JButton[ names.length ];
      for ( int i = 0; i < buttons.length; i++ ){
          buttons[ i ] = new JButton( names[ i ] );
          buttons[i].addActionListener(this);
//110
      }

      // define GUI component constraints for textArea 
      gbConstraints.weightx = 1;  // relative weight of horizontal growth
      gbConstraints.weighty = 1;  // relative weight of vertical growth
      gbConstraints.fill = GridBagConstraints.BOTH;
      gbConstraints.gridwidth = GridBagConstraints.REMAINDER;
      addComponent( new JScrollPane(textArea) );

//120
      // buttons[0] -- weightx and weighty are 1: fill is BOTH
      gbConstraints.gridwidth = 1; // 1 column
      addComponent( buttons[ 0 ] );

      // buttons[1] -- weightx and weighty are 1: fill is BOTH
      gbConstraints.gridwidth = GridBagConstraints.RELATIVE;
      addComponent( buttons[ 1 ] );  //goes next to previous component(RELATIVE)

      // buttons[2] -- weightx and weighty are 1: fill is BOTH
//130
      gbConstraints.gridwidth = GridBagConstraints.REMAINDER;
      addComponent( buttons[ 2 ] );  // last on current row (since REMAINDER)

      // comboBox -- weightx is 1: fill is BOTH 
      gbConstraints.weighty = 0;
      gbConstraints.gridwidth = GridBagConstraints.REMAINDER;
      addComponent( comboBox );
   
      // list -- weightx and weighty are 1: fill is BOTH
//140
      gbConstraints.gridwidth = GridBagConstraints.REMAINDER;
      addComponent( list );

      gbConstraints.gridx = 0;  // can also specify particular column
      gbConstraints.gridy = 5;  // and a specific row
      gbConstraints.gridwidth = GridBagConstraints.RELATIVE;
      addComponent( crapsTotalLabel );

      gbConstraints.gridx = 2;
//150
      gbConstraints.gridy = 5;
      gbConstraints.gridwidth = GridBagConstraints.RELATIVE;
      addComponent( crapsTotalText );
      crapsTotalText.setText(Integer.toString(crapsTotal));
     
      JButton sendtochild = new JButton("Send to Game");
      gbConstraints.gridy = 6;
      addComponent(sendtochild);
     
     
  }  // end MDIGridBag

 
  // addComponent is programmer-defined
 private void addComponent( Component c )
//160
 {
      gbLayout.setConstraints( c, gbConstraints );
      add( c );      // add component
  }

 
 public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e)
 {
    JOptionPane.showMessageDialog(null,
        "You pressed: " + e.getActionCommand() +
        ".  Program detected that the "
        + comboBox.getSelectedItem()
        + " option was selected from the pulldown menu.");
    if (e.getActionCommand() == "Play Craps")
    {
        JOptionPane.showMessageDialog(null,
            "Launching Craps Game in a new window, new window contains a link" +
            " back to parent.");
        playCrapsWindow();
//180
    }  // end if

 } // end actionPerformed

 
  public void playCrapsWindow()
  {
    // Each instance of Craps launches in its own JFrame
    // See MDICraps constructor
    MDICraps myCraps = new MDICraps(this);
 }  // end playCrapsWindow

 
 public void addToCrapsTotal(int amountToAdd)
 {
  crapsTotal += amountToAdd;
  crapsTotalText.setText(Integer.toString(crapsTotal));
 }// end addToCrapsTotal

//200
 private String getDataFromFile()
 {
  String readInText = null;
  try {
      infile = new FileInputStream("data.dat"); //assoc file with file handle
      BufferedReader dataFile = new BufferedReader(new InputStreamReader(infile));
      readInText = dataFile.readLine();
      dataFile.close();
      }
//210
  catch (FileNotFoundException e){
        System.out.println("File Not Found" + infile);
      }
  catch (IOException e){
        System.out.println("IOException");
      }
  return readInText;
 }// end getDataFromFile

} // end MIDGridBag class definition

---

this is the one that creates instances

Code:

---

import javax.swing.*;
import java.awt.*;
import java.awt.event.*;
import java.io.*; // for file I/O

public class MDICraps extends JFrame implements ActionListener {
  // constant variables for status of game
  final int WON = 0, LOST = 1, CONTINUE = 2;

  // other variables used in program
  boolean firstRoll = true;  // true if first roll
  int sumOfDice = 0;          // sum of the dice
  int myPoint = 0;  // point if no win/loss on first roll
  int gameStatus = CONTINUE;  // game not over yet
  int bankRoll = 50;          // start with $50 bankroll

  // graphical user interface components
  JLabel die1Label, die2Label, sumLabel, pointLabel, gameResultLabel;
  JTextField firstDie, secondDie, sum, point, gameResult;
  JButton roll;

  JLabel bankRollLabel;
  JTextField bankRollText;
  JButton save;
  MDIGridBag creator;
  JButton sendToCreatorButton;
  // output file
  BufferedWriter outFile;

  // setup graphical user interface components
 //  public void init()
public MDICraps(MDIGridBag creatorLink)
  {
      super("Craps Game");
      creator = creatorLink; // link for comm with caller
      // new standalone frame to display components in
//      JFrame frame = new JFrame("Craps Game");
//      Container c = frame.getContentPane();
      setLayout( new FlowLayout() );

      die1Label = new JLabel( "Die 1" );
      add( die1Label );
      firstDie = new JTextField( 10 );
      firstDie.setEditable( false );
      add( firstDie );

      die2Label = new JLabel( "Die 2" );
      add( die2Label );
      secondDie = new JTextField( 10 );
      secondDie.setEditable( false );
      add( secondDie );

      sumLabel = new JLabel( "Sum is" );
      add( sumLabel );
      sum = new JTextField( 10 );
      sum.setEditable( false );
      add( sum );

      pointLabel = new JLabel( "Point is" );
      add( pointLabel );
      point = new JTextField( 10 );
      point.setEditable( false );
      add( point );

      roll = new JButton( "Roll Dice" );
      roll.addActionListener( this );
      add( roll );

      // save to file
      save = new JButton( "Save Bankroll to file" );
      save.addActionListener( this );
      add( save );

      sendToCreatorButton = new JButton( "Send Bankroll to Creator Applet" );
      sendToCreatorButton.addActionListener( this );
      add( sendToCreatorButton );


      bankRollLabel = new JLabel( "Bankroll" );
      add( bankRollLabel );
      bankRollText = new JTextField( 10 );
      bankRollText.setEditable( false );
      add( bankRollText );
      bankRollText.setText(Integer.toString(bankRoll));


      gameResultLabel = new JLabel( "Game Status" );
      add( gameResultLabel );
      gameResult = new JTextField( 30 );
      gameResult.setEditable( false );
      add( gameResult );
      gameResult.setText("Click Roll Dice to play.");

    setSize(400,200);
    setVisible(true);

  } // end MDICraps( )


  // call method play when button is pressed
  public void actionPerformed( ActionEvent e )
  {
      // choose what action to perform based on the source
      // of the ActionEvent

      if (e.getSource() == roll){         
          play();
      }

      if (e.getSource() == save){
          saveBankRollToFile();
          roll.setEnabled(true);
      }
      if (e.getSource() == sendToCreatorButton){
          creator.addToCrapsTotal(bankRoll);
          bankRoll = 0;
          bankRollText.setText(Integer.toString(bankRoll));
          sendToCreatorButton.setEnabled(false); // only allows send
          gameResult.setText("Notice that the \"Send Bankroll ...\" button has been disabled.");
      }
  }

  // save value of bankroll to file
  public void saveBankRollToFile(){

      String outputFileName = new String("bankroll.txt");

      // erases prior contents of file and writes current bankroll amount
  try {
      outFile = new BufferedWriter(new FileWriter(outputFileName));
    } // end try

    catch (IOException e) {
      System.out.println("IO Problem!");
      e.printStackTrace();
    }  // end catch

    try {
        outFile.write(String.valueOf(bankRoll));
        gameResult.setText("Bankroll written to bankroll.txt.");
        outFile.close();
    } // end try
    catch (IOException e){
      System.out.println(e.toString());
    } // end catch

  } // end openFiles


  // process one roll of the dice
  public void play() {

      if ( firstRoll ) {            // first roll of the dice
        sumOfDice = rollDice();

        switch ( sumOfDice ) {
            case 7: case 11:        // win on first roll
              gameStatus = WON;
              point.setText( "" );  // clear point text field
              break;
            case 2: case 3: case 12: // lose on first roll
              gameStatus = LOST;
              point.setText( "" );  // clear point text field
              break;
            default:                // remember point
              gameStatus = CONTINUE;
              myPoint = sumOfDice;
              point.setText( Integer.toString( myPoint ) );
              firstRoll = false;
              break;
        }
      }
      else {  // not first roll
        sumOfDice = rollDice();

        if ( sumOfDice == myPoint ) {  // win by making point
            gameStatus = WON;
        }
        else
            if ( sumOfDice == 7 ) {      // lose by rolling 7
              gameStatus = LOST;
            }
      }


      if ( gameStatus == CONTINUE ){

        gameResult.setText( "Click Roll Dice again to continue play." );

        }
      else {
        if ( gameStatus == WON ) {

        gameResult.setText( "Player wins. " +
              "Click Roll Dice to play again." );
            bankRoll += 5;
        }
        else {

          gameResult.setText( "Player loses. " +
              "Click Roll Dice to play again." );
            bankRoll -= 5;
        }

        firstRoll = true;

        bankRollText.setText(Integer.toString(bankRoll));
      }

  }

  // roll the dice
  public int rollDice()
  {
      int die1, die2, workSum;

      die1 = 1 + ( int ) ( Math.random() * 6 );
      die2 = 1 + ( int ) ( Math.random() * 6 );
      workSum = die1 + die2;
      // display new values to TextFields in content pane
      firstDie.setText( Integer.toString( die1 ) );
      secondDie.setText( Integer.toString( die2 ) );
      sum.setText( Integer.toString( workSum ) );
      bankRollText.setText(Integer.toString(bankRoll));

      return workSum;
  }
}

---

if you want to run this is the test class

Code:

---

/*
 * MDIGridBagTest.java
 *
 * Created on January 26, 2006, 8:28 PM
 *
 */
import javax.swing.*;

/**
 *
 * @author CAPT Paul Young
 */
public class MDIGridBagTest {
   
  public static void main (String args[]){
        MDIGridBag myMDIGridBag = new MDIGridBag();
        myMDIGridBag.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
        myMDIGridBag.setSize(400, 200); //width,height in pixels
        myMDIGridBag.setVisible(true);  //otherwise, won't be seen!
  }// end main
   
}// end MDIGridBagTest

---

One possible solution is that you store the references to an ArrayList as you create them and assign them with a unique ID yourself or override the hashCode() method that will return a unique Code for every different GUI.

Sorry, but where does hashCode() come into this?

db

so if it is no hashcode what should i do??

Quote:

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Originally Posted by DarrylBurke

Sorry, but where does hashCode() come into this?

db

---

Well the HashCode() method from the Object class may not come into scenario for many. I prefer One separate class for a GUI Window. For identifying different objects from the same class hashCode can be used. But I know the much easier method will be to user some custom identifier with every object.

Your question is a bit vague. How are you going to decide which object to send the message to? By a String? By its religion? Once you figure that out, you'll know how to solve this. If by String, then store all the MDIcraps in a HashMap<String, MDICraps>, if by the order created, then store them in an ArrayList<MDICraps>.