pass data from JFrame to JInternalFrame and vice-v

Question

I have a JFrame, when I click a button on JFrame, it creates a new JInternalFrame having a 'Finalize' button. What I want is that, when I click the Finalize button the JInternalFrame disposes and send some values (data) to that JFrame which created the JInternalFrame.

How can I achieve this? any relevant example will be a great help to me.

Answer 1

Sorry I don't have much time to explain. basically what I do in the code below is pass to the constructor of the InternalFrame from the MainFrame. Those values are set from the IntrernalFrame, then does something with the value. I just did a messy GUI Builder demo, but you may also consider using setters and setters in your MainFrame and pass the entire MainFrame to the InternalFrame. Just an idea. You can run the program. I'll try and come back when I have time, for a better explanation.

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EDIT

So I'm too lazy to make a real example without using the super messy looking Gui Builder code, so I'll explain the important parts. What you're trying to do is share objects. What you can do is pass then my reference through the constructor. What I did below was, from the MainFrame pass a JLabel and a String which will be altered by the InternalFrame. When the Finalize button is pressed, the changes will automatically be updated in the MainFrame. Here's what the important code looks like

MainFrame

private void jButton1ActionPerformed(java.awt.event.ActionEvent evt) {                                         
    String word = jTextField1.getText();
    MyInternalFrame frame = new MyInternalFrame(jLabel1, word);
    frame.setVisible(true);
    jDesktopPane1.add(frame);
}

InternalFrame

JLabel label;
String word;

public MyInternalFrame(JLabel label, String word) {
    this.label = label;
    this.word = word;
    initComponents();
    jTextField1.setText(word);
}
.....
private void jButton1ActionPerformed(java.awt.event.ActionEvent evt) {                                         
    label.setText(jTextField1.getText());
    this.dispose();
}

This is one simple way of passing infomation. Complete running code. Note the above code was all I changed, in the auto-generated code. The auto-generated code is mainly just for styling and positioning, so don't be overwhelmed by it. You're just concerned with the code above.

MainFrame.java

public class MainFrame extends javax.swing.JFrame {

    public MainFrame() {
        initComponents();
    }


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

        jTextField1 = new javax.swing.JTextField();
        jLabel1 = new javax.swing.JLabel();
        jButton1 = new javax.swing.JButton();
        jDesktopPane1 = new javax.swing.JDesktopPane();

        setDefaultCloseOperation(javax.swing.WindowConstants.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);

        jTextField1.setText("jTextField1");

        jLabel1.setText("The finalized word is :");

        jButton1.setText("Show Internal");
        jButton1.addActionListener(new java.awt.event.ActionListener() {
            public void actionPerformed(java.awt.event.ActionEvent evt) {
                jButton1ActionPerformed(evt);
            }
        });

        javax.swing.GroupLayout jDesktopPane1Layout = new javax.swing.GroupLayout(jDesktopPane1);
        jDesktopPane1.setLayout(jDesktopPane1Layout);
        jDesktopPane1Layout.setHorizontalGroup(
            jDesktopPane1Layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.LEADING)
            .addGap(0, 356, Short.MAX_VALUE)
        );
        jDesktopPane1Layout.setVerticalGroup(
            jDesktopPane1Layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.LEADING)
            .addGap(0, 0, Short.MAX_VALUE)
        );

        javax.swing.GroupLayout layout = new javax.swing.GroupLayout(getContentPane());
        getContentPane().setLayout(layout);
        layout.setHorizontalGroup(
            layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.LEADING)
            .addGroup(layout.createSequentialGroup()
                .addContainerGap()
                .addComponent(jDesktopPane1)
                .addPreferredGap(javax.swing.LayoutStyle.ComponentPlacement.UNRELATED)
                .addGroup(layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.LEADING, false)
                    .addComponent(jTextField1, javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.TRAILING)
                    .addComponent(jLabel1, javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.TRAILING, javax.swing.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, 173, Short.MAX_VALUE)
                    .addComponent(jButton1, javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.TRAILING, javax.swing.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, javax.swing.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, Short.MAX_VALUE))
                .addContainerGap())
        );
        layout.setVerticalGroup(
            layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.LEADING)
            .addGroup(layout.createSequentialGroup()
                .addContainerGap()
                .addGroup(layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.LEADING)
                    .addComponent(jDesktopPane1)
                    .addGroup(layout.createSequentialGroup()
                        .addComponent(jTextField1, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE, javax.swing.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE)
                        .addPreferredGap(javax.swing.LayoutStyle.ComponentPlacement.RELATED)
                        .addComponent(jLabel1)
                        .addPreferredGap(javax.swing.LayoutStyle.ComponentPlacement.UNRELATED)
                        .addComponent(jButton1)
                        .addGap(0, 149, Short.MAX_VALUE)))
                .addContainerGap())
        );

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

    private void jButton1ActionPerformed(java.awt.event.ActionEvent evt) {                                         
        String word = jTextField1.getText();
        MyInternalFrame frame = new MyInternalFrame(jLabel1, word);
        frame.setVisible(true);
        jDesktopPane1.add(frame);
    }                                        

    public static void main(String args[]) {

        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(MainFrame.class.getName()).log(java.util.logging.Level.SEVERE, null, ex);
        } catch (InstantiationException ex) {
            java.util.logging.Logger.getLogger(MainFrame.class.getName()).log(java.util.logging.Level.SEVERE, null, ex);
        } catch (IllegalAccessException ex) {
            java.util.logging.Logger.getLogger(MainFrame.class.getName()).log(java.util.logging.Level.SEVERE, null, ex);
        } catch (javax.swing.UnsupportedLookAndFeelException ex) {
            java.util.logging.Logger.getLogger(MainFrame.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 MainFrame().setVisible(true);
            }
        });
    }

    // Variables declaration - do not modify                     
    private javax.swing.JButton jButton1;
    private javax.swing.JDesktopPane jDesktopPane1;
    private javax.swing.JLabel jLabel1;
    private javax.swing.JTextField jTextField1;
    // End of variables declaration                   
}

MyInternalFrame.java

import javax.swing.JLabel;

public class MyInternalFrame extends javax.swing.JInternalFrame {

    JLabel label;
    String word;

    public MyInternalFrame(JLabel label, String word) {
        this.label = label;
        this.word = word;
        initComponents();
        jTextField1.setText(word);
    }

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

        jTextField1 = new javax.swing.JTextField();
        jLabel1 = new javax.swing.JLabel();
        jButton1 = new javax.swing.JButton();

        jTextField1.setText("jTextField1");

        jLabel1.setText("Confirm/Change then FInalize");

        jButton1.setText("FInalize");
        jButton1.addActionListener(new java.awt.event.ActionListener() {
            public void actionPerformed(java.awt.event.ActionEvent evt) {
                jButton1ActionPerformed(evt);
            }
        });

        javax.swing.GroupLayout layout = new javax.swing.GroupLayout(getContentPane());
        getContentPane().setLayout(layout);
        layout.setHorizontalGroup(
            layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.LEADING)
            .addGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.TRAILING, layout.createSequentialGroup()
                .addContainerGap(51, Short.MAX_VALUE)
                .addGroup(layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.TRAILING, false)
                    .addComponent(jButton1, javax.swing.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, 235, Short.MAX_VALUE)
                    .addGroup(layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.TRAILING, false)
                        .addComponent(jLabel1, javax.swing.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, 235, Short.MAX_VALUE)
                        .addComponent(jTextField1)))
                .addGap(49, 49, 49))
        );
        layout.setVerticalGroup(
            layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.LEADING)
            .addGroup(layout.createSequentialGroup()
                .addGap(39, 39, 39)
                .addComponent(jTextField1, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE, javax.swing.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE)
                .addGap(18, 18, 18)
                .addComponent(jLabel1)
                .addGap(18, 18, 18)
                .addComponent(jButton1)
                .addContainerGap(43, Short.MAX_VALUE))
        );

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

    private void jButton1ActionPerformed(java.awt.event.ActionEvent evt) {                                         
        label.setText(jTextField1.getText());
        this.dispose();
    }                                        


    // Variables declaration - do not modify                     
    private javax.swing.JButton jButton1;
    private javax.swing.JLabel jLabel1;
    private javax.swing.JTextField jTextField1;
    // End of variables declaration                   
}

You'll want to just look at the code on the MyInternalFrame constructor and the actionPerformed in both class

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Another Simple Fix would be just to make the InternalFrame an inner class of the MainFrame so they can use the same objects that are members of the JFrame