swing - Java Open a new window by clicking a button

Question

Been sitting here at my computer for about 13 hours and I think my eyes are bleeding. I found a little gui editor I love called GuiGenie. It works perfect for creating the window with the buttons and all that good stuff. The problem is i want to click a button in my first menu and have it open my other menu i made. I just starting programming 4 weeks ago so I'm a complete noob. I have a feeling its messing up because of the main methods but I have no idea and 13 hours of sitting here trying millions of things is making me go crazy : ) here is what i got so far

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

public class MyPanel extends JPanel {
private JTextField How;
private JLabel jcomp2;
private JLabel jcomp3;
private JButton jcomp4;

public MyPanel() {
    //construct components
    How = new JTextField (1);
    jcomp2 = new JLabel ("How long were you parked?");
    jcomp3 = new JLabel ("Minutes");
    jcomp4 = new JButton ("openNewWindow");

    //adjust size and set layout
    setPreferredSize (new Dimension (315, 85));
    setLayout (null);

    //add components
    add (How);
    add (jcomp2);
    add (jcomp3);
    add (jcomp4);

    //set component bounds (only needed by Absolute Positioning)
    How.setBounds (245, 50, 60, 25);
    jcomp2.setBounds (35, 30, 185, 50);
    jcomp3.setBounds (250, 30, 60, 20);
    jcomp4.setBounds (0, 0, 315, 25);

       jcomp4.addActionListener( new ActionListener()
    {
        public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e)
        {

        }
    });
}


public static void main (String[] args) {
    JFrame frame = new JFrame ("MyPanel");
    frame.setDefaultCloseOperation (JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
    frame.getContentPane().add (new MyPanel());
    frame.pack();
    frame.setVisible (true);
}
}

When the button is pressed, I want it to open this new window

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

public class MyPanel2 extends JPanel {
private JButton jcomp1;
private JButton jcomp2;
private JButton jcomp3;
private JTextField jcomp4;

public MyPanel2() {
    //construct components
    jcomp1 = new JButton ("test1");
    jcomp2 = new JButton ("test2");
    jcomp3 = new JButton ("test3");
    jcomp4 = new JTextField (5);

    //adjust size and set layout
    setPreferredSize (new Dimension (395, 156));
    setLayout (null);

    //add components
    add (jcomp1);
    add (jcomp2);
    add (jcomp3);
    add (jcomp4);

    //set component bounds (only needed by Absolute Positioning)
    jcomp1.setBounds (20, 45, 100, 25);
    jcomp2.setBounds (135, 60, 100, 25);
    jcomp3.setBounds (260, 35, 100, 25);
    jcomp4.setBounds (105, 115, 100, 25);
}


public static void main (String[] args) {
    JFrame frame = new JFrame ("MyPanel");
    frame.setDefaultCloseOperation (JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
    frame.getContentPane().add (new MyPanel2());
    frame.pack();
    frame.setVisible (true);
}
}

If anyone could help I would appreciate it greatly!! I have a lot of respect for you pros out there because if you are a pro at this, you are probably smarter than 99.9% of the world. This stuff hurts my brain.

Answer 1

Here is something you can do, for this situation, where you have multiple Forms or Windows what you can do is to use a JPanel which can have this CardLayout set as it's LayoutManager and then you can add the two JPanels to it and access them with the methods provided by the same.

Don't use setBounds() when using Absolute Positioning this is really not the right way of putting components to the parent container. Instead use setLocation(...) and setSize(...) methods. Consider not to use Absolute Positioning as much as possible for you. Certain lines in favour of the before said line taken from Java Docs are as follows :

Although it is possible to do without a layout manager, you should use a layout manager if at all possible. A layout manager makes it easier to adjust to look-and-feel-dependent component appearances, to different font sizes, to a container's changing size, and to different locales. Layout managers also can be reused easily by other containers, as well as other programs.

Since the output of your program is really not a soothing experience in any sense. Atleast LayoutManager, can make that work a lot more easier for you, since you need not have to specify position and size for each and every component. Try walking through the Layout Mangers Tutorials, and get accustomed to them as soon as possible. They are the real life savers :-)

Here is a modified code taken from your SOURCE CODE

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

public class CardLayoutExample
{
    private JPanel contentPane;
    private MyPanel panel1;
    private MyPanel2 panel2;

    private void displayGUI()
    {
        JFrame frame = new JFrame("Card Layout Example");
        frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);

        JPanel contentPane = new JPanel();
        contentPane.setBorder(
            BorderFactory.createEmptyBorder(5, 5, 5, 5));
        contentPane.setLayout(new CardLayout());
        panel1 = new MyPanel(contentPane);
        panel2 = new MyPanel2();
        contentPane.add(panel1, "Panel 1"); 
        contentPane.add(panel2, "Panel 2");
        frame.setContentPane(contentPane);
        frame.pack();   
        frame.setLocationByPlatform(true);
        frame.setVisible(true);
    }

    public static void main(String... args)
    {
        SwingUtilities.invokeLater(new Runnable()
        {
            public void run()
            {
                new CardLayoutExample().displayGUI();
            }
        });
    }
}

class MyPanel extends JPanel {

    private JTextField How;
    private JLabel jcomp2;
    private JLabel jcomp3;
    private JButton jcomp4;
    private JPanel contentPane;

    public MyPanel(JPanel panel) {

        contentPane = panel;
        //construct components
        How = new JTextField (1);
        jcomp2 = new JLabel ("How long were you parked?");
        jcomp3 = new JLabel ("Minutes");
        jcomp4 = new JButton ("openNewWindow");

        //adjust size and set layout
        setPreferredSize (new Dimension (315, 85));
        setLayout (null);

        //set component bounds (only needed by Absolute Positioning)
        How.setBounds (245, 50, 60, 25);
        jcomp2.setBounds (35, 30, 185, 50);
        jcomp3.setBounds (250, 30, 60, 20);
        jcomp4.setLocation(0, 0);
        jcomp4.setSize(315, 25);
        jcomp4.addActionListener( new ActionListener()
        {
            public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e)
            {
                CardLayout cardLayout = (CardLayout) contentPane.getLayout();
                cardLayout.next(contentPane);
            }
        });

        //add components
        add (How);
        add (jcomp2);
        add (jcomp3);
        add (jcomp4);               
    }
}

class MyPanel2 extends JPanel {
    private JButton jcomp1;
    private JButton jcomp2;
    private JButton jcomp3;
    private JTextField jcomp4;

    public MyPanel2() {
        //construct components
        jcomp1 = new JButton ("test1");
        jcomp2 = new JButton ("test2");
        jcomp3 = new JButton ("test3");
        jcomp4 = new JTextField (5);

        //adjust size and set layout
        setPreferredSize (new Dimension (395, 156));
        setLayout (null);

        //set component bounds (only needed by Absolute Positioning)
        jcomp1.setBounds (20, 45, 100, 25);
        jcomp2.setBounds (135, 60, 100, 25);
        jcomp3.setBounds (260, 35, 100, 25);
        jcomp4.setBounds (105, 115, 100, 25);

        //add components
        add (jcomp1);
        add (jcomp2);
        add (jcomp3);
        add (jcomp4);       
    }
}