java - My GUI is frozen

Question

I have something I can't understand: my Swing GUI contains a 'play' and 'pause' button. I have also a static variable that defines 'ON' and 'OFF' states. (The main program generates the GUI). By cliking on 'play' I change the state of my static variable to 'ON' and I launch a time-consuming process in a thread that also modifies the GUI. As long as the static variable is 'ON' loops in the same process. Clicking on 'pause' would change the static variable to OFF. But by clicking on 'play' the GUI is freezing and consequently:

1. The GUI doesn't update
2. The process can't be 'paused' with my 'pause' button.

I have heard about EDT and SwingWorker but I you have a simple way to do it I take it.

Thank you for your help and forgive my bad english...

Answer 1

The problem is that you're doing the intensive, time-consuming work on the same thread responsible for updating the GUI. SwingWorker allows you to move time-consuming tasks to a separate thread of execution, thereby leaving the UI thread to do its thing uninhibited.

However, it does add a further complication: affinity. Calling methods on UI components generally requires that you do so from the UI thread. Therefore, you need to use special functionality to get back to the UI thread from the worker thread. SwingWorker also gives you this ability.

I suggest you read through this documentation.