Understanding Action Objects in Java
Complete Program Listing
/*ActionObj02.java
Rev 03/30/02
Copyright 2002, R.G.Baldwin
Illustrates use of action objects.
Uses the setAction method that was
released with V1.3
Tested using JDK 1.4.0 under
Win2000.
**************************************/
import javax.swing.*;
import javax.swing.border.*;
import java.awt.*;
import java.awt.event.*;
public class ActionObj02{
public static void main(
String[] args){
new GUI();
}//end main
}//end ActionObj02
//===================================//
class GUI extends JFrame{
//Create three containers
JMenuBar menuBar = new JMenuBar();
JMenu menu = new JMenu("Menu");
JToolBar toolBar = new JToolBar();
JPanel panel = new JPanel();
//Create two Action objects
Action actionObj01 = new MyAction();
Action actionObj02 = new MyAction();
//Create four check boxes and a
// control panel, which will be used
// to manipulate the Action objects
// and their visual components.
JCheckBox ckBox01 = new JCheckBox(
"Disable01");
JCheckBox ckBox02 = new JCheckBox(
"Disable02");
JCheckBox ckBox03 = new JCheckBox(
"Toggle Icon01");
JCheckBox ckBox04 = new JCheckBox(
"Toggle Icon02");
JPanel controlPanel = new JPanel();
GUI(){//constructor
//Construct and decorate the menu
// and put it in place.
menuBar.add(menu);
menuBar.setBorder(
new BevelBorder(
BevelBorder.RAISED));
setJMenuBar(menuBar);
//Decorate the JToolBar and place
// it in the North position.
toolBar.setBorder(new BevelBorder(
BevelBorder.RAISED));
getContentPane().add(
toolBar,BorderLayout.NORTH);
//Decorate the JPanel and place it
// in the South position.
panel.setBorder(new BevelBorder(
BevelBorder.RAISED));
getContentPane().add(
panel,BorderLayout.SOUTH);
//Set some keyed properties for
// each of the two Action objects.
actionObj01.putValue(
Action.NAME,"actionObj01");
actionObj01.putValue(
Action.SMALL_ICON,new ImageIcon(
"redball.gif"));
actionObj01.putValue(
Action.SHORT_DESCRIPTION,
"ToolTip for actionObj01");
actionObj02.putValue(
Action.NAME,"actionObj02");
actionObj02.putValue(
Action.SMALL_ICON,new ImageIcon(
"bulb2.gif"));
actionObj02.putValue(
Action.SHORT_DESCRIPTION,
"ToolTip for actionObj02");
//Put a JMenuItem on the menu. Set
// its Action object using the
// setAction method. This is
// one approach.
JMenuItem mnuA1 = new JMenuItem();
mnuA1.setAction(actionObj01);
menu.add(mnuA1);
//Put a JMenuItem on the menu. Set
// its Action object in the
// constructor. This is a
// different approach.
JMenuItem mnuA2 =
new JMenuItem(actionObj02);
menu.add(mnuA2);
//Put a JButton on the toolbar.
// Set its Action object using the
// setAction method. Also register
// an ordinary Action listener
// on it.
JButton butB1 = new JButton();
butB1.addActionListener(
new ActionListener(){
public void actionPerformed(
ActionEvent e){
System.out.println(
"Ordinary Action Listener");
}//end actionPerformed()
}//end ActionListener
);//end addActionListener
butB1.setAction(actionObj01);
toolBar.add(butB1);
//Put a JButton on the toolbar.
// Set its Action object.
JButton butB2 = new JButton();
butB2.setAction(actionObj02);
toolBar.add(butB2);
//Put a JButton on the JPanel.
// Set its Action object.
JButton butC = new JButton();
butC.setAction(actionObj01);
panel.add(butC);
//Put a JMenuItem on the JPanel.
// Set its Action object.
JMenuItem mnuC = new JMenuItem();
mnuC.setAction(actionObj02);
panel.add(mnuC);
//Construct the control panel and
// put it in the Center
controlPanel.setLayout(
new GridLayout(2,2,3,3));
controlPanel.add(ckBox01);
controlPanel.add(ckBox02);
controlPanel.add(ckBox03);
controlPanel.add(ckBox04);
getContentPane().add(controlPanel,
BorderLayout.CENTER);
//Set the size and make the GUI
// visible
setSize(350,200);
setVisible(true);
setTitle("Copyright 2002, " +
"R.G.Baldwin");
//The following anonymous inner
// allow the user to manipulate the
// Action objects and their
// associated visual components.
//Register ActionListener objects
// on each of the check boxes.
// This makes it possible to
// disable and enable the two
// Actions objects independently of
// one another. It also makes it
// possible to toggle the icons
// between two different images
// on each Action object when the
// Action object is enabled.
ckBox01.addActionListener(
new ActionListener(){
public void actionPerformed(
ActionEvent e){
if(e.getActionCommand().
equals("Disable01")){
ckBox01.setText(
"Enable01");
actionObj01.setEnabled(
false);
//Disable ability to toggle
// the IconImage.
ckBox03.setEnabled(false);
}else{
ckBox01.setText(
"Disable01");
actionObj01.setEnabled(
true);
//Enable ability to toggle
// the IconImage.
ckBox03.setEnabled(true);
}//end else
}//end actionPerformed()
}//end ActionListener
);//end addActionListener
ckBox02.addActionListener(
new ActionListener(){
public void actionPerformed(
ActionEvent e){
if(e.getActionCommand().
equals("Disable02")){
ckBox02.setText(
"Enable02");
actionObj02.setEnabled(
false);
//Disable ability to toggle
// the IconImage.
ckBox04.setEnabled(false);
}else{
ckBox02.setText(
"Disable02");
actionObj02.setEnabled(
true);
//Enable ability to toggle
// the IconImage.
ckBox04.setEnabled(true);
}//end else
}//end actionPerformed()
}//end ActionListener
);//end addActionListener
ckBox03.addActionListener(
new ActionListener(){
public void actionPerformed(
ActionEvent e){
//Get file name for the
// ImageIcon object.
String gif = (actionObj01.
getValue(
Action.SMALL_ICON)).
toString();
if((gif).equals(
"redball.gif")){
actionObj01.putValue(
Action.SMALL_ICON,
new ImageIcon(
"blueball.gif"));
}else{
actionObj01.putValue(
Action.SMALL_ICON,
new ImageIcon(
"redball.gif"));
}//end else
}//end actionPerformed()
}//end ActionListener
);//end addActionListener
ckBox04.addActionListener(
new ActionListener(){
public void actionPerformed(
ActionEvent e){
//Get file name for the
// ImageIcon object.
String gif = (actionObj02.
getValue(
Action.SMALL_ICON)).
toString();
if((gif).equals(
"bulb2.gif")){
actionObj02.putValue(
Action.SMALL_ICON,
new ImageIcon(
"bulb1.gif"));
}else{
actionObj02.putValue(
Action.SMALL_ICON,
new ImageIcon(
"bulb2.gif"));
}//end else
}//end actionPerformed()
}//end ActionListener
);//end addActionListener
//Create a WindowListener used
// to terminate the program
this.addWindowListener(
new WindowAdapter(){
public void windowClosing(
WindowEvent e){
System.exit(0);
}//end windowClosing()
}//end WindowAdapter
);//end addWindowListener
}//end constructor
}//end GUI class
//===================================//
//This is the class from which the
// Action objects are instantiated.
class MyAction extends AbstractAction{
public void actionPerformed(
ActionEvent e){
System.out.println("Action: " +
((AbstractButton)e.getSource()).
getActionCommand());
}//end actionPerformed
}//end class MyAction
Listing 22
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Copyright 2002, Richard G. Baldwin. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission from Richard Baldwin is prohibited.
About the author
Richard Baldwin is a college professor (at Austin Community College in Austin, TX) and private consultant whose primary focus is a combination of Java, C#, and XML. In addition to the many platform and/or language independent benefits of Java and C# applications, he believes that a combination of Java, C#, and XML will become the primary driving force in the delivery of structured information on the Web.Richard has participated in numerous consulting projects, and he frequently provides onsite training at the high-tech companies located in and around Austin, Texas. He is the author of Baldwin's Programming Tutorials, which has gained a worldwide following among experienced and aspiring programmers. He has also published articles in JavaPro magazine.
Richard holds an MSEE degree from Southern Methodist University and has many years of experience in the application of computer technology to real-world problems.
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This article was originally published on May 29, 2002