Author Archives: Laxman

In the previous part, we saw how to create AlertBox, switching scenes etc for the desktop application using JavaFX. Lets go ahead with the following sections today :

• Communicating Between Windows
• GridPane
• Extract And Validate Input
• CheckBoxes
• ChoiceBox DropDown List

Communicating Between Window

Let look at how to make java application to communicate between two windows. For example : Asking user to enter some name using prompt window.

Create a new class named ConfirmBox.java and replace the content with:

import javafx.stage.*;
import javafx.scene.*;
import javafx.scene.layout.*;
import javafx.scene.control.*;
import javafx.geometry.*;

public class ConfirmBox {

    //Create variable
    static boolean answer;

    public static boolean display(String title, String message) {
        Stage window = new Stage();
        window.initModality(Modality.APPLICATION_MODAL);
        window.setTitle(title);
        window.setMinWidth(250);
        Label label = new Label();
        label.setText(message);

        //Create two buttons
        Button yesButton = new Button("Yes");
        Button noButton = new Button("No");

        //Clicking will set answer and close window
        yesButton.setOnAction(e -> {
            answer = true;
            window.close();
        });
        noButton.setOnAction(e -> {
            answer = false;
            window.close();
        });

        VBox layout = new VBox(10);

        //Add buttons
        layout.getChildren().addAll(label, yesButton, noButton);
        layout.setAlignment(Pos.CENTER);
        Scene scene = new Scene(layout);
        window.setScene(scene);
        window.showAndWait();

        //Make sure to return answer
        return answer;
    }

}

This class contains the code for creating a window within the app which will prompt user for some action.
Now lets use the above class in our application
Replace the content of Main.java with the following:

import javafx.application.Application;
import javafx.scene.Scene;
import javafx.scene.control.Button;
import javafx.scene.layout.StackPane;
import javafx.stage.Stage;

public class Main extends Application {

    Stage window;
    Button button;

    public static void main(String[] args) {
        launch(args);
    }

    @Override
    public void start(Stage primaryStage) {
        window = primaryStage;
        window.setTitle("JavaFX - Tutorials Face");
        button = new Button("Click Me");

        button.setOnAction(e -> {
            boolean result = ConfirmBox.display("Title of Window", "Are you sure you want to send that pic?");
            System.out.println(result);
        });

        StackPane layout = new StackPane();
        layout.getChildren().add(button);
        Scene scene = new Scene(layout, 300, 250);
        window.setScene(scene);
        window.show();
    }

}

We have called the static method of display() ConfirmBox.java in the above class. I am explaining in detail as the code is self explanatory.

GridPane

GridPane is a layout similar to StackPane.
GridPane lays out its children within a flexible grid of rows and columns. If a border and/or padding is set, then its content will be layed out within those insets.
A child may be placed anywhere within the grid and may span multiple rows/columns. Children may freely overlap within rows/columns and their stacking order will be defined by the order of the gridpane’s children list.

Replace the Main.java with the following:

import javafx.application.Application;
import javafx.geometry.Insets;
import javafx.scene.Scene;
import javafx.scene.control.Button;
import javafx.scene.control.Label;
import javafx.scene.control.TextField;
import javafx.scene.layout.GridPane;
import javafx.stage.Stage;

public class Main extends Application {

    Stage window;

    public static void main(String[] args) {
        launch(args);
    }

    @Override
    public void start(Stage primaryStage) throws Exception {
        window = primaryStage;
        window.setTitle("TutorialsFace - JavaFX");

        //GridPane with 10px padding around edge
        GridPane grid = new GridPane();
        grid.setPadding(new Insets(10, 10, 10, 10));
        grid.setVgap(8);
        grid.setHgap(10);

        //Name Label - constrains use (child, column, row)
        Label nameLabel = new Label("Username:");
        GridPane.setConstraints(nameLabel, 0, 0);

        //Name Input
        TextField nameInput = new TextField("Bucky");
        GridPane.setConstraints(nameInput, 1, 0);

        //Password Label
        Label passLabel = new Label("Password:");
        GridPane.setConstraints(passLabel, 0, 1);

        //Password Input
        TextField passInput = new TextField();
        passInput.setPromptText("password");
        GridPane.setConstraints(passInput, 1, 1);

        //Login
        Button loginButton = new Button("Log In");
        GridPane.setConstraints(loginButton, 1, 2);

        //Add everything to grid
        grid.getChildren().addAll(nameLabel, nameInput, passLabel, passInput, loginButton);

        Scene scene = new Scene(grid, 300, 200);
        window.setScene(scene);
        window.show();
    }
}

Extract And Validate Input

In the above section we saw how to take input from users using a good looking layout. Now let take that input and apply validation checks.

Replace Main.java with:

import javafx.application.Application;
import javafx.geometry.Insets;
import javafx.scene.Scene;
import javafx.scene.control.Button;
import javafx.scene.control.TextField;
import javafx.scene.layout.VBox;
import javafx.stage.Stage;

public class Main extends Application {

    Stage window;
    Scene scene;
    Button button;

    public static void main(String[] args) {
        launch(args);
    }

    @Override
    public void start(Stage primaryStage) throws Exception {
        window = primaryStage;
        window.setTitle("TutorialsFace");

        //Form
        TextField ageInput = new TextField();

        button = new Button("Click me");
        button.setOnAction( e -> isInt(ageInput, ageInput.getText()) );

        //Layout
        VBox layout = new VBox(10);
        layout.setPadding(new Insets(20, 20, 20, 20));
        layout.getChildren().addAll(ageInput, button);

        scene = new Scene(layout, 300, 250);
        window.setScene(scene);
        window.show();
    }

    //Validate age
    private boolean isInt(TextField input, String message){
        try{
            int age = Integer.parseInt(input.getText());
            System.out.println("User is: " + age);
            return true;
        }catch(NumberFormatException e){
            System.out.println("Error: " + message + " is not a number");
            return false;
        }
    }
}

In the above code we have made a very basic validation test of whether a given input is number of not.

CheckBoxes

Let integrate CheckBoxes in the application. Although checkboxes look similar to radio buttons, they cannot be combined into toggle groups to enable the selection of many options at one time. See the Radio Button and Toggle Button chapters for more information.

Replace Main.Java with:

import javafx.application.Application;
import javafx.geometry.Insets;
import javafx.scene.Scene;
import javafx.scene.control.Button;
import javafx.scene.control.CheckBox;
import javafx.scene.layout.VBox;
import javafx.stage.Stage;

public class Main extends Application {

    Stage window;
    Scene scene;
    Button button;

    public static void main(String[] args) {
        launch(args);
    }

    @Override
    public void start(Stage primaryStage) throws Exception {
        window = primaryStage;
        window.setTitle("Bucky's Meat Subs");

        //Checkboxes
        CheckBox box1 = new CheckBox();
        CheckBox box2 = new CheckBox("Tuna");
        box2.setSelected(true);

        //Button
        button = new Button("Order Now!");
        button.setOnAction(e -> handleOptions(box1, box2));

        //Layout
        VBox layout = new VBox(10);
        layout.setPadding(new Insets(20, 20, 20, 20));
        layout.getChildren().addAll(box1, box2, button);

        scene = new Scene(layout, 300, 250);
        window.setScene(scene);
        window.show();
    }

    //Handle checkbox options
    private void handleOptions(CheckBox box1, CheckBox box2){
        String message = "Users order:\n";

        if(box1.isSelected())
            message += "Bacon\n";

        if(box2.isSelected())
            message += "Tuna\n";

        System.out.println(message);
    }
}

ChoiceBox DropDown List

Choice Boxes are the UI controls that provide support for quickly selecting between a few options.

Replace Main.Java with the following:

import javafx.application.Application;
import javafx.geometry.Insets;
import javafx.scene.Scene;
import javafx.scene.control.Button;
import javafx.scene.control.ChoiceBox;
import javafx.scene.layout.VBox;
import javafx.stage.Stage;

public class Main extends Application {

    Stage window;
    Scene scene;
    Button button;

    public static void main(String[] args) {
        launch(args);
    }

    @Override
    public void start(Stage primaryStage) throws Exception {
        window = primaryStage;
        window.setTitle("ChoiceBox Demo");
        button = new Button("Click me");

        ChoiceBox<String> choiceBox = new ChoiceBox<>();

        //getItems returns the ObservableList object which you can add items to
        choiceBox.getItems().add("Apples");
        choiceBox.getItems().add("Bananas");
        choiceBox.getItems().addAll("Bacon", "Ham", "Meatballs");

        //Set a default value
        choiceBox.setValue("Apples");

        button.setOnAction(e -> getChoice(choiceBox));

        VBox layout = new VBox(10);
        layout.setPadding(new Insets(20, 20, 20, 20));
        layout.getChildren().addAll(choiceBox, button);

        scene = new Scene(layout, 300, 250);
        window.setScene(scene);
        window.show();
    }

    //To get the value of the selected item
    private void getChoice(ChoiceBox<String> choiceBox){
        String food = choiceBox.getValue();
        System.out.println(food);
    }


}

Look at the screenshot above. It shows how the choice boxes can be used for adding Drop Down lists.

We will see remaining sections in next part.

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