Java Color Mixer and JSlider

[Turk4n]

Well, why not have fun with colors?

So let me introduce you guys to my color mixer and Slider tutorial !

Packages

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

Note by using a static import I can easily just type in instances instead of referring to the class then use the instance method...

The class

public class JMyColor extends JFrame implements ActionListener,ChangeListener {

Inheriting everything from the JFrame class and implementing instructions from the ActionListener and ChangeListener interface
Variables and instances...

JFrame JF = new JFrame();
	private JLabel mix = new JLabel("Mix Colors",JLabel.CENTER);
	private JTextField X = new JTextField("0");
	private JTextField Y = new JTextField("0");
	private JTextField Z = new JTextField("0");
	private JPanel ColorPanel = new JPanel();
	private JSlider Alpha = new JSlider();
	private JSlider Beta = new JSlider();
	private JSlider Zeta = new JSlider();
	private JButton MixColor = new JButton("Mix");
	private JMenuBar JMB = new JMenuBar();
	private JMenu JM = new JMenu("Actions");
	private JMenuItem quit = new JMenuItem("Close");
	private JLabel CopyRight = new JLabel("Copyright - Turk4n",JLabel.CENTER);

Everything in here will be used. The text fields will present the numbers you can add to change the colors. Remember we are using RGB color scheme(DEC=INTEGERS) LOL Plus the sliders will change the colors
Constructor GUI

public JMyColor() {
		setLayout(null);
		add(JMB);
		JMB.add(JM);
		JM.add(quit);
		add(MixColor);
		add(CopyRight);
		add(ColorPanel);
		add(mix); add(X); add(Y); add(Z);
		add(Alpha); add(Beta); add(Zeta);
		
		CopyRight.setBounds(0,215,100,20);
		CopyRight.setFont(new Font("Sanserif",Font.ITALIC,10));
		JMB.setBounds(0,0,300,15);
		X.setBounds(10,30,60,20);
		Y.setBounds(10,60,60,20);
		Z.setBounds(10,85,60,20);
		Alpha.setBounds(200,35,90,20);
		Alpha.setValue(0);
		Alpha.setMinimum(0);
		Alpha.setMaximum(255);
		Beta.setBounds(200,60,90,20);
		Beta.setValue(0);
		Beta.setMinimum(0);
		Beta.setMaximum(255); 
		Zeta.setBounds(200,80,90,20);
		Zeta.setValue(0);
		Zeta.setMinimum(0);
		Zeta.setMaximum(255);
		mix.setBounds(100,25,80,40);
		MixColor.setBounds(110,60,60,20);
		ColorPanel.setBounds(100,130,80,80);
		MixColor.addActionListener(this);
		quit.addActionListener(this);
		Alpha.addChangeListener(this);
		Zeta.addChangeListener(this);
		Beta.addChangeListener(this);
		
		setSize(305,270);
		setVisible(true);
                setTitle("Color Mixer");
		setDefaultCloseOperation(EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
		show();
	}

As more or less, we are adding each item without following a Layout. This not recommended for users who likes to have something prebuild and easy to use. However if you want it to be positionable in your way you have to follow like I did... Our sliders will add a change as they are moved. That's why we are using Change Listener instead of the Action Listener that we are using for our close operation and mixer !
Sliders Listener

public void stateChanged(ChangeEvent e) {
		Color c = new Color(Alpha.getValue(),Beta.getValue(),Zeta.getValue());
		
		String NewAlpha = String.valueOf(Alpha.getValue());
		String NewBeta = String.valueOf(Beta.getValue());
		String NewZeta = String.valueOf(Zeta.getValue());
		
		X.setText(NewAlpha);
		Y.setText(NewBeta);
		Z.setText(NewZeta);
		ColorPanel.setBackground(c);
	}

As we have sliders that are move able. they also generate an integer value from 0-255
So basically we set the values the sliders are on to the ColorPanel and to the textfields :>
Action Listener

public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {
		
			if(e.getSource()==MixColor) {
				
				String x = X.getText();
				String y = Y.getText();
				String z = Z.getText();
				
				int NewX = 0;
				int NewY = 0;
				int NewZ = 0;
				
				try
				{
					NewX = Integer.parseInt(x);
					NewY = Integer.parseInt(y);
					NewZ = Integer.parseInt(z);
					Alpha.setValue(NewX);
					Beta.setValue(NewY);
					Zeta.setValue(NewZ);
					
					Color c = new Color(NewX, NewY, NewZ);
						ColorPanel.setBackground(c);
				}catch(NumberFormatException NFE) {
					showMessageDialog(JF,"Does not compute !","String Error/One or two fields incorrect",JOptionPane.ERROR_MESSAGE);
				}
				catch(Exception OtherException){
					showMessageDialog(JF,"Does not compute !","Out of range 0-255",JOptionPane.ERROR_MESSAGE);
				}
			}
			else if(e.getSource()==quit) {
				System.exit(0);
			}
	}

Now the action listener will read in from our textfields. However the fields are strings and we can't use strings when integers are needed to display the color... We parse it and represent them as numbers from 0-255. Now. When the user is doing something wrong, like posting something out of boundary or just plain stupid and typing in color names...It will run some error messages for their own safety...
The main

public static void main(String[] arg) {
		new JMyColor();
	}
}

Here is the end and we are going to start the application and see the power of sliders And of course the colors !

Output

Cheers !

[Jordan]

Very cool and useful tutorial! +rep

[Turk4n]

Originally Posted by Jordan

Very cool and useful tutorial! +rep

Why thank you

[WingedPanther]

Next stop, CMYK mixers +rep

[Turk4n]

Originally Posted by WingedPanther

Next stop, CMYK mixers +rep

Haha, yeah I could present a small update with a CMYK mixer

[chili5]

Wow, that is cool. +rep

Edit: regarding the use of static imports, is it good to do that? I think it gets a bit confusing as you don't know where the method is coming from anymore?

[Turk4n]

Originally Posted by chili5

Wow, that is cool. +rep

Edit: regarding the use of static imports, is it good to do that? I think it gets a bit confusing as you don't know where the method is coming from anymore?

Thanks
I like to type less when using instances
Of course it's a programmers taste of choices right?
I mean I don't like to type.

JOptionPane.showMessageDialog(null,"LoL");

However I find this really cool and simple

showMessageDialog(null,"LoL");

More or less I can say, it's all bout the feeling :>

[chili5]

Yea, it all comes down to choice I guess.

The problem with using absolute position with setBounds is it doesn't let you resize the form and maintain a good look. With the layout it lets you keep a good layout all the time.

In your constructor you use the show method.

This method is deprecated as of JDK 1.5 and you should be using Window.setVisible(boolean bVisible) instead.

So instead of:

show();

You should be using:

setVisible(true);

[Turk4n]

Originally Posted by chili5

Yea, it all comes down to choice I guess.

The problem with using absolute position with setBounds is it doesn't let you resize the form and maintain a good look. With the layout it lets you keep a good layout all the time.

In your constructor you use the show method.

This method is deprecated as of JDK 1.5 and you should be using Window.setVisible(boolean bVisible) instead.

So instead of:

show();

You should be using:

setVisible(true);

I have often done both...LOL

setVisible(true);
setTitle("Color Mixer");
setDefaultCloseOperation(EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
show();

[chili5]

Oh shoot, I didn't notice that. At least it doesn't show your form twice. What I'm saying is you shouldn't even be using show at all.