How is a Graphical object move on the Screen by using JButton.

[Udara Amarasinghe]

How is a Graphical object move on the Screen by using JButton until the button release.

  class LeftRightMover extends JFrame{
    JButton left=new JButton("Left"),right=new JButton("Right");
    JComponent movingthing;
    JLayeredPane pane=new JLayeredPane();
    JLayeredPane frame=new JLayeredPane();

    public LeftRightMover(){
        this.setSize(400,120);
        this.setResizable(false);        

        setContentPane(pane);

        movingthing=new JComponent() {
        public void paint(Graphics g){
            g.setColor(Color.GREEN);
            g.fill3DRect((movingthing.getWidth()/2)-25, (movingthing.getHeight()/2)-25, 50, 50, true);
        }};

        left.setBounds((getWidth()/2)-102,getHeight()-50,100,20);
        right.setBounds((getWidth()/2)+2,getHeight()-50,100,20);
        movingthing.setBounds((getWidth()/2)-25,getY()+10,50,50);
        frame.setBounds(-1,getY()+9,getWidth(),52);
        frame.setBorder(new javax.swing.border.LineBorder(Color.BLACK));

        getContentPane().add(frame);
        getContentPane().add(movingthing,0);
        getContentPane().add(left,0);
        getContentPane().add(right,0);

        left.addActionListener(new ActionListener() {
            public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {
                movingthing.setLocation(movingthing.getX()-10,movingthing.getY());
                /*THE PROBLEM: I want to do when a single click perfumed on left Button then
                               movingthing move 10 pix to left and stop I have make it done but...
                               if user presses the button and if he keep hold button pressed then movingthing 
                               should move left until he release the button left can you help to make it done.*/
            }
        });
        right.addActionListener(new ActionListener() {
            public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {
                   movingthing.setLocation(movingthing.getX()+10,movingthing.getY());
                   /*THE PROBLEM: I want to do when a single click perfumed on right Button then
                                  movingthing move 10 pix to right and stop I have make it done but...
                                  if user presses the button and if he keep hold button pressed then movingthing 
                                  should move right until he release the button right can you help to make it done.*/
            }
        });        

        setVisible(true);
        setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
        System.out.println(getHeight());
    }
    public static void main(String args[]){
        LeftRightMover t=new LeftRightMover();
        t.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
    }
}  

[Campbell Ritchie]

Welcome to JavaRanch

We don't simply give out such answers, but if you would show us what you have so far, we shall be happy to comment on it.
By the way: it sounds very unusual behaviour for a button to start motion, then stop it when the mouse is released.

[Maneesh Godbole]

What you have in mind is not possible with the action listener.
An action performed will not be fired until a successful click.
Click=press+release.

Check out the mouse listeners.
Like Campbell said, try out various scenarios on your own. If you run into a problem, show us your code, and we will be more than happy to help you figure out what is going wrong.
Best of luck.

[Maneesh Godbole]

Udara,

Please read my previous reply carefully why it is not possible with an action listener.
In case you do not know about mouse listeners, here is a tutorial

[Campbell Ritchie]

Maneesh has already told you, you need a different Listener. You would also need a Timer (at the very least) or a new Thread to move the object. Have a look through the tutorial you have been told about.

[Udara Amarasinghe]

I solved it with help of Campbell Ritchie and Maneesh Godbole comments.
This is the solved code.

class LeftRightMover extends JFrame{
    JButton left=new JButton("Left"),right=new JButton("Right");
    JComponent movingthing;
    JLayeredPane pane=new JLayeredPane();
    JLayeredPane frame=new JLayeredPane();
    Timer timerL,timerR;

    public LeftRightMover(){
        this.setSize(400,120);
        this.setResizable(false);        

        setContentPane(pane);

        timerL=new Timer(100,new ActionListener() {

            public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {
                movingthing.setLocation(movingthing.getX()-10,movingthing.getY());
            }
        });

        timerR=new Timer(100,new ActionListener() {

            public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {
                movingthing.setLocation(movingthing.getX()+10,movingthing.getY());
            }
        });


        movingthing=new JComponent() {
        public void paint(Graphics g){
            g.setColor(Color.GREEN);
            g.fill3DRect((movingthing.getWidth()/2)-25, (movingthing.getHeight()/2)-25, 50, 50, true);
        }};

        left.setBounds((getWidth()/2)-102,getHeight()-50,100,20);
        right.setBounds((getWidth()/2)+2,getHeight()-50,100,20);
        movingthing.setBounds((getWidth()/2)-25,getY()+10,50,50);
        frame.setBounds(-1,getY()+9,getWidth(),52);
        frame.setBorder(new javax.swing.border.LineBorder(Color.BLACK));

        getContentPane().add(frame);
        getContentPane().add(movingthing,0);
        getContentPane().add(left,0);
        getContentPane().add(right,0);

        left.addMouseListener(new MouseListener() {

            public void mouseClicked(MouseEvent e) {

            }

            public void mousePressed(MouseEvent e) {
                timerL.start();
            }

            public void mouseReleased(MouseEvent e) {
                timerL.stop();
            }

            public void mouseEntered(MouseEvent e) {

            }

            public void mouseExited(MouseEvent e) {

            }
        });
        right.addMouseListener(new MouseListener() {

            public void mouseClicked(MouseEvent e) {

            }

            public void mousePressed(MouseEvent e) {
                timerR.start();
            }

            public void mouseReleased(MouseEvent e) {
                timerR.stop();
            }

            public void mouseEntered(MouseEvent e) {

            }

            public void mouseExited(MouseEvent e) {

            }
        });

        setVisible(true);
        setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
        System.out.println(getHeight());
    }
    public static void main(String args[]){
        LeftRightMover t=new LeftRightMover();
        t.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
    }
}

[Campbell Ritchie]

Well done It is far better to solve the problem yourself than be told a solution because you will remember the answer better.