Flashing JFrame

[Ted Brown]

Hi,

I would like to create a JFrame with two specifal features:

JFrame should not grab focus while maximized from minimized state.
When a JFrame created or became maximized from minimized state, it should flash in the Windows bar until a user will grant a focus to it. (like as in ICQ clients ).
Does anybody know how the second requirement can be implemented?

Little self-explained example:

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

public class JFrameTest {
    private static JFrame childFrame;
    public static Container getParentContentPane() {
        JPanel panel = new JPanel();
        JButton button = new JButton("Create\\Restore child frame");
        button.addActionListener(new ActionListener(){
            public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {
                createOrRestoreChildFrame();
            }
        });
        panel.add(button);
        return panel;
    }

    private static void createOrRestoreChildFrame() {
        if (childFrame == null) {
            childFrame = new JFrame("Child Frame");
            childFrame.setLocation(200, 200);
            childFrame.add(new JLabel("Child Frame"));
            childFrame.pack();
            setChildFrameVisible();
        } else {
            setChildFrameVisible();
        }
    }

    private static void setChildFrameVisible() {
        childFrame.setFocusableWindowState(false);
        childFrame.setVisible(true);
        flashInWindowsBar(childFrame);
        childFrame.toFront();
        childFrame.setFocusableWindowState(true);
    }

    /**
     * Should Make child frame flash in Windows bar.
     * Currently, it does not work for me.
     * Could anybody help me to fix this please? ) 
     */
    private static void flashInWindowsBar(JFrame childFrame) {
        childFrame.setState(JFrame.ICONIFIED);
        childFrame.toFront();
    }

    private static void createAndShowGUI() {
        JFrame parentFrame = new JFrame("JFrame Demo");
        parentFrame.setLocation(100, 100);
        parentFrame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
        parentFrame.setContentPane(getParentContentPane());
        parentFrame.pack();
        parentFrame.setVisible(true);
    }

    public static void main(String[] args) {
        javax.swing.SwingUtilities.invokeLater(new Runnable() {
            public void run() {
                createAndShowGUI();
            }
        });
    }
}

Thanks!

[Darryl Burke]

Hi, Ted and welcome to the Ranch! Please BeForthrightWhenCrossPostingToOtherSites.
http://forums.oracle.com/forums/thread.jspa?threadID=2137438
http://www.java-forums.org/awt-swing/35443-flashing-jframe.html
http://stackoverflow.com/questions/4305837/flashing-jframe

[Ted Brown]

Hi Darryl,
I have also posted here:
http://www.java.net/forum/topic/javadesktop/java-desktop-technologies/swing-awt/flashing-jframe

[Darryl Burke]

Thanks for telling us that, but don't you think you should inform the good folk at java.net about the multiple cross posts?

[Ted Brown]

Sure, my fault.

Maybe you can advise me something regarding the cause of topic?

[Darryl Burke]

travishein suggested an approach involving JNI. Did you try it?

[Ted Brown]

Yep, but this is not very convenient way, and, unfortunately, not applicable in my particular case. I'm still hoping that the native Java solution exists.