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Break this code down in multiple classes

Benjamin Scabbia

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posted 9 years ago

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I have this code which is already getting a bit 'heavy' to manage in a single class. Ideally, I want to break this code down in a few classes to make it easier to manage. add and edit. Can someone give me advice on what I should split in the current setup? THanks!

import java.awt.*;  
import java.awt.event.*;

import javax.swing.*;  
import javax.swing.border.EmptyBorder;

public class Main extends JFrame{
	Container container;
	CardLayout cl;
	
	
	public Main(){
	
		super("Game Finder");
    	cl = new CardLayout();
    	setLayout(cl);
    	
    	container = this.getContentPane();
    	
    		//File>New
    	JPanel newPanel = new JPanel();
    	newPanel.setBackground(Color.YELLOW);
    	container.add("New", newPanel);
    		//File>Load
    	JPanel loadPanel = new JPanel();
    	loadPanel.setBackground(Color.BLUE);
    	container.add("Load", loadPanel);
    		//File>Save
    	JPanel savePanel = new JPanel();
    	savePanel.setBackground(Color.RED);
    	container.add("Save", savePanel);
    		//Help>About
    	JPanel aboutPanel = new JPanel();
    	JLabel aboutLabel = new JLabel();
    	String s = "Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet.";
    	aboutLabel.setText("<html><body style='width:230px'>" + s);
    	aboutPanel.setBackground(Color.WHITE);
    	aboutLabel.setBorder(new EmptyBorder(0,20,0,20));
    	aboutPanel.add(aboutLabel);
    	container.add("About", aboutPanel);
    	
        // Construct objects  
        JMenuBar menuBar = new JMenuBar();  
        JMenu menuFile = new JMenu("File"); // File menu
        JMenu menuHelp = new JMenu("Help"); // Help menu
        
        JMenuItem menuFileNew = new JMenuItem("New Game"); // New Game (CardLayout must be controlled by this)  
        JMenuItem menuFileLoad = new JMenuItem("Load Game"); // Load Game  
        JMenuItem menuFileSave = new JMenuItem("Save Game"); // Save Game  
        JMenuItem menuFileExit = new JMenuItem("Exit"); // Exit
        JMenuItem menuHelpAbout = new JMenuItem("About"); // About   
  
          
        // Add action listener.for the menu button  
        menuFileExit.addActionListener(new ActionListener() {
        	public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {
        		Main.this.windowClosed();
        	}  
            
        }  
        );
        
        menuFileNew.addActionListener(new ActionListener() {
        	public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {
        		cl.show(container, "New");
        	}  
        }  
        );   
        menuFileLoad.addActionListener(new ActionListener() {
        	public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {
        		cl.show(container, "Load");  
            }  
        }  
        );   
        menuFileSave.addActionListener(new ActionListener() {
        	public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {
        		cl.show(container, "Save"); 
            }  
        }  
        );
        
        menuHelpAbout.addActionListener(new ActionListener() {
        	public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {
        		cl.show(container, "About"); 
        		cl.show(container, "AboutLabel");
            }  
        }  
        );  
        // Add menu items to menu bar  
        menuFile.add(menuFileNew);  
        menuFile.add(menuFileLoad);  
        menuFile.add(menuFileSave);  
        menuFile.add(menuFileExit);  
        menuBar.add(menuFile);  
        
        menuHelp.add(menuHelpAbout);
        menuBar.add(menuHelp);
          
        // Create window    
        setJMenuBar(menuBar);  
        setSize(new Dimension(350, 350));  
          
        // Add window listener.  
        this.addWindowListener(new WindowAdapter() {
        	public void windowClosing(WindowEvent e) {
        		Main.this.windowClosed();
        	}  
        }  
        );  
    }  
      
    protected void windowClosed() {  
        // Exit game  
        System.exit(0);  
    }
    
    public static void main(String[] arg) {
    	Main f = new Main();
    	f.setVisible(true);
    }
}

Knute Snortum

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posted 9 years ago

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GUIs often have long methods. Still, say to yourself: what am I doing? I'm painting a GUI. How do I paint a GUI? First I create a menu. My events have callbacks. Should they be inline (very simple) or methods or Classes? You should try to separate the interface (not the Java Interface, but what the users sees) from what you do with the data.

Try this and post the code again.

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K. Tsang

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posted 9 years ago

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Howdy

I see you are building a GUI.

With GUI, I tend to make classes or methods per component chunk. For example, menu bar can be in its own class with the menu items and stuff. The panels (depending on how complex you need) can be in their own classes. Even those action listeners can be in their own classes especially if they can be reuse.

However, you currently have most of the code in your constructor. Try separating the section of code by components and group these lines into a separate method/class. Then your constructor would look a bit neater.

Also even the main window (the class extends JFrame) can be on its own. This way your main method will just have 1 line eg new MyMainWindow();

K. Tsang CEng MBCS PMP PMI-ACP OCMJEA OCPJP

Benjamin Scabbia

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posted 9 years ago

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Knute Snortum wrote:GUIs often have long methods. Still, say to yourself: what am I doing? I'm painting a GUI. How do I paint a GUI? First I create a menu. My events have callbacks. Should they be inline (very simple) or methods or Classes? You should try to separate the interface (not the Java Interface, but what the users sees) from what you do with the data.

Try this and post the code again.

Thanks for reply! Yes, indeed, GUI is already pretty big! Good ideas, I will see what I can do

Benjamin Scabbia

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posted 9 years ago

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K. Tsang wrote:Howdy

I see you are building a GUI.

With GUI, I tend to make classes or methods per component chunk. For example, menu bar can be in its own class with the menu items and stuff. The panels (depending on how complex you need) can be in their own classes. Even those action listeners can be in their own classes especially if they can be reuse.

However, you currently have most of the code in your constructor. Try separating the section of code by components and group these lines into a separate method/class. Then your constructor would look a bit neater.

Also even the main window (the class extends JFrame) can be on its own. This way your main method will just have 1 line eg new MyMainWindow();

Howdy! I am indeed

. Just tried to seperate the whole panel side (threw plenty of errors) so I will try a smaller chunk at a time starting from action listeners and get back here if I need further assistance. Thanks again for your help

K. Tsang

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posted 9 years ago

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Actually if I would start with the menu bar. Have those menu bar and menu item lines separate out. Also since the action listeners are for the menu items then for the time being these can be put in the menu bar class too.

Yet you can start with action listeners.

K. Tsang CEng MBCS PMP PMI-ACP OCMJEA OCPJP

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