Convert an incrementing/changing String value to existing incremental variable name of JButtons to modify their properties in java

Question

Simplified: How to make String value to call specific existed JButton variable name in java?

I'm trying to make a non-ordinary Tic-Tac-Toe game...

Anyway, what I will post here is not really the whole concept of that. I just want to make it simple: I have 9 square jButtons named (3 by 3) (and maybe allow user to make 4x4, 5x5, 10x10 etc. via settings in future):

[markbox_00_00] / [markbox_00_01] / [markbox_00_02]

[markbox_01_00] / [markbox_01_01] / [markbox_01_02]

[markbox_02_00] / [markbox_02_01] / [markbox_02_02]

[btnSave] / [btnUndoActions]

where the first two digit represent the row and the next two is the column; and a save button (btnSave) and undo button(btnUndoActions).

Each markbox have default spring value of "0", when I click it turns "1"; and when I click "1" it turns "0". When you press undo button it will reset to last save.

Here is some of my simplified line of codes:

private byte markboxColLimit = 3, markboxRowLimit = 3, row, col;
private byte[][] saveNumber = new byte[markboxRowLimit][markboxColLimit];
private String buttonName;

public Astral_TicTacToe() {
initComponents();

    /* I want something like this, but using a for loop based on markboxColLimit and 
    markboxRowLimit as limits */

    markbox_00_00.setText("0");
    markbox_00_01.setText("0");
    markbox_00_02.setText("0");
    markbox_01_00.setText("0");
    markbox_01_01.setText("0");
    markbox_01_02.setText("0");
    markbox_02_00.setText("0");
    markbox_02_01.setText("0");
    markbox_02_02.setText("0");

          /* I know the line below is wrong... what I'm trying is to avoid
           * repetitiveness by looping and dynamically calling the variable
           * name of JButtons, or in other ways...
           */

    /* Attempting to make an alternative code from above (trying to make a loop instead) */

    for(row = 0; row < markboxRowLimit; row++){

        for(col = 0; col < markboxColLimit; col++){
          buttonName = "markbox_0" + Byte.toString(row) + "_0" + Byte.toString(col);

          buttonName.setText("0");
        }
    }

}

private void btnUndoActionsActionPerformed(java.awt.event.ActionEvent evt) {

    markbox_00_00.setText(Byte.toString(saveNumber[0][0]));
    markbox_00_01.setText(Byte.toString(saveNumber[0][1]));
    markbox_00_02.setText(Byte.toString(saveNumber[0][2]));
    markbox_01_00.setText(Byte.toString(saveNumber[1][0]));
    markbox_01_01.setText(Byte.toString(saveNumber[1][1]));
    markbox_01_02.setText(Byte.toString(saveNumber[1][2]));
    markbox_02_00.setText(Byte.toString(saveNumber[2][0]));
    markbox_02_01.setText(Byte.toString(saveNumber[2][1]));
    markbox_02_02.setText(Byte.toString(saveNumber[2][2]));
}

private void btnSaveActionPerformed(java.awt.event.ActionEvent evt) {
    saveNumber[0][0] = Byte.parseByte(markbox_00_00.getText());
    saveNumber[0][1] = Byte.parseByte(markbox_00_01.getText());
    saveNumber[0][2] = Byte.parseByte(markbox_00_02.getText());
    saveNumber[1][0] = Byte.parseByte(markbox_01_00.getText());
    saveNumber[1][1] = Byte.parseByte(markbox_01_01.getText());
    saveNumber[1][2] = Byte.parseByte(markbox_01_00.getText());
    saveNumber[2][0] = Byte.parseByte(markbox_02_00.getText());
    saveNumber[2][1] = Byte.parseByte(markbox_02_01.getText());
    saveNumber[2][2] = Byte.parseByte(markbox_02_02.getText());
}

private void markbox_00_00ActionPerformed(java.awt.event.ActionEvent evt) {
    if("0".equals(markbox_00_00.getText()))
        markbox_00_00.setText("1");
    else
        markbox_00_00.setText("0");
}

private void markbox_00_01ActionPerformed(java.awt.event.ActionEvent evt) {
    if("0".equals(markbox_00_01.getText()))
        markbox_00_00.setText("1");
    else
        markbox_00_00.setText("0");
}

....

private void markbox_02_02ActionPerformed(java.awt.event.ActionEvent evt) {
    if("0".equals(markbox_00_00.getText()))
        markbox_02_02.setText("1");
    else
        markbox_02_02.setText("0");
}

In short: how can I make String a specific variable name of JButton for calling/accessing/editing for their properties?

Example:

buttonName = markbox_01_02;

buttonName.setText("2");

is equavalent to markbox_01_02.getText("2");

I really appreciate the help, thank you...

P.S. I use to make JFrame in NetBeans Design (just click and drag the objects in palette window like JPanel, JButton, etc., so I don't type the code manually except making my own logical Method).

Answer 1

You probably need to redo your program and rephrase your question because it's kind of unclear where you're stuck that's why I wrote this answer as a Community Wiki.

The following program creates a GridLayout for the board and add 2 JButtons below it which contain "Save" and "Undo" buttons.

Whenever you press a button it will change it's text to 0 or 1 depending on the previous state of the button, and "Undo" button will undo last clic the same way, if it was 0 it will become 1 and viceversa.

I guess you should read How to write an ActionListener before copy-pasting this example, understand what it says and try to understand how this program works.

The logic to "Save" button is up to you 'cause I'm not sure what you wanna do there and I'm not gonna write all the code for you. This is made only for you to get an idea on how to handle events.

Also, the logic to end the game is left to you for the same reasons as the "Save" button.

I wish I knew how to record my screen in Ubuntu and save as GIF but here's a screenshot on how this program looks like:

import java.awt.*;
import javax.swing.*;
import java.awt.event.*;
public class TicTacToe implements ActionListener {
    JFrame frame;
    JButton buttons[];
    JPanel pane, buttonPane;
    boolean pressed[];
    JButton save, undo;
    int n = -1;

    public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {
        for (int i = 0; i < buttons.length; i++) {
            if(e.getSource() == buttons[i]) {
                pressed[i] = !pressed[i];
                buttons[i].setText(pressed[i] ? "1" : "0");
                n = i;
                break;
            }
        }
    }

    public TicTacToe () {
        frame = new JFrame("Tic Tac Toe Game");
        buttons = new JButton[9];
        pane = new JPanel(new GridLayout(3, 3));
        pressed = new boolean[9];
        buttonPane = new JPanel(new FlowLayout());
        save = new JButton("Save");
        undo = new JButton("Undo");

        for (int i = 0; i < buttons.length; i++) {
            buttons[i] = new JButton("0");
            pressed[i] = false;
        }

        for (JButton b : buttons) {
            b.addActionListener(this);
            pane.add(b);
        }

        undo.addActionListener(new ActionListener() {
            public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent ae) {
                if (n == -1) {
                    return;
                }
                pressed[n] = !pressed[n];
                buttons[n].setText(pressed[n] ? "1" : "0");
            }
        });

        buttonPane.add(save);
        buttonPane.add(undo);

        frame.add(pane, BorderLayout.PAGE_START);
        frame.add(buttonPane, BorderLayout.CENTER);
        frame.pack();
        frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
        frame.setVisible(true);
    }
    public static void main (String args[]) {
        new TicTacToe();
    }
}