CODEWITHSUNDEEP
javaswingtextactionjbutton
Ben
Ben

Reputation: 57267

Java - JButton text disappears if actionPerformed defined afterwards

This has been bugging me for a while. If I define setText on a JButton before defining setAction, the text disappears:

JButton test = new JButton();
test.setText("test");  // Before - disappears!
test.setAction(new AbstractAction() {
    public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {
        // do something
    }
});
this.add(test);

If it's after, no problems.

JButton test = new JButton();
test.setAction(new AbstractAction() {
    public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {
        // do something
    }
});
test.setText("test");  // After - no problem!
this.add(test);

Furthermore, if I set the text in the JButton constructor, it's fine! Yarghh!

Why does this happen?

Upvotes: 4

Views: 3278

Answers (5)

Sam
Sam

Reputation: 354

If you only want to handle the event, you don't need Action. You can add an ActionListener:

JButton test = new JButton();
test.setText("test");  
test.addActionListener(new ActionListener() {
    public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {
        // do something
    }
});
this.add(test);

Calling setAction overrides pre-set text.

Upvotes: 0

MByD
MByD

Reputation: 137372

As described in the documentation:

Setting the Action results in immediately changing all the properties described in Swing Components Supporting Action.

Those properties are described here, and include text.

Upvotes: 6

mKorbel
mKorbel

Reputation: 109813

1) Listeners put all Events to the EDT,

2) all events are waiting in EDT and output to the screen would be done in one moment

3) you have to split that to the two separate Action inside Listener

Upvotes: 0

Ashwinee K Jha
Ashwinee K Jha

Reputation: 9317

This is because Action has name for the control as well. Since you are not setting any name in the Action it is getting set to empty string.

Upvotes: 1

Paul Jowett
Paul Jowett

Reputation: 6581

Have a look at 

  private void setTextFromAction(Action a, boolean propertyChange)

in AbstractButton. You can see it's calling setText() based on the action.

It looks like you can call setHideActionText(true); to sort out your problem.

Upvotes: 1

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