Swing, JLabel doesn't show up

Question

I'm working on a little menu for a game. I already did the game itself, but I'm experiencing some problems with my menu. When I click on the buttons "Rules and Controls", "Options", and "About", the JLabels attached to them don't show up.

What am I doing wrong..? Thanks in advance.

import java.awt.Color;
import java.awt.Font;
import java.awt.Image;
import java.awt.event.ActionEvent;
import java.awt.event.ActionListener;

import javax.swing.BorderFactory;
import javax.swing.ImageIcon;
import javax.swing.JButton;
import javax.swing.JFrame;
import javax.swing.JLabel;
import javax.swing.JPanel;
import javax.swing.border.Border;



public class Menu extends JFrame
{


    private static final long serialVersionUID = 1L;

    public Menu()
    {


        // Creating a new JFrame and setting stuff

            JFrame frame = new JFrame("BREAK THE BRICKS - MENU");
            frame.setResizable(false);
            frame.setBounds(43, 10, 1280, 720);
            frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
            frame.setVisible(true);

        //Creating a menu panel

            JPanel menupanel = new JPanel();
            menupanel.setLayout(null);
            setContentPane(menupanel);
            frame.add(menupanel);



//PRINCIPAL BUTTONS OF THE MENU

        //Creating buttons

            JButton buttonrules = new JButton();
            JButton buttonoptions = new JButton();
            JButton buttonabout = new JButton();
            JButton buttonplay = new JButton("PLAY");

        //Setting their bounds

            buttonrules.setBounds(56, 224, 400, 83);
            buttonoptions.setBounds(56, 302, 400, 82);
            buttonabout.setBounds(56, 379, 400, 83);
            buttonplay.setBounds(56, 486, 400, 110);

        //Setting their border's color

            buttonrules.setBorder(BorderFactory.createLineBorder(Color.LIGHT_GRAY, 5));
            buttonoptions.setBorder(BorderFactory.createLineBorder(Color.LIGHT_GRAY, 5));
            buttonabout.setBorder(BorderFactory.createLineBorder(Color.LIGHT_GRAY, 5));
            buttonplay.setBorder(BorderFactory.createLineBorder(Color.GRAY, 5));

        //Setting their content and font

            buttonrules.setContentAreaFilled(false);
            buttonoptions.setContentAreaFilled(false);
            buttonabout.setContentAreaFilled(false);
            buttonplay.setFont(new Font("Mesquite Std", Font.PLAIN, 99));

        //Adding them to the principal panel

            menupanel.add(buttonrules);
            menupanel.add(buttonoptions);
            menupanel.add(buttonabout);
            menupanel.add(buttonplay);



//BACKGROUND MENU'S IMAGE

        //Attaching the principal background image to the principal panel

            JLabel labelbackground = new JLabel();
            menupanel.add(labelbackground);
            labelbackground.setBounds(0, 0, 1280, 720);                 
            Image background = new ImageIcon(this.getClass().getResource("/Menu_Principal.jpg")).getImage();
            labelbackground.setIcon(new ImageIcon(background));


//BOXES ON THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE OF THE SCREEN


        //RULES AND CONTROLS

                //Creating a JLabel and setting stuff

                    JLabel labelboxrules = new JLabel();
                    labelboxrules.setForeground(Color.WHITE);
                    labelboxrules.setBounds(475, 159, 754, 500);

                //Importing rules and controls' image and setting it to its label

                    Image rulandconimg = new ImageIcon(this.getClass().getResource("/Rules_And_Controls.jpg")).getImage();
                    labelboxrules.setIcon(new ImageIcon(rulandconimg));


        //OPTIONS

                //Creating a JLabel and setting stuff

                    JLabel labelboxoptions = new JLabel();
                    labelboxoptions.setForeground(Color.WHITE);
                    labelboxoptions.setBounds(475, 159, 754, 500);

                //Importing options' image and setting it to its label

                    Image optionsimg = new ImageIcon(this.getClass().getResource("/Options.jpg")).getImage();
                    labelboxoptions.setIcon(new ImageIcon(optionsimg));




        //ABOUT

                //Creating a JLabel and setting stuff

                    JLabel labelboxabout = new JLabel();
                    labelboxabout.setForeground(Color.WHITE);
                    labelboxabout.setBounds(475, 159, 754, 500);

                //Importing about's image and setting it to its label

                    Image aboutimg = new ImageIcon(this.getClass().getResource("/About.jpg")).getImage();
                    labelboxabout.setIcon(new ImageIcon(aboutimg)); 


    //THEIR FUTURE BORDER

        Border boxborder = BorderFactory.createLineBorder(Color.LIGHT_GRAY, 5);     


//ASSOCIATING ACTIONS WITH MENU'S BUTTONS   

        //Rules and Controls

            buttonrules.addActionListener(new ActionListener()
                    {

                    public void actionPerformed (ActionEvent a)
                        {
                            labelboxrules.setBorder(boxborder);
                            labelbackground.add(labelboxrules);
                            labelboxrules.setVisible(true);
                        }

                    });


        //Options

            buttonoptions.addActionListener(new ActionListener()
                    {

                    public void actionPerformed (ActionEvent a)
                        {
                            labelboxoptions.setBorder(boxborder);
                            labelbackground.add(labelboxoptions);
                            labelboxoptions.setVisible(true);       
                        }

                    });


        //About

            buttonabout.addActionListener(new ActionListener()
                    {

                    public void actionPerformed (ActionEvent a)
                        {
                            labelboxabout.setBorder(boxborder);
                            labelbackground.add(labelboxabout);
                            labelboxabout.setVisible(true);

                        }

                    });




        //Play  

            buttonplay.addActionListener(new ActionListener()
                {

                    public void actionPerformed (ActionEvent c)
                        {

                            Game.myGame();

                        }

                });

    }
}

Don't use null layouts. Swing was designed to be used with layout managers. — camickr, Aug 15 '15 at 18:53
That rubbish does not even compile. 1) For better help sooner, post a [MCVE] or [Short, Self Contained, Correct Example](http://www.sscce.org/). 2) Provide ASCII art or a simple drawing of the *intended* layout of the GUI at minimum size, and if resizable, with more width and height. — Andrew Thompson, Aug 16 '15 at 01:39
BTW - a label with no text and either no icon (or a completely transparent icon) is about as 'invisible' as it can get. Just add the labels (using layouts(1)) at start-up, and change the text when needed. 1) Java GUIs have to work on different OS', screen size, screen resolution etc. using different PLAFs in different locales. As such, they are not conducive to pixel perfect layout. Instead use layout managers, or [combinations of them](http://stackoverflow.com/a/5630271/418556) along with layout padding and borders for [white space](http://stackoverflow.com/a/17874718/418556). — Andrew Thompson, Aug 16 '15 at 02:25
`new Font("Mesquite Std", Font.PLAIN, 99)` That font won't exist on most systems. You'll need to include it with the app., explicitly load it, and add it to the available fonts. The `99` also seems like a steaming pile of guesswork. — Andrew Thompson, Aug 16 '15 at 02:31
I'll amend 'point 1' above to two points: 1) For better help sooner, post a [MCVE] or [Short, Self Contained, Correct Example](http://www.sscce.org/). 2) *One way to get image(s) for an example is to hot link to images seen in [this Q&A](http://stackoverflow.com/q/19209650/418556).* — Andrew Thompson, Aug 16 '15 at 02:40
JLabel labelboxrules; JLabel labelbackground; JLabel labelboxoptions; Border boxborder ; JLabel labelboxabout ; should declare as global, otherwise you can not even run the code. — Anptk, Aug 18 '15 at 09:41

Madhawa Priyashantha · Accepted Answer · 2015-08-16T02:21:19.637

1

you have to revalidate and repaint the panel after you add components .but as camicker and madprogrammer pointed out revalidate is pointless when not using layout managers.if you use layout managers then you have to call revalidate before repaint. also by the default jlables are visible unlike jframes so calling labelboxoptions.setVisible(true); is redundant .

for example

 buttonoptions.addActionListener(new ActionListener() {

            public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent a) {
                labelboxoptions.setBorder(boxborder);
                labelbackground.add(labelboxoptions);
                labelboxoptions.setVisible(true);
                menupanel.repaint();

            }

 });

note: don't use null layout. use layout managers. .

edited Aug 16 '15 at 02:21

answered Aug 15 '15 at 19:07

Madhawa Priyashantha

9,633
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The order is revalidate() (to invoke the layout manager) then repaint() (to make sure components are painted). Of course the revalidate() is only needed when using a layout manager. – camickr Aug 15 '15 at 20:58
Yep, as pointed out by camickr, revalidate is pointless when no layout manager is been used – MadProgrammer Aug 15 '15 at 21:37
@camickr and madprogrammer i edited .thanks i never knew that. – Madhawa Priyashantha Aug 16 '15 at 02:24

Garry · Answer 2 · 2015-08-18T09:29:57.237

-1

As suggested by Andrew and MadProgrammer

Dont use setLayout(null),

Updated and removed the not required statements

edited Aug 18 '15 at 09:29

answered Aug 15 '15 at 18:58

Garry

4,493
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panel has added using `setContentPane(menupanel);` .actually panel is visible – Madhawa Priyashantha Aug 15 '15 at 19:02
yes, panel is visible but not the components on it i.e. buttons because the layout is null – Garry Aug 15 '15 at 19:03
`When I click on the buttons` buttons are visible because has setbounds .when add component to null layout specifying bounds they will be visible – Madhawa Priyashantha Aug 15 '15 at 19:11
@FastSnail .. his JLabels also have setBounds. Why didn't they show up? – Garry Aug 15 '15 at 19:15
because lables has added after call `frame.setVisible(true);` – Madhawa Priyashantha Aug 15 '15 at 19:18
@FastSnail .. buttons too added after the setVisible – Garry Aug 15 '15 at 19:21
*"..if you do want to set the layout to null.."* ..resist that urge and see the first point, which again, is ***"Dont use `setLayout(null)`"** – Andrew Thompson Aug 16 '15 at 02:22

Swing, JLabel doesn't show up

2 Answers2