Description
1 Overview
Fig. 1: A set of colored custom cars
In our Painting Cars lab earlier in
the semester we were challenged to
create a program that would draw
cars with various properties at various locations on a canvas. To do
so we used boilerplate code that created a class which extended JComponent. So what exactly is a JComponent? A JComponent is a visual
part of an application that can be
integrated into a larger application.
While we have already created our
own component, many useful components come built into java, including
buttons, text fields, sliders and more.
These control based components are often refered to as widgets. In this lab
we will take our old CustomCarComponent from our previous lab and use it
in combination with the built in widgets to create a Graphical User Interface
(GUI) for the user to add their own cars to the screen. We will start by upgrading our old component into a more complete, dynamic version of itself, and
then build it into an application.
2 Learning Outcomes
By the end of this project students should be able to:
• write application using the Java Swing framework;
• utilize an event listener system to perform callbacks;
• write programs featuring encapsulated functionality;
• work effectively with a partner using pair-programming;
• write an effective report that describes the students’ problem solving process.
1
3 Pre-Lab Instructions 2
3 Pre-Lab Instructions
Do this part and turn in your answer on BBLearn before you come
to lab:
Describe the following Swing classes. When would these classes be used? How
do you instantiate these classes, and what accessors might be particularly useful? How would you write code to trigger when these components are used?
Answer these questions for each class below, when appropriate for the class.
Turn in your answers on BBLearn.
• JSlider
• JComponent
• JTextField
• JBorderLayout
• JButton
• JColorPicker
4 Lab Instructions
Do this part in lab:
Step 1
Before we can go about making our control panel we will need to revisit our
CustomCarComponent and modernize it a bit. Retrieve a team members CustomCar and CustomCarComponent classes from the previous lab. You should
be able to access your own BBLearn submission to retrieve your work if you
need to. You can bring your PaintBucket over as well for testing, but it will
not be used in this lab. Make sure your code compiles and runs. Now we will
go back into car component and make sure it is a cohesive class which can be
controled from the outside. In our previous assignment it was likely that the
cars you generated were inside the paintComponent method. That was good
for the time, but now we will want to have our car component object draw cars
dynamicly based on an internal list. Add an internal list of cars to draw, an
internal list of points to draw those cars at (I recomend using the Point2D class)
and add a method addCar that accepts both a CustomCar and a point. Paint
component should go through the internal car list and draw all the cars.
Also, instead of hoping the frame is the right size, lets have our component
define its own size. Override JComponent’s getPreferredSize() method to return a dimension object specifying 300 by 300. Modify your main code to not
4 Lab Instructions 3
set the size of the frame, but to instead call the pack() method after the component is added.
Move your logic to build cars to the main method of your CustomCarComponent class, utilizing the new addCars method, and ensure that you can still
build the same scene using this new structure. Once this is done we will be
ready to add our new control panel.
Step 2
Now we will create our new application. Where as previously we just used a
frame to show our component, in this application we will have other controls
alongside our custom car component. Create a class for the frame and build a
main method that instantiates the frame. Your frame will consist of a set of
controls along with an ’Add’ button. When the add button is pressed, a new car
is built and added to the CustomCarComponent. The location and properties
of this car are controled based on the control inputs. You will add the following
controls:
Car width JSlider A slider that ranges from 0 to 200, controling how long the
car is.
Front tire size JSlider A slider that ranges from 0 to 50 controlling the diameter
of the front car wheel.
Back tire size JSlider A slider that ranges from 0 to 50 controlling the diameter
of the front car wheel.
Color A widget to choose the color of the car. Mine uses a button that opens a
JColorChooser.
X coordinate A text box where the user can enter the X axis value for the top
left of the car.
Y coordinate A text box where the user can enter the Y axis value for the top
left of the car.
Each of your widgets should be labeled as shown on the example screenshot.
In order to get the labels, controls and CustomCarComponent placed properly
you will have to understand and make use of layout managers. You are encouraged to lookup Swing tutorials online to help you put together the frame and
components into a pleasing arangement. A recommended approach is to make
your ’Add’ button first, and have it stamp a car with hardcoded values. One
by one add new controls and replace your hard coded values with values from
the widget.
5 Lab Report 4
5 Lab Report
Each pair of students will write a single lab report together and each
student will turn in that same lab report on BBLearn. Submissions
from each student on a pair should be identical. In order to recieve
points, you MUST make a BBLearn submission.
Your lab report should begin with a preamble that contains:
• The lab assignment number and all partner names
• Your name(s)
• The date
• The lab section
It should then be followed by four numbered sections:
1. Problem Statement
In this section you should describe the problem in your own words. The problem
statement should answer questions like:
• What are the important features of the problem?
• What are the problem requirements?
This section should also include a reasonably complete list of requirements in
the assignment. Following your description of the problem, include a bulleted
list of specific features to implement. If there are any specific funtions, classes or
numeric requirements given to you, they should be represented in this bulleted
list. It is recomended that you complete this section before you begin coding the
problem, as gathering these requirements may help you organize your thoughts
before you begin your soulation.
2. Planning
In the second section you should describe what planning you did in order to solve
the problem. You should include planning artifacts like sketches, diagrams, or
pseudocode you may have used. You should also describe your planning process.
List the specific data structures or techniques you plan on using, and why. How
do you plan on breaking up the problems into functions, classes and methods?
3. Implementation and Testing
In the third section you should demonstrate your implementation. As directed
by the lab instructor you should (as appropriate) include:
• a copy of your source code (Submitted in BBLearn as .java files, should
not be in your report document)
5 Lab Report 5
• a screen shot of your running application / solution. This should include
a screenshot of the output, be it a terminal window or graphical interface
• results from testing. This is specific to the lab, and not every lab will
include this element.
4. Reflection
In the last section you should reflect on the project. What part of the projec
was the most difficult? Where there other solutions to this problem that you
considered? Where there any new solutions you can think of now that you
couldn’t then? Do you think the way you chose was the best option, or would
you go about the problem differently if you had to start over? How might the
problem had been broken up into easier problems? If you had one more day
to work this problem, what improvements might you make? Every problem
has alternative solutions and solution has tradeoffs or improvements, you are
required to identify some of these elements.
5. Partner Rating
Every assignment you are required to rate your partner with a rating between 1
and 10. For each patener a name and rating should be submitted in the comment
section of the BBLearn submission, and not in the report document. You do
not have to tell your partner the rating you assign them. A rating 8 or more
indicates that your partner was particularly helpful or contributed exceptional
effort. A rating of 5 indcates that your partner met the class expectations of
them. Rating your partner 3 or less means that they refused contribute to
the project, failed to put in a resonable effort or actively blocked you from
participating. In the case where you give a very low rating, please explain why
in the comment section of the submission. Those who recieve low scores may
be asked to explain their actions to the lab staff, and additional low ratings
after a warning could lead to losing a letter grade, or even failing the course.
Consistant high ratings from partners are noted durring the grading process,
and may be taken into account when rounding your final grade.
Colophon
This project was developed by Richard Lester and Dr. James Dean Palmer of
Northern Arizona University. Except as otherwise noted, the content of this
document is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0
International License.
