Designing one form to call another and not exit after child form is closed

Question

I am new to NetBeans and GUI development. I was wondering how I can design a main form that has menus that open up other forms. I know how to design a form with a button and an event listener (actionperformed), like so:

private void jButton1ActionPerformed(java.awt.event.ActionEvent evt) {
       new SeconfFrame().setVisible(true);        // TODO add your handling code here:
}

This will call the second frame when button is pushed, but when I exit the second frame the first one goes away too. Not cool. How can I get the first frame (the main one) to still stay up?

See [The Use of Multiple JFrames, Good/Bad Practice?](http://stackoverflow.com/a/9554657/418556) — Andrew Thompson, Jun 15 '12 at 04:38

score 2 · Answer 1 · answered Jun 14 '12 at 20:58

2

This will call the second frame when button is pushed, but when I exit the second frame the first one goes away too. Not cool. How can I get the first frame (the main one) to still stay up?

you have to change setDefaultCloseOperations(EXIT_ON_ClOSE) to HIDE_ON_CLOSE

was wondering how I can design a main form that has menus that open up other forms.

use CardLayout rather than bothering with Top-Level Containers

answered Jun 14 '12 at 20:58

mKorbel

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This does not work. which frame properties are we talking about? – user1456559 Jun 14 '12 at 21:08
look to the `frames API`, then there are answers to your question, be sure that work – mKorbel Jun 14 '12 at 23:08

score 2 · Answer 2 · answered Jun 14 '12 at 21:15

2

Recommendations:

If you must have one window open another, have the dependent window be a dialog window such as a JDialog or JOptionPane. Do this, and you won't have to worry about the JVM exiting.
And yes, a JDialog can hold as complicated a GUI as any JFrame.
Having said that, you don't want to have an application with lots of windows bouncing in and out of view. If you do, re-think your design, including use of CardLayout as mKorbel recommended.

answered Jun 14 '12 at 21:15

Hovercraft Full Of Eels

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my ide does not give me an option of adding a jDialog to an existing project? – user1456559 Jun 18 '12 at 21:15
@user1456559: you don't need your IDE's permission to create and use a JDialog. Just code it. What IDE are you using by the way? – Hovercraft Full Of Eels Jun 18 '12 at 21:19
Edit: I see that you are using NetBeans, so I know for a fact that your IDE can add JDialogs into projects just fine. You just have to learn how to use the IDE. – Hovercraft Full Of Eels Jun 18 '12 at 21:20

David Kroukamp · Answer 3 · 2012-06-14T21:04:36.913

1

On the 'properties' tab of the JFrame in question goto the Tab: Set 'defaultCloseOperation' (top of the list) and change this from 'EXIT_ON_CLOSE' to 'DISPOSE' see: DISPOSE_ON_CLOSE

edited Jun 14 '12 at 21:04

answered Jun 14 '12 at 20:56

David Kroukamp

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what exactly do you mean by the jFrame in question? Do you mean the one i want to stay active or the second frame? – user1456559 Jun 14 '12 at 21:06
the 2nd frame the one you want to close without exiting the entire application – David Kroukamp Jun 14 '12 at 21:10
nope. It sitll doesnt work. When i close the second frame the first one also closes. I set the defaultCloseOperation to Dispose and the first one to exit on close but when i exit out of the second one the first one exits too – user1456559 Jun 14 '12 at 21:14
hmm it should work? see this:http://netbeans-org.1045718.n5.nabble.com/GUI-Builder-Changing-default-close-operation-td5710571.html – David Kroukamp Jun 14 '12 at 21:17
Are you sure it never worked? Is your main frame defaultCloseOperation: EXIT_ON_CLOSE. and is your second frames defaultCloseOperation set to DISPOSE, thus closing the second frame shouldnt close the first one, to do this use System.exit(0); because it worked on mine? – David Kroukamp Jun 14 '12 at 21:24
Not the right strategy here. See [The Use of Multiple JFrames, Good/Bad Practice?](http://stackoverflow.com/a/9554657/418556) – Andrew Thompson Jun 15 '12 at 04:37

Designing one form to call another and not exit after child form is closed

3 Answers3