how to keep minimized jinternalframe on top

Question

i have four internal frames and 3 buttons in it .When i hit the maximize button,maximizes but it overlaps all the frames.But my point is that it should show the minimized frames. please find the code below

  package Project;

import java.awt.Dimension;
import java.awt.GridLayout;
import java.awt.HeadlessException;
import java.awt.event.ActionEvent;
import java.awt.event.ActionListener;
import java.beans.PropertyVetoException;
import javax.swing.JButton;
import javax.swing.JDesktopPane;
import javax.swing.JFrame;
import javax.swing.JInternalFrame;
import javax.swing.JPanel;
import javax.swing.SwingUtilities;
import javax.swing.plaf.basic.BasicInternalFrameTitlePane;
import javax.swing.plaf.basic.BasicInternalFrameUI;

public class Test {

    public Test() throws HeadlessException, PropertyVetoException {
        createAndShowGUI();
    }

    public static void main(String[] args) {
        SwingUtilities.invokeLater(new Runnable() {
            @Override
            public void run() {
                try {
                    new Test();
                } catch (HeadlessException ex) {
                    //Logger.getLogger(MinPanel1.class.getName()).log(Level.SEVERE, null, ex);
                } catch (PropertyVetoException ex) {
                    // Logger.getLogger(MinPanel1.class.getName()).log(Level.SEVERE, null, ex);
                }

            }
        });
    }

    private void createAndShowGUI() throws HeadlessException, PropertyVetoException {
        JFrame frame = new JFrame();
        frame.setResizable(true);
        frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.DISPOSE_ON_CLOSE);

        final JDesktopPane jdp = new JDesktopPane() {
            @Override
            public Dimension getPreferredSize() {
                return new Dimension(400, 400);
            }
        };

        frame.setContentPane(jdp);
        frame.pack();

        createAndAddInternalFrame(jdp, 0, 0);
        createAndAddInternalFrame(jdp, 200, 0);
        createAndAddInternalFrame(jdp, 400, 0);
        createAndAddInternalFrame(jdp, 600, 0);


        frame.setVisible(true);
    }

    private void createAndAddInternalFrame(final JDesktopPane jdp, int x, int y) throws PropertyVetoException {
        final JInternalFrame jInternalFrame = new JInternalFrame("Test1", true, true, true, true);
        jInternalFrame.setLocation(x, y);
               final JInternalFrame jInternalFrame1 = new JInternalFrame("Test2", true, true, true, true);
JPanel jp= new JPanel();
        JButton jb1 = new JButton("min");
        JButton jb2 = new JButton("[]");
        JButton jb3 = new JButton("X");

        jInternalFrame.setLayout(new GridLayout(2, 2,2,2));
        jInternalFrame1.add(jb1);
        jInternalFrame.setSize(200, 200);//testing
        jInternalFrame.setLayout(new GridLayout(2,2));

        JButton jb= new JButton("min");
       // jInternalFrame.add(jb);
      //  jInternalFrame.add(jb3);
        //jInternalFrame.add(jb2);
        jp.add(jb);
        jp.add(jb2);
        jp.add(jb3);

        jInternalFrame.add(jp);
        jb.addActionListener(new ActionListener()
                {


            @Override
            public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent ae) {
                        try {
                            jInternalFrame.setIcon(true);
                        } catch (PropertyVetoException ex) {
                        }

            }


        });
        jb1.addActionListener(new ActionListener()
                {


            @Override
            public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent ae) {
                        try {
                            jInternalFrame.setIcon(true);
                        } catch (PropertyVetoException ex) {
                        }

            }


        });
        jb2.addActionListener(new ActionListener()
        {


    @Override
    public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent ae) {
        try {
              jInternalFrame.setMaximum(true);

            }
        catch(Exception e)
        {

        }

    }


});jb3.addActionListener(new ActionListener()
{


@Override
public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent ae) {
        try {
            jInternalFrame.dispose();
        } catch (Exception ex) {
        }

}


});

        BasicInternalFrameTitlePane titlePane = (BasicInternalFrameTitlePane) ((BasicInternalFrameUI) jInternalFrame.getUI()).getNorthPane();
        jInternalFrame.remove(titlePane);


        jInternalFrame.setVisible(true);
        jInternalFrame1.setVisible(true);

        jdp.add(jInternalFrame);
                //jdp.add(jInternalFrame1);

    }
}

Daubery

Don't swallow exceptions and use white space more carefully. – Letty

@Letty is this your answer? – Daubery

Once I fixed the NPE, it works as expected. – Letty

possible duplicate – Repertory

@Letty what is NPE? – Daubery

NPE == null pointer exception – Repertory

@Letty why it was required,i have posted the running code,it was not giving any single error – Daubery

From what I can see its the default behavior and doesnt seem to be over com-able by JDesktopPane#setComponentZOrder(Component com, int i) when the JInternalFrame is iconified. it works fine when its in normal state. – Stockman

+1 for sscce; the NPE was from remove(titlePane). – Letty

Answer 1

You could try: JDesktopPane#setComponentZOrder(Component com, int i). As per docs:

Moves the specified component to the specified z-order index in the container. The z-order determines the order that components are painted; the component with the highest z-order paints first and the component with the lowest z-order paints last. Where components overlap, the component with the lower z-order paints over the component with the higher z-order.

...

Note:

Not all platforms support changing the z-order of heavyweight components from one container into another without the call to removeNotify. There is no way to detect whether a platform supports this, so developers shouldn't make any assumptions.

This will allow you to set the order of the JInternalFrames contained within JDesktopPane.

UPDATE:

As per my comment:

From what I can see its the default behavior and doesnt seem to be over com-able by JDesktopPane#setComponentZOrder(Component com, int i) when the JInternalFrame is iconified. it works fine when its in normal state

Solution:

I suggest adjusting the layer on which maximized JInternalFrame is shown:

    jb2.addActionListener(new ActionListener() {
        @Override
        public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent ae) {
            try {
                if (jInternalFrame.isMaximum()) {//restore
                    jInternalFrame.pack();
                } else {//maximize
                    jInternalFrame.setMaximum(true);
                }
                jdp.remove(jInternalFrame);
                jdp.add(jInternalFrame, JDesktopPane.FRAME_CONTENT_LAYER);
                jdp.revalidate();
                jdp.repaint();
            } catch (Exception e) {
                e.printStackTrace();
            }

        }
    });

We must also not forget to add it back to the DEFAULT_LAYER when it is minimized:

    jb.addActionListener(new ActionListener() {
        @Override
        public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent ae) {
            try {
                if (jInternalFrame.getLayer() == JDesktopPane.FRAME_CONTENT_LAYER) {
                    jdp.remove(jInternalFrame);
                    jdp.add(jInternalFrame, JDesktopPane.DEFAULT_LAYER);
                    jdp.revalidate();
                    jdp.repaint();
                }
                jInternalFrame.pack();
                jInternalFrame.setIcon(true);
            } catch (PropertyVetoException ex) {
            }

        }
    });

Here is full code:

import java.awt.Dimension;
import java.awt.GridLayout;
import java.awt.HeadlessException;
import java.awt.event.ActionEvent;
import java.awt.event.ActionListener;
import java.beans.PropertyVetoException;
import javax.swing.JButton;
import javax.swing.JDesktopPane;
import javax.swing.JFrame;
import javax.swing.JInternalFrame;
import javax.swing.JPanel;
import javax.swing.SwingUtilities;
import javax.swing.plaf.basic.BasicInternalFrameTitlePane;
import javax.swing.plaf.basic.BasicInternalFrameUI;

public class Test {

    public Test() throws HeadlessException, PropertyVetoException {
        createAndShowGUI();
    }

    public static void main(String[] args) {
        SwingUtilities.invokeLater(new Runnable() {
            @Override
            public void run() {
                try {
                    new Test();
                } catch (HeadlessException ex) {
                    ex.printStackTrace();
                } catch (PropertyVetoException ex) {
                    ex.printStackTrace();
                }

            }
        });
    }

    private void createAndShowGUI() throws HeadlessException, PropertyVetoException {
        JFrame frame = new JFrame();
        frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.DISPOSE_ON_CLOSE);

        final JDesktopPane jdp = new JDesktopPane() {
            @Override
            public Dimension getPreferredSize() {
                return new Dimension(600, 400);
            }
        };

        frame.setContentPane(jdp);
        frame.pack();

        createAndAddInternalFrame(jdp, 0, 0);
        createAndAddInternalFrame(jdp, 300, 0);
        createAndAddInternalFrame(jdp, 0, 200);

        frame.setVisible(true);
    }

    private void createAndAddInternalFrame(final JDesktopPane jdp, int x, int y) throws PropertyVetoException {
        final JInternalFrame jInternalFrame = new JInternalFrame("Test1", true, true, true, true);
        jInternalFrame.setLocation(x, y);

        JPanel jp = new JPanel();

        JButton jb = new JButton("min");
        JButton jb2 = new JButton("max/restore");
        JButton jb3 = new JButton("close");

        jInternalFrame.setLayout(new GridLayout(2, 2));

        jp.add(jb);
        jp.add(jb2);
        jp.add(jb3);

        jInternalFrame.add(jp);

        jb.addActionListener(new ActionListener() {
            @Override
            public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent ae) {
                try {
                    if (jInternalFrame.getLayer() == JDesktopPane.FRAME_CONTENT_LAYER) {
                        jdp.remove(jInternalFrame);
                        jdp.add(jInternalFrame, JDesktopPane.DEFAULT_LAYER);
                        jdp.revalidate();
                        jdp.repaint();
                    }
                    jInternalFrame.pack();
                    jInternalFrame.setIcon(true);
                } catch (PropertyVetoException ex) {
                    ex.printStackTrace();
                }

            }
        });
        jb2.addActionListener(new ActionListener() {
            @Override
            public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent ae) {
                try {
                    if (jInternalFrame.isMaximum()) {//restore
                        jInternalFrame.pack();
                    } else {//maximize
                        jInternalFrame.setMaximum(true);
                    }
                    jdp.remove(jInternalFrame);
                    jdp.add(jInternalFrame, JDesktopPane.FRAME_CONTENT_LAYER);
                    jdp.revalidate();
                    jdp.repaint();
                } catch (Exception e) {
                    e.printStackTrace();
                }

            }
        });
        jb3.addActionListener(new ActionListener() {
            @Override
            public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent ae) {
                try {
                    jInternalFrame.dispose();
                } catch (Exception ex) {
                    ex.printStackTrace();
                }

            }
        });

        BasicInternalFrameTitlePane titlePane = (BasicInternalFrameTitlePane) ((BasicInternalFrameUI) jInternalFrame.getUI()).getNorthPane();
        jInternalFrame.remove(titlePane);

        jInternalFrame.pack();
        jInternalFrame.setVisible(true);

        jdp.add(jInternalFrame);
    }
}

Stockman

what would be the value of i ? – Daubery

@sukant the index in the container i.e anything less than the maximzed should paint after it – Stockman

if I put the index value as zero then only it works .it Gives runtime error for other values.The code runs for zero value but my desired output is not coming.So i asked what would be the value of i – Daubery

+1 I couldn't make setComponentZOrder() work, but this is an instructive approach. – Letty

@Letty yeah I could only get it working for frames which werent iconifed. Oh well there must be some limitations when making very portable code I guess :P – Stockman

@sukant: As an example, my platform's UI delegate, InternalFrameUI, has no BasicInternalFrameTitlePane, hence the NPE. – Letty

@DavidKroukamp i have stuck in the middle and do not why only one panel is working.can you please sort it out? – Daubery

Answer 2

Here's the result of calling moveToBack() in the maximize button handler. Also remember to call pack() on the internal frame.

Addendum: I've updated the example to include max, min and icon buttons. The buttons use Action for easier testing, and the internal frames have distinct names. See createToolBar() to change the L&F dynamically, e.g.

frame.add(createToolBar(frame), BorderLayout.NORTH);

import java.awt.Dimension;
import java.awt.event.ActionEvent;
import java.beans.PropertyVetoException;
import javax.swing.AbstractAction;
import javax.swing.JButton;
import javax.swing.JDesktopPane;
import javax.swing.JFrame;
import javax.swing.JInternalFrame;
import javax.swing.JPanel;
import javax.swing.SwingUtilities;

//* @see https://mcmap.net/q/1969063/-how-to-keep-minimized-jinternalframe-on-top */
public class Test {

    public Test() {
        createAndShowGUI();
    }

    public static void main(String[] args) {
        SwingUtilities.invokeLater(new Runnable() {

            @Override
            public void run() {
                new Test();
            }
        });
    }

    private void createAndShowGUI() {
        JFrame frame = new JFrame();
        frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
        final JDesktopPane jdp = new JDesktopPane() {

            @Override
            public Dimension getPreferredSize() {
                return new Dimension(600, 400);
            }
        };
        for (int i = 0; i < 4; i++) {
            createInternalFrame(jdp, 100 * i, 100 * i);
        }
        frame.add(jdp);
        frame.pack();
        frame.setVisible(true);
    }

    private void createInternalFrame(final JDesktopPane jdp, int x, int y) {
        final JInternalFrame jif = new JInternalFrame("Test" + x, true, true, true, true);
        jif.setLocation(x, y);
        JPanel jp = new JPanel();
        jp.add(new JButton(new AbstractAction("max") {

            @Override
            public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent ae) {
                try {
                    jif.setMaximum(true);
                    jif.moveToBack();
                } catch (PropertyVetoException e) {
                    e.printStackTrace();
                }

            }
        }));
        jp.add(new JButton(new AbstractAction("min") {

            @Override
            public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent ae) {
                try {
                    jif.setMaximum(false);
                } catch (PropertyVetoException e) {
                    e.printStackTrace();
                }

            }
        }));
        jp.add(new JButton(new AbstractAction("icon") {

            @Override
            public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent ae) {
                try {
                    jif.setIcon(true);
                } catch (PropertyVetoException e) {
                    e.printStackTrace();
                }
            }
        }));
        jif.add(jp);
        jif.pack();
        jif.setVisible(true);
        jdp.add(jif);
    }
}

Letty

I've re-factored your sscce to focus on my understanding of the problem and make experimentation easier. – Letty

@Letty i have done a code which satisfies my requirement but out of three panels only one panel is working.Can you please rectify where the mistake i have made.If yes then please let me know so that i will post the code here – Daubery

@DavidKroukamp how my question was deleted and who did this? – Daubery

@sukant: Sorry, DYM = "did you mean". I'm not sure about deleted; except for tags, only you edited this question. – Letty