How to put Hover effect on jbutton?

Question

I am trying to create a Java Desktop application where I am using two buttons. I want to add hover effect in those buttons. I want: When I click any button it should change its background color.

How can I achieve it?

Here is my code:

public class Party1Party2 extends JFrame
{
    JButton b1;
    JButton b2;
    Container pane;

    public Party1Party2()
    {
        getContentPane().setBackground(new java.awt.Color(255, 255, 255));

    b2.addActionListener(new ActionListener()
    {
        public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent ae)
        {
            JOptionPane.showMessageDialog(frame, "Welcome to allhabad High Court");
        }
    });

    b1.addActionListener(new ActionListener()
    {
        public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent ae)
        {
            JOptionPane.showMessageDialog(frame, "Welcome to allhabad High Court");

        }
    });
  }
}

Curkell

@peeskillet can u tell me how can i make jbutton as a rounded rectangel – Curkell

Honestly, I would just look into changing the look and feel. I don't like messing with component appearance. See this post and see Modifying the Look and Feel – Ivie

all attempts about mouse listener are wrong, with side effect, to ignore those answers – Metastasize

@Metastasize -- Could you please point me to some more learning on why (or when) it's not good to use mouse listeners, and what is the preferred alternative approach? (not necessarily in the context of OP's question) Thanks.Fifteen minutes of Googling didn't yield anything for me. – Oft

Answer 1

You can use moused Entered and Exited the JButton, and do what ever you want.

For Example:

jButton1.addMouseListener(new java.awt.event.MouseAdapter() {
    public void mouseEntered(java.awt.event.MouseEvent evt) {
        jButton1.setBackground(Color.GREEN);
    }

    public void mouseExited(java.awt.event.MouseEvent evt) {
        jButton1.setBackground(UIManager.getColor("control"));
    }
});

Toolmaker

answer is wrong, all mouse events are implemented in JButtons API and correctly use them instead of mouse listener – Metastasize

Oh eeeeasy, I think you're trying to say that there is a better way to do this, But it is not a WRONG answer, at least to me because i did it many times, and please be more modern in your comments!!! – Toolmaker

Ok, then please be be clear in the next time that you meant to edit my answer or to notice me that there is a better way by using something else, that was not clear in your previous comment when you said ignore those answers and answer is wrong, and thanks for your hints, ill update my answer. – Toolmaker

This discussion if for nothing, especially because of the lacking reference to the "better" idea. I found it here: #16734208 – Tanana

what "control means"? – Herschel

Answer 2

I once wrote a custom JButton which used to change its transparency level when the mouse was hovered over it through animation. Here's the code for that button:

import javax.swing.*;
import java.awt.*;
import java.awt.event.MouseAdapter;
import java.awt.event.MouseEvent;

public class HoverButton extends JButton
{
  float alpha = 0.5f;

  public HoverButton(String text)
  {
    super(text);
    setFocusPainted(false);
    setBorderPainted(false);
    setContentAreaFilled(false);
    addMouseListener(new ML());
  }

  public float getAlpha()
  {
    return alpha;
  }

  public void setAlpha(float alpha)
  {
    this.alpha = alpha;
    repaint();
  }

  public void paintComponent(java.awt.Graphics g)
  {
    java.awt.Graphics2D g2 = (java.awt.Graphics2D) g;
    g2.setComposite(AlphaComposite.getInstance(AlphaComposite.SRC_OVER, alpha));
    super.paintComponent(g2);
  }

  public class ML extends MouseAdapter
  {
    public void mouseExited(MouseEvent me)
    {
      new Thread(new Runnable()
      {
        public void run()
        {
          for (float i = 1f; i >= .5f; i -= .03f)
          {
            setAlpha(i);
            try
            {
              Thread.sleep(10);
            }
            catch (Exception e)
            {
            }
          }
        }
      }).start();
    }

    public void mouseEntered(MouseEvent me)
    {
      new Thread(new Runnable()
      {
        public void run()
        {
          for (float i = .5f; i <= 1f; i += .03f)
          {
            setAlpha(i);
            try
            {
              Thread.sleep(10);
            }
            catch (Exception e)
            {
            }
          }
        }
      }).start();
    }

    public void mousePressed(MouseEvent me)
    {
      new Thread(new Runnable()
      {
        public void run()
        {
          for (float i = 1f; i >= 0.6f; i -= .1f)
          {
            setAlpha(i);
            try
            {
              Thread.sleep(1);
            }
            catch (Exception e)
            {
            }
          }
        }
      }).start();
    }
  }
}

And here's a quick demonstration of the HoverButton:

import javax.swing.*;
import java.awt.*;

public class Demonstration
{
  public Demonstration()
  {
    JFrame frame = new JFrame("Hover Button Demonstration");
    frame.setLayout(new GridBagLayout());
    frame.add(new HoverButton("Hover Button!!"));

    frame.pack();
    frame.setLocationRelativeTo(null);
    frame.setVisible(true);
  }

  public static void main(String args[])
  {
    SwingUtilities.invokeLater(new Runnable()
    {
      @Override
      public void run()
      {
        new Demonstration();
      }
    });
  }
}

Good thing is that you can tweak the code to change the background color of the button as well, and that too, in an animated way.

Dorindadorine

Answer 3

Wow. Old question, I know, but...

To change the background, use:

b1.setBackground(new java.awt.Color(r, g, b));

in the actionListener.

For a rollover effect, you can use:

b1.setRolloverEnabled(true);

but you will need to supply icons for your buttons to flip between.

Otherwise, for other hover effects, you do need to use a mouseListener.

Lasseter

Answer 4

@Salah's answer didn't work for me at first, but it did after I disabled my button's rollover effect using

button1.setRolloverEnabled(false);

The rollover effect was automatically setting my button's hover color, which was overriding the color I set in mouseEntered().

Nonconformist