java - How to Access JDialog information from parent JFrame? -

** have updated question per , comments received. question is: after calling following code:

searchbox searchbox = new searchbox(); // searchbox extends jdialog int state = searchbox.showsearchdialog(); // sets visible true , returns state 

i want let user enter input in searchbox (jdialog). "halt" jframe class when searchbox.showsearchdialog() called (shouldn't already?? not after setvisible(true) called). , once user presses ok in jdialog (searchbox class) "resume" jframe class , call string query = searchbox.getquery();.

i thought sine setvisible(true) called searchbox.showsearchdialog() method should halt not. code runs through from:

seachbox = new searchbox(); int state = seachbox.showseachdialog(); string query = searchbox.getquery(); 

without stopping. query string coming wrong because user never had chance input before code calls method.

jframe class:

import java.awt.cursor; 

@suppresswarnings("serial") public class datapersistance extends jframe {

private jpanel contentpane; private jtable table; private datapersistancecontroller controller; private databaseconnector dbconnector;  /**  * launch application.  */ public static void main(string[] args) {     // sets , feel windows     try     {         uimanager.setlookandfeel(uimanager.getsystemlookandfeelclassname());     } catch (classnotfoundexception e1)     {         e1.printstacktrace();     } catch (instantiationexception e1)     {         e1.printstacktrace();     } catch (illegalaccessexception e1)     {         e1.printstacktrace();     } catch (unsupportedlookandfeelexception e1)     {         e1.printstacktrace();     }      eventqueue.invokelater(new runnable()     {         public void run()         {             try             {                 datapersistance frame = new datapersistance();                 frame.setvisible(true);             } catch (exception e)             {                 e.printstacktrace();             }         }     }); }  /**  * create frame.  *   * @throws sqlexception  */ public datapersistance() throws sqlexception {     this.controller = new datapersistancecontroller();     this.dbconnector = new databaseconnector();      settitle("data persistance tool - enterra solutions, llc.");     setdefaultcloseoperation(jframe.exit_on_close);     setbounds(100, 100, 1000, 750);      jmenubar menubar = new jmenubar();     setjmenubar(menubar);      jmenu mnfile = new jmenu("file");     mnfile.setmnemonic(keyevent.vk_f);     menubar.add(mnfile);      jmenuitem mntmconnect = new jmenuitem("connect");     mnfile.add(mntmconnect);      jmenuitem mntmexit = new jmenuitem("exit");     mntmexit.addactionlistener(new actionlistener()     {         public void actionperformed(actionevent e)         {             dispose();         }     });     mnfile.add(mntmexit);      jmenu mnedit = new jmenu("edit");     mnedit.setmnemonic(keyevent.vk_e);     menubar.add(mnedit);      jmenuitem mntmcopyresults = new jmenuitem("copy results");     mnedit.add(mntmcopyresults);      jmenu mntools = new jmenu("tools");     mntools.setmnemonic(keyevent.vk_t);     menubar.add(mntools);      jmenuitem mntmkbload = new jmenuitem("auto load (from kb)");     mntools.add(mntmkbload);      jmenuitem mntmmanualloadke = new jmenuitem("manual load (.ke file)");     mntmmanualloadke.addactionlistener(new actionlistener()     {         public void actionperformed(actionevent e)         {             jfilechooser fchoose = new jfilechooser();              fchoose.setfilefilter(new filefilter()             {                 @override                 public boolean accept(file f)                 {                     return (f.isfile()                             && (f.getname().tolowercase().endswith(".txt") || f                                     .getname().tolowercase()                                     .endswith(".ke")) || f.isdirectory());                 }                  @override                 public string getdescription()                 {                     return null;                 }             });              // showopendialog returns value. did not use.             fchoose.showopendialog(contentpane);              fchoose.setvisible(true);              if (fchoose.getselectedfile() != null)             {                 try                 {                     setcursor(cursor                             .getpredefinedcursor(cursor.wait_cursor));                     controller.manuallyloadrecipes(fchoose                             .getselectedfile());                  } catch (filenotfoundexception e1)                 {                     setcursor(cursor                             .getpredefinedcursor(cursor.default_cursor));                     joptionpane                             .showmessagedialog(                                     contentpane,                                     "there problem loading file database.",                                     "load error", joptionpane.error_message);                      system.out.println("file not found");                     return;                  } catch (sqlexception e1)                 {                     setcursor(cursor                             .getpredefinedcursor(cursor.default_cursor));                     joptionpane                             .showmessagedialog(                                     contentpane,                                     "there problem loading file database.",                                     "load error", joptionpane.error_message);                     system.out.println("sql error");                     return;                  }                  setcursor(cursor.getpredefinedcursor(cursor.default_cursor));                 joptionpane.showmessagedialog(contentpane,                         "load successful.");              }         }     });     mntools.add(mntmmanualloadke);      jmenuitem mntmgenerateketext = new jmenuitem("generate ke text");     mntools.add(mntmgenerateketext);      jmenuitem mntmdeleterecipies = new jmenuitem("delete recipies");     mntools.add(mntmdeleterecipies);      jmenu mnsettings = new jmenu("settings");     mnsettings.setmnemonic(keyevent.vk_s);     menubar.add(mnsettings);      jmenuitem mntmview = new jmenuitem("view");     mnsettings.add(mntmview);      jmenuitem mntmconnectionpreferences = new jmenuitem(             "connection preferences");     mnsettings.add(mntmconnectionpreferences);      jmenu mnhelp = new jmenu("help");     mnhelp.setmnemonic(keyevent.vk_h);     menubar.add(mnhelp);      jmenuitem mntmreadmefile = new jmenuitem("readme");     mnhelp.add(mntmreadmefile);      jmenuitem mntmaboutdatapersistance = new jmenuitem("about");     mntmaboutdatapersistance.addactionlistener(new actionlistener()     {         @override         public void actionperformed(actionevent e)         {             jdialog aboutwindow = new aboutdialog();             aboutwindow.setvisible(true);         }     });      mnhelp.add(mntmaboutdatapersistance);     contentpane = new jpanel();     contentpane.setborder(new emptyborder(5, 5, 5, 5));     setcontentpane(contentpane);     gridbaglayout gbl_contentpane = new gridbaglayout();     gbl_contentpane.columnwidths = new int[]     { 36, 23, 82, 464, 243, 0, 0 };     gbl_contentpane.rowheights = new int[]     { 0, 0, 0, 9, 127, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0 };     gbl_contentpane.columnweights = new double[]     { 0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 1.0, 0.0, 0.0, double.min_value };     gbl_contentpane.rowweights = new double[]     { 0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 1.0, 0.0, double.min_value };     contentpane.setlayout(gbl_contentpane);      jtoolbar toolbar = new jtoolbar();     toolbar.setfloatable(false);     gridbagconstraints gbc_toolbar = new gridbagconstraints();     gbc_toolbar.anchor = gridbagconstraints.line_start;     gbc_toolbar.gridwidth = 6;     gbc_toolbar.insets = new insets(0, 0, 5, 0);     gbc_toolbar.gridx = 0;     gbc_toolbar.gridy = 0;     contentpane.add(toolbar, gbc_toolbar);      jbutton btnnewbutton = new jbutton("search");     btnnewbutton.sethorizontalalignment(swingconstants.left);     btnnewbutton.addactionlistener(new actionlistener()     {         public void actionperformed(actionevent e)         {             // todo when search button clicked             searchbox searchbox = new searchbox();             int state = searchbox.showsearchdialog();             string query = searchbox.getquery();              if (state == searchbox.ok_state)             {                 try                 {                     resultset results = dbconnector.executequery(query);                     defaulttablemodel tm = (defaulttablemodel) table                             .getmodel();                     table.setmodel(dbutils.resultsettotablemodel(results));                     tm.firetabledatachanged();                  } catch (sqlexception e1)                 {                     e1.printstacktrace();                 }             }          }     });     toolbar.add(btnnewbutton);      jseparator separator = new jseparator();     gridbagconstraints gbc_separator = new gridbagconstraints();     gbc_separator.fill = gridbagconstraints.horizontal;     gbc_separator.gridwidth = 6;     gbc_separator.insets = new insets(0, 0, 5, 5);     gbc_separator.gridx = 0;     gbc_separator.gridy = 1;     contentpane.add(separator, gbc_separator);      jlabel lblnewlabel = new jlabel("data persistance tool");     gridbagconstraints gbc_lblnewlabel = new gridbagconstraints();     gbc_lblnewlabel.gridwidth = 6;     gbc_lblnewlabel.insets = new insets(0, 0, 5, 0);     gbc_lblnewlabel.gridx = 0;     gbc_lblnewlabel.gridy = 2;     contentpane.add(lblnewlabel, gbc_lblnewlabel);     lblnewlabel.setfont(new font("tahoma", font.bold, 35));      // ========= create jtable , populate wih model =========     table = new jtable();     table.setmodel(dbconnector.getallfromdatabasetablemodel());     table.addmouselistener(new mouseadapter()     {         public void mouseclicked(mouseevent e)         {             if (e.getclickcount() == 2)             {                 jtable target = (jtable) e.getsource();                 int row = target.getselectedrow();                 int column = target.getselectedcolumn();                 // action             }         }     });      // table.setminimumsize(new dimension(200, 400));     // table.setpreferredsize(new dimension(200, 600));     table.setautocreaterowsorter(true);     table.setfillsviewportheight(true);     table.getcolumnmodel().getcolumn(0).setpreferredwidth(10);     table.getcolumnmodel().getcolumn(1).setpreferredwidth(5);     // table = new jtable();     gridbagconstraints gbc_table = new gridbagconstraints();     gbc_table.insets = new insets(0, 0, 5, 0);     gbc_table.gridwidth = 6;     gbc_table.gridheight = 4;     gbc_table.fill = gridbagconstraints.both;     gbc_table.gridx = 0;     gbc_table.gridy = 4;      // todo lines commented because of memory     // insert table inside scrollpane     jscrollpane scrollpane = new jscrollpane(table);     // add table inside scrollpane     contentpane.add(scrollpane, gbc_table);      jlabel lblv = new jlabel("v1.0.0 - enterra solutions, llc.");     gridbagconstraints gbc_lblv = new gridbagconstraints();     gbc_lblv.gridwidth = 6;     gbc_lblv.gridx = 0;     gbc_lblv.gridy = 8;     contentpane.add(lblv, gbc_lblv);      jbutton btnrefresh = new jbutton("refresh");     btnrefresh.addactionlistener(new actionlistener()     {         @override         public void actionperformed(actionevent e)         {             try             {                 defaulttablemodel tm = (defaulttablemodel) table.getmodel();                 table.setmodel(dbconnector.getallfromdatabasetablemodel());                 tm.firetabledatachanged();              } catch (sqlexception e1)             {                 e1.printstacktrace();             }         }     });     toolbar.add(btnrefresh); }  } 

now, jdialogsearch box comes up. here full class:

import java.awt.borderlayout;  @suppresswarnings("serial") public class searchbox extends jdialog { private final jpanel contentpanel = new jpanel(); private jtextfield textfieldguid; private jtextfield textfieldtitle; private jtextfield textfieldcallsfor; private jtextfield textfieldcontains; public static final int ok_state = 0; public static final int cancel_state = 1; private int state = cancel_state; string query;  /**  * launch application.  */ public static void main(string[] args) {     try     {         searchbox dialog = new searchbox();         dialog.setdefaultcloseoperation(jdialog.dispose_on_close);         dialog.setvisible(true);     } catch (exception e)     {         e.printstacktrace();     } }  /**  * create dialog.  */ public searchbox() {     setbounds(100, 100, 350, 300);     getcontentpane().setlayout(new borderlayout());     contentpanel.setborder(new emptyborder(5, 5, 5, 5));     getcontentpane().add(contentpanel, borderlayout.west);     gridbaglayout gbl_contentpanel = new gridbaglayout();     gbl_contentpanel.columnwidths = new int[]     { 50, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 20 };     gbl_contentpanel.rowheights = new int[]     { 34, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 20 };     gbl_contentpanel.columnweights = new double[]     { 0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 1.0, 0.0, 1.0, 1.0, 1.0, 0.0,             double.min_value };     gbl_contentpanel.rowweights = new double[]     { 0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.0, double.min_value };     contentpanel.setlayout(gbl_contentpanel);      jlabel lblnewlabel = new jlabel("recipe search");     lblnewlabel.setfont(new font("tahoma", font.bold, 15));     gridbagconstraints gbc_lblnewlabel = new gridbagconstraints();     gbc_lblnewlabel.anchor = gridbagconstraints.north;     gbc_lblnewlabel.gridwidth = 14;     gbc_lblnewlabel.insets = new insets(0, 0, 5, 0);     gbc_lblnewlabel.gridx = 0;     gbc_lblnewlabel.gridy = 0;     contentpanel.add(lblnewlabel, gbc_lblnewlabel);      final jcheckbox chckbxguid = new jcheckbox("guid");     gridbagconstraints gbc_chckbxguid = new gridbagconstraints();     gbc_chckbxguid.anchor = gridbagconstraints.west;     gbc_chckbxguid.insets = new insets(0, 0, 5, 5);     gbc_chckbxguid.gridx = 0;     gbc_chckbxguid.gridy = 1;     contentpanel.add(chckbxguid, gbc_chckbxguid);      textfieldguid = new jtextfield();     gridbagconstraints gbc_textfield = new gridbagconstraints();     gbc_textfield.gridwidth = 11;     gbc_textfield.insets = new insets(0, 0, 5, 5);     gbc_textfield.fill = gridbagconstraints.horizontal;     gbc_textfield.gridx = 2;     gbc_textfield.gridy = 1;     contentpanel.add(textfieldguid, gbc_textfield);     textfieldguid.setcolumns(10);      final jcheckbox chckbxtitle = new jcheckbox("title");     gridbagconstraints gbc_chckbxtitle = new gridbagconstraints();     gbc_chckbxtitle.anchor = gridbagconstraints.west;     gbc_chckbxtitle.insets = new insets(0, 0, 5, 5);     gbc_chckbxtitle.gridx = 0;     gbc_chckbxtitle.gridy = 2;     contentpanel.add(chckbxtitle, gbc_chckbxtitle);      textfieldtitle = new jtextfield();     gridbagconstraints gbc_textfield_1 = new gridbagconstraints();     gbc_textfield_1.gridwidth = 11;     gbc_textfield_1.insets = new insets(0, 0, 5, 5);     gbc_textfield_1.fill = gridbagconstraints.horizontal;     gbc_textfield_1.gridx = 2;     gbc_textfield_1.gridy = 2;     contentpanel.add(textfieldtitle, gbc_textfield_1);     textfieldtitle.setcolumns(10);      final jcheckbox chckbxcallsfor = new jcheckbox("calls for");     gridbagconstraints gbc_chckbxcallsfor = new gridbagconstraints();     gbc_chckbxcallsfor.anchor = gridbagconstraints.west;     gbc_chckbxcallsfor.insets = new insets(0, 0, 5, 5);     gbc_chckbxcallsfor.gridx = 0;     gbc_chckbxcallsfor.gridy = 3;     contentpanel.add(chckbxcallsfor, gbc_chckbxcallsfor);      textfieldcallsfor = new jtextfield();     gridbagconstraints gbc_textfield_2 = new gridbagconstraints();     gbc_textfield_2.gridwidth = 11;     gbc_textfield_2.insets = new insets(0, 0, 5, 5);     gbc_textfield_2.fill = gridbagconstraints.horizontal;     gbc_textfield_2.gridx = 2;     gbc_textfield_2.gridy = 3;     contentpanel.add(textfieldcallsfor, gbc_textfield_2);     textfieldcallsfor.setcolumns(10);      final jcheckbox chckbxcontains = new jcheckbox("contains ");     gridbagconstraints gbc_chckbxcontains = new gridbagconstraints();     gbc_chckbxcontains.insets = new insets(0, 0, 5, 5);     gbc_chckbxcontains.gridx = 0;     gbc_chckbxcontains.gridy = 4;     contentpanel.add(chckbxcontains, gbc_chckbxcontains);      textfieldcontains = new jtextfield();     gridbagconstraints gbc_textfield_3 = new gridbagconstraints();     gbc_textfield_3.gridwidth = 11;     gbc_textfield_3.insets = new insets(0, 0, 5, 5);     gbc_textfield_3.fill = gridbagconstraints.horizontal;     gbc_textfield_3.gridx = 2;     gbc_textfield_3.gridy = 4;     contentpanel.add(textfieldcontains, gbc_textfield_3);     textfieldcontains.setcolumns(10);      jbutton btnnewbutton = new jbutton("search");     btnnewbutton.addactionlistener(new actionlistener()     {         public void actionperformed(actionevent e)         {             // todo when search button clicked             query = "select * `temp`.`kb_recipies`";              // add if needed             if (chckbxguid.isselected() || chckbxtitle.isselected()                     || chckbxcallsfor.isselected()                     || chckbxcontains.isselected())             {                 query += " ";             }             // --------------------              if (chckbxguid.isselected())             {                 query += "fpitemguid=" + textfieldguid.gettext();                  // add , if needed                 if (chckbxtitle.isselected() || chckbxcallsfor.isselected()                         || chckbxcontains.isselected())                 {                     query += " , ";                 }             }              if (chckbxtitle.isselected())             {                 query += "recipetitle=" + textfieldtitle.gettext();                  // add , if needed                 if (chckbxcallsfor.isselected()                         || chckbxcontains.isselected())                 {                     query += " , ";                 }             }             // if (chckbxcallsfor.isselected())             // {             // query += "fpitemguid=" + textfieldguid.gettext();             // // add , if needed             // if (chckbxcontains.isselected())             // {             // query += " , ";             // }             // }             // if (chckbxcontains.isselected())             // {             // query += "fpitemguid=" + textfieldguid.gettext();             // }             query += ";";              state = ok_state;              dispose();         }      });      gridbagconstraints gbc_btnnewbutton = new gridbagconstraints();     gbc_btnnewbutton.insets = new insets(0, 0, 5, 5);     gbc_btnnewbutton.gridwidth = 14;     gbc_btnnewbutton.gridx = 0;     gbc_btnnewbutton.gridy = 6;     contentpanel.add(btnnewbutton, gbc_btnnewbutton); }  public boolean isboxselected() {     return true; }  public string getquery() {     return this.query; }  public int showsearchdialog() {     // other setup...     setvisible(true);     return state; }  } 

your dialog needs provide kind of getter caller can call state...

public class jdialogsearch ... {     public static final int ok_state = 0;     public static final int cancel_state = 1;     // cause it's nice know use did     // ie canceled, okay'ed, didn't find results, ever...     private int state = cancel_state;     private string searchresult;      //....///      ok.addactionlistener( new actionlistener() {          private class oklistener implements actionlistener          {             public void actionperformed(actionevent e) {                 searchresult = somesearchfield.gettext(); // or ever need                 state = ok_state;                 dispose(); // close window             }         }     });      //...//      public int showsearchdialog() {         // other setup...         setvisible(true);         return state;     }      public string getsearchresult() {         return searchresult;     } 

then in call code call showsearchdialog , if user clicks ok, search result...

jdialogseach dialog = new jdialogseach(); // seach box implementation of jdialog switch (dialog.showsearchdialog()) {     case jdialogseach.ok_state:         mysearchresult = dialog.getsearchresult();         break; } dialog.setvisible(true); 

of course, simple use joptionpane, depend on requirements.

check out how make dialogs more details

updated

in order make application execution halt while dialog visible, need make dialog modal.

in dialogs constructor, should calling setmodal(true), discussed @ length in link provided @ end of last section