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Class java.awt.Button

Object
   |
   +----Component
           |
           +----java.awt.Button

public class Button

extends Component

The first view shows the button as it appears normally. The second view shows the button when it has input focus. Its outline is darkened to let the user know that it is an active object. The third view shows the button when the user clicks the mouse over the button, and thus requests that an action be performed.

The gesture of clicking on a button with the mouse is associated with one instance of ActionEvent, which is sent out when the mouse is both pressed and released over the button. If an application is interested in knowing when the button has been pressed but not released, as a separate gesture, it can specialize processMouseEvent, or it can register itself as a listener for mouse events by calling addMouseListener. Both of these methods are defined by Component, the abstract superclass of all components.

When a button is pressed and released, AWT sends an instance of ActionEvent to the button, by calling processEvent on the button. The button's processEvent method receives all events for the button; it passes an action event along by calling its own processActionEvent method. The latter method passes the action event on to any action listeners that have registered an interest in action events generated by this button.

If an application wants to perform some action based on a button being pressed and released, it should implement ActionListener and register the new listener to receive events from this button, by calling the button's addActionListener method. The application can make use of the button's action command as a messaging protocol.

Version:

1.39 06/12/97

Author:

Sami Shaio

Since:

JDK1.0

See Also:

ActionEvent, ActionListener, processMouseEvent, addMouseListener

java.awt.Button()

Constructs a Button with no label.

java.awt.Button(String)

Constructs a Button with the specified label.

addActionListener(ActionListener)

Adds the specified action listener to receive action events from this button.

addNotify()

Creates the peer of the button.

getActionCommand()

Returns the command name of the action event fired by this button.

getLabel()

Gets the label of this button.

paramString()

Returns the parameter string representing the state of this button.

processActionEvent(ActionEvent)

Processes action events occurring on this button by dispatching them to any registered ActionListener objects.

processEvent(AWTEvent)

Processes events on this button.

removeActionListener(ActionListener)

Removes the specified action listener so that it no longer receives action events from this button.

setActionCommand(String)

Sets the command name for the action event fired by this button.

setLabel(String)

Sets the button's label to be the specified string.

public Button()

Constructs a Button with no label.

Since:

JDK1.0

public Button(String label)

Constructs a Button with the specified label.

Parameters:

label - A string label for the button.

Since:

JDK1.0

public synchronized void addActionListener(ActionListener l)

Adds the specified action listener to receive action events from this button. Action events occur when a user presses or releases the mouse over this button.

Parameters:

l - the action listener.

Since:

JDK1.1

See Also:

ActionListener, removeActionListener

public void addNotify()

Creates the peer of the button. The button's peer allows the application to change the look of the button without changing its functionality.

Overrides:

addNotify in class Component

Since:

JDK1.0

See Also:

createButton(java.awt.Button), getToolkit()

public java.lang.String getActionCommand()

Returns the command name of the action event fired by this button.

public java.lang.String getLabel()

Gets the label of this button.

Returns:

the button's label, or null if the button has no label.

Since:

JDK1.0

See Also:

setLabel

protected java.lang.String paramString()

Returns the parameter string representing the state of this button. This string is useful for debugging.

Returns:

the parameter string of this button.

Overrides:

paramString in class Component

Since:

JDK1.0

protected void processActionEvent(ActionEvent e)

Processes action events occurring on this button by dispatching them to any registered ActionListener objects.

This method is not called unless action events are enabled for this button. Action events are enabled when one of the following occurs:

• An ActionListener object is registered via addActionListener.
• Action events are enabled via enableEvents.

Parameters:

e - the action event.

Since:

JDK1.1

See Also:

ActionListener, addActionListener, enableEvents

protected void processEvent(AWTEvent e)

Processes events on this button. If an event is an instance of ActionEvent, this method invokes the processActionEvent method. Otherwise, it invokes processEvent on the superclass.

Parameters:

e - the event.

Overrides:

processEvent in class Component

Since:

JDK1.1

See Also:

ActionEvent, processActionEvent

public synchronized void removeActionListener(ActionListener l)

Removes the specified action listener so that it no longer receives action events from this button. Action events occur when a user presses or releases the mouse over this button.

Parameters:

l - the action listener.

Since:

JDK1.1

See Also:

ActionListener, addActionListener

public void setActionCommand(String command)

Sets the command name for the action event fired by this button. By default this action command is set to match the label of the button.

Parameters:

command - A string used to set the button's action command.

Since:

JDK1.1

See Also:

ActionEvent

public synchronized void setLabel(String label)

Sets the button's label to be the specified string.

Parameters:

label - the new label, or null if the button has no label.

Since:

JDK1.0

See Also:

getLabel

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