Setting a jpanel as a background image

Question

i have managed to load the image into a jpanel but now need to know how to set the jpanel as a background image, to allow my jbuttons and textfields to be seen over the top

Answer 1

that statement is unbeleivably true.
right, heres my two classes, the first class is where i created the image
import java.awt.*;
import java.awt.event.*;
import javax.swing.* ;
import java.io.*;
import javax.imageio.*;
public class EmailBackgroundImage extends JComponent
public void paint (Graphics g)
File bkgdimage = new File ("background.jpg");
Image imagebg = createImage ( 250,300 );
try {
imagebg = ImageIO.read(bkgdimage);
catch (IOException e)
g.drawImage(imagebg, 0, 0,null,null);
this next class is where i'm trying to make the background
youll notice remnants of my current attempt to create the background image.
in its current state it does compile
import java.awt.*;
import java.awt.event.*;
import javax.swing.* ;
import java.sql.*;
import java.util.*;
import java.awt.color.*;
public class emailFrontpage extends JFrame implements ActionListener
JLabel FirstNameLabel = new JLabel("First Name");
JLabel LastNameLabel = new JLabel("Last Name");
JLabel EmailLabel = new JLabel("Email Address");
JTextField FirstNameText = new JTextField( 10 );
JTextField LastNameText = new JTextField( 10 );
JTextField EmailAddressText = new JTextField( 20 );
JPanel panel1 = new JPanel();
JPanel panel2 = new JPanel();
JPanel panel3 = new JPanel();
JPanel panel4 = new JPanel();
JPanel panel5 = new JPanel();
JPanel image = new JPanel();
JButton Enterbutton = new JButton("Enter Details");
JButton Logon = new JButton("Log on");
EmailBackgroundImage myimage;
EmailEdit editEmp;
emailFrontpage()
getContentPane().setLayout( new BoxLayout( getContentPane(), BoxLayout.Y_AXIS ));
myimage = new EmailBackgroundImage();
image.add(myimage);
myimage.setSize(250,300);
image.setOpaque( false );
FirstNameLabel.setForeground(Color.WHITE);
LastNameLabel.setForeground(Color.WHITE);
EmailLabel.setForeground(Color.WHITE);
panel1.add(Logon);
panel2.add(FirstNameLabel); panel2.add(FirstNameText);
panel3.add(LastNameLabel); panel3.add(LastNameText);
panel4.add(EmailLabel); panel4.add(EmailAddressText);
panel5.add(Enterbutton);
getContentPane().add(image);
getContentPane().add(panel1);
getContentPane().add(panel2);
getContentPane().add(panel3);
getContentPane().add(panel4);
getContentPane().add(panel5);
// .setBackground( Color.black )
Enterbutton.addActionListener( this );
Logon.addActionListener( this );
Enterbutton.setActionCommand( "ENTERBUTTONPRESSED" );
Logon.setActionCommand( "LOGONBUTTONPRESSED" );
setDefaultCloseOperation( WindowConstants.EXIT_ON_CLOSE );
editEmp = new EmailEdit();
public void actionPerformed( ActionEvent evt)
if ( evt.getActionCommand().equals("LOGONBUTTONPRESSED") )
emailLogonpage emaillogon = new emailLogonpage();
emaillogon.setSize( 250, 300 );
emaillogon.setVisible( true );
emaillogon.setResizable(false);
setVisible(false);
else
String newFN = FirstNameText.getText();
String newLN = LastNameText.getText();
String newEA = EmailAddressText.getText();
editEmp.addNewEmail(newFN, newLN, newEA);
setVisible(false);
emailFrontpage emailfront = new emailFrontpage();
emailfront.setSize( 250, 300 );
emailfront.setVisible( true );
emailfront.setResizable(false);
public static void main ( String[] args )
emailFrontpage emailfront = new emailFrontpage();
emailfront.setSize( 250, 300 );
emailfront.setVisible( true );
emailfront.setResizable(false);
}