Adding a JButton when there's a paint method

Question

I'm creating a game application, sort of like a maze, and I want to add buttons to the levelOne panel to be able to move around the maze. When I add the buttons to the panel they don't appear, I assume the paint method is the reason for this. here's my code, I have 3 files, ill post the user_interface, and the levels class, where the level is created and where i tried to add the button. I tried putting the buttons in a JOptionPane, but then my JMenu wouldn't work at the same time the OptionPane was opened. If anyone knows a way around this instead, please let me know. I also tried using a separate class with a paintComponent method in it, and then adding the button (saw on a forum, not sure if it was this one), but that didn't work either. Also, if there is a way just to simply have the user press the directional keys on the keyboard and have the program perform a certain function when certain keys are pressed, I'd like to know, as that would solve my whole problem. Thanks.
//Libraries
import java.awt.*;
import java.io.*;
import java.util.*;
import javax.swing.*;
import java.awt.event.*;
import javax.swing.text.*;
public class User_Interface extends JFrame
static Levels l = new Levels ();
static Delay d = new Delay ();
private Container contentPane = getContentPane ();
private JPanel main, levelOne;
private String level;
private CardLayout cc = new CardLayout ();
private GridBagConstraints gbc = new GridBagConstraints ();
private JPanel c = new JPanel ();
private String label = "MainMenu";
public User_Interface ()
//Generates the User-Interface
super ("Trapped");
main = new JPanel ();
GridBagLayout gbl = new GridBagLayout ();
main.setLayout (gbl);
c.setLayout (cc);
// set_gbc (gbc, 2, 2, 5, 5, GridBagConstraints.NONE);
c.add (main, "Main Page");
contentPane.add (c, BorderLayout.CENTER);
cc.show (c, "Main Page");
levelOne = new JPanel ();
levelOne.setLayout (new GridBagLayout ());
levelOne.setBackground (Color.black);
c.add (levelOne, "LevelOne");
JMenuBar menu = new JMenuBar ();
JMenu file = new JMenu ("File");
JMenu help = new JMenu ("Help");
JMenuItem about = new JMenuItem ("About");
JMenuItem mainmenu = new JMenuItem ("Main Menu");
mainmenu.addActionListener (
new ActionListener ()
public void actionPerformed (ActionEvent event)
cc.show (c, "Main Page");
label = "MainMenu";
JMenuItem newGame = new JMenuItem ("New Game");
newGame.addActionListener (
new ActionListener ()
public void actionPerformed (ActionEvent event)
l.xCord = 2;
l.yCord = 2;
l.xLoc = 140;
l.yLoc = 140;
JPanel entrance = new JPanel ();
entrance.setLayout (new FlowLayout ());
c.add (entrance, "Entrance");
label = "Entrance";
level = "ONE";
cc.show (c, "Entrance");
JMenuItem loadgame = new JMenuItem ("Load Game");
JMenuItem savegame = new JMenuItem ("Save Game");
JMenuItem exit = new JMenuItem ("Exit");
exit.addActionListener (
new ActionListener ()
public void actionPerformed (ActionEvent event)
JFrame frame = new JFrame ();
frame.setLocation (10, 10);
JOptionPane.showMessageDialog (frame, "Come Back Soon!", "TRAPPED", JOptionPane.INFORMATION_MESSAGE);
System.exit (0);
file.add (about);
file.add (mainmenu);
file.add (newGame);
file.add (loadgame);
file.add (savegame);
file.add (exit);
menu.add (file);
menu.add (help);
setJMenuBar (menu);
//Sets the size of the container (columns by rows)
setSize (750, 550);
//Sets the location of the container
setLocation (10, 10);
//Sets the background colour to a dark blue colour
main.setBackground (Color.black);
//Makes the container visible
setVisible (true);
public void paint (Graphics g)
super.paint (g);
g.setColor (Color.white);
if (label == "MainMenu")
for (int x = 0 ; x <= 50 ; ++x)
g.setColor (Color.white);
g.setFont (new Font ("Arial", Font.BOLD, x));
g.drawString ("T R A P P E D", 100, 125);
d.delay (10);
if (x != 50)
g.setColor (Color.black);
g.drawString ("T R A P P E D", 100, 125);
if (label == "Entrance")
l.Entrance ("ONE", g);
label = "LevelOne";
if (label == "LevelOne")
l.LevelOne (g, levelOne, gbc);
label = "";
public static void main (String[] args)
// calls the program
User_Interface application = new User_Interface ();
application.setDefaultCloseOperation (JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
} //End of Main Method
//Libraries
import java.awt.*;
import java.io.*;
import javax.swing.*;
import java.awt.event.*;
public class Levels extends Objects
private JFrame frame = new JFrame ();
//Sets location, size, and visiblity to the frame where the JOptionPane
//will be placed
frame.setLocation (600, 600);
frame.setSize (1, 1);
frame.setVisible (false);
public int xCord = 2;
public int yCord = 2;
public void LevelOne (Graphics g, JPanel one, GridBagConstraints gbc)
***Trying to add the button, doesn't appear. Tried adding to the container, and any JPanel i had created***
JButton button1 = new JButton ("TEST");
one.add (button1);
g.setColor (Color.white);
g.fillRect (500, 100, 200, 300);
g.setColor (Color.black);
g.drawRect (500, 100, 200, 300);
g.setFont (new Font ("Verdana", Font.BOLD, 25));
g.setColor (Color.black);
g.drawString ("LEVEL ONE", 525, 80);
//ROW ONE
counter = -80;
counter2 = 200;
for (int a = 1 ; a <= 7 ; ++a)
if (xCord < a && yCord == 0)
g.setColor (darkGray);
g.fillRect (xLoc + counter, yLoc - 80, 40, 40);
g.setColor (Color.black);
g.drawRect (xLoc + counter, yLoc - 80, 40, 40);
if (xCord > a - 1 && yCord == 0)
g.setColor (darkGray);
g.fillRect (xLoc + counter2, yLoc - 80, 40, 40);
g.setColor (Color.black);
g.drawRect (xLoc + counter2, yLoc - 80, 40, 40);
counter += 40;
counter2 += 40;
*****Theres 9 more rows, just edited out to save space****
int y = 100;
int x = 100;
for (int a = 0 ; a < 20 ; ++a)
g.setColor (Color.white);
g.fillRoundRect (x, y, 40, 40, 5, 5);
g.setColor (Color.black);
g.drawRoundRect (x, y, 40, 40, 5, 5);
y += 40;
if (a == 9)
x += 320;
y = 100;
x = 140;
y = 100;
for (int a = 0 ; a < 14 ; ++a)
g.setColor (Color.white);
g.fillRoundRect (x, y, 40, 40, 5, 5);
g.setColor (Color.black);
g.drawRoundRect (x, y, 40, 40, 5, 5);
x += 40;
if (a == 6)
x = 140;
y += 360;
g.setColor (Color.black);
g.drawRect (100, 100, 360, 400);
ImageIcon[] images = new ImageIcon [4];
images [0] = new ImageIcon ("arrow_left.gif");
images [1] = new ImageIcon ("arrow_up.gif");
images [2] = new ImageIcon ("arrow_down.gif");
images [3] = new ImageIcon ("arrow_right.gif");
int direction = -1;
*****This is where I tried to have the OptionPane show the directional buttons******
//frame.setVisible (true);
// direction = JOptionPane.showOptionDialog (frame, "Choose Your Path:", "Trapped", JOptionPane.YES_NO_CANCEL_OPTION,
// JOptionPane.QUESTION_MESSAGE,
// null,
// images,
// images [3]);
// if (direction == 0)
// if (xCord - 1 > 0)
// xCord -= 1;
// xLoc += 40;
// if (direction == 1)
// if (yCord - 1 > 0)
// yCord -= 1;
// yLoc += 40;
// if (direction == 2)
// if (yCord + 1 < 9)
// yCord += 1;
// yLoc -= 40;
// if (direction == 3)
// if (xCord + 1 < 13)
// xCord += 1;
// xLoc -= 40;
//LevelOne (g, one, gbc);
}

Answer 1

i tried adding a keylistener, that didn't work too well, i had tried to add it to a button and a textarea which i added to the 'one' frame, it didn't show up, and it didn't work. How would i go about changing the paint method so that it doesn't contain any logic? That's the only way I could think of getting the program to move forward in the game. Thanks.
//Libraries
import java.awt.*;
import java.io.*;
import java.util.*;
import javax.swing.*;
import java.awt.event.*;
import javax.swing.text.*;
public class User_Interface extends JFrame
    static Levels l = new Levels ();
    static Delay d = new Delay ();
    private Container contentPane = getContentPane ();
    private JPanel main, levelOne;
    private String level;
    private CardLayout cc = new CardLayout ();
    private GridBagConstraints gbc = new GridBagConstraints ();
    private JPanel c = new JPanel ();
    private String label = "MainMenu";
    public User_Interface ()
        //Generates the User-Interface
        super ("Trapped");
        main = new JPanel ();
        GridBagLayout gbl = new GridBagLayout ();
        main.setLayout (gbl);
        c.setLayout (cc);
        // set_gbc (gbc, 2, 2, 5, 5, GridBagConstraints.NONE);
        c.add (main, "Main Page");
        contentPane.add (c, BorderLayout.CENTER);
        cc.show (c, "Main Page");
        levelOne = new JPanel ();
        levelOne.setLayout (new GridBagLayout ());
        levelOne.setBackground (Color.black);
        c.add (levelOne, "LevelOne");
        JMenuBar menu = new JMenuBar ();
        JMenu file = new JMenu ("File");
        JMenu help = new JMenu ("Help");
        JMenuItem about = new JMenuItem ("About");
        JMenuItem mainmenu = new JMenuItem ("Main Menu");
        mainmenu.addActionListener (
                new ActionListener ()
            public void actionPerformed (ActionEvent event)
                cc.show (c, "Main Page");
                label = "MainMenu";
        JMenuItem newGame = new JMenuItem ("New Game");
        newGame.addActionListener (
                new ActionListener ()
            public void actionPerformed (ActionEvent event)
                l.xCord = 2;
                l.yCord = 2;
                l.xLoc = 140;
                l.yLoc = 140;
                JPanel entrance = new JPanel ();
                entrance.setLayout (new FlowLayout ());
                c.add (entrance, "Entrance");
                label = "Entrance";
                level = "ONE";
                cc.show (c, "Entrance");
        JMenuItem loadgame = new JMenuItem ("Load Game");
        JMenuItem savegame = new JMenuItem ("Save Game");
        JMenuItem exit = new JMenuItem ("Exit");
        exit.addActionListener (
                new ActionListener ()
            public void actionPerformed (ActionEvent event)
                JFrame frame = new JFrame ();
                frame.setLocation (10, 10);
                JOptionPane.showMessageDialog (frame, "Come Back Soon!", "TRAPPED", JOptionPane.INFORMATION_MESSAGE);
                System.exit (0);
        file.add (about);
        file.add (mainmenu);
        file.add (newGame);
        file.add (loadgame);
        file.add (savegame);
        file.add (exit);
        menu.add (file);
        menu.add (help);
        setJMenuBar (menu);
        //Sets the size of the container (columns by rows)
        setSize (750, 550);
        //Sets the location of the container
        setLocation (10, 10);
        //Sets the background colour to a dark blue colour
        main.setBackground (Color.black);
        //Makes the container visible
        setVisible (true);
    public void paint (Graphics g)
        super.paint (g);
        g.setColor (Color.white);
        if (label == "MainMenu")
            for (int x = 0 ; x <= 50 ; ++x)
                g.setColor (Color.white);
                g.setFont (new Font ("Arial", Font.BOLD, x));
                g.drawString ("T    R    A    P    P    E    D", 100, 125);
                d.delay (10);
                if (x != 50)
                    g.setColor (Color.black);
                    g.drawString ("T    R    A    P    P    E    D", 100, 125);
        if (label == "Entrance")
            l.Entrance ("ONE", g);
            label = "LevelOne";
        if (label == "LevelOne")
            l.LevelOne (g, levelOne, gbc);
            label = "";
        //g.setColor (new Color
    public static void main (String[] args)
        // calls the program
        User_Interface application = new User_Interface ();
        application.setDefaultCloseOperation (JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
    } //End of Main Method
//Libraries
import java.awt.*;
import java.io.*;
import javax.swing.*;
import java.awt.event.*;
import javax.swing.ActionMap;
import javax.swing.plaf.*;
public class Levels extends Objects
    implements KeyListener
    //static final String newline = System.getProperty ("line.separator");
    JButton button;
    private JFrame frame = new JFrame ();
        //Sets location, size, and visiblity to the frame where the JOptionPane
        //will be placed
        frame.setLocation (600, 600);
        frame.setSize (1, 1);
        frame.setVisible (false);
    JButton button1;
    public int xCord = 2;
    public int yCord = 2;
    public void LevelOne (Graphics g, JPanel one, GridBagConstraints gbc)
    //    button = new JButton ("TEST");
    //    ButtonHandler handler = new ButtonHandler ();
     //   button.addActionListener (handler);
      //  one.add (button);
        g.setColor (Color.white);
        g.fillRect (500, 100, 200, 300);
        g.setColor (Color.black);
        g.drawRect (500, 100, 200, 300);
        g.setFont (new Font ("Verdana", Font.BOLD, 25));
        g.setColor (Color.black);
        g.drawString ("LEVEL ONE", 525, 80);
        //ROW ONE
        counter = -80;
        counter2 = 200;
        for (int a = 1 ; a <= 7 ; ++a)
            if (xCord < a && yCord == 0)
                g.setColor (darkGray);
                g.fillRect (xLoc + counter, yLoc - 80, 40, 40);
                g.setColor (Color.black);
                g.drawRect (xLoc + counter, yLoc - 80, 40, 40);
            if (xCord > a - 1 && yCord == 0)
                g.setColor (darkGray);
                g.fillRect (xLoc + counter2, yLoc - 80, 40, 40);
                g.setColor (Color.black);
                g.drawRect (xLoc + counter2, yLoc - 80, 40, 40);
            counter += 40;
            counter2 += 40;
        int y = 100;
        int x = 100;
        for (int a = 0 ; a < 20 ; ++a)
            g.setColor (Color.white);
            g.fillRoundRect (x, y, 40, 40, 5, 5);
            g.setColor (Color.black);
            g.drawRoundRect (x, y, 40, 40, 5, 5);
            y += 40;
            if (a == 9)
                x += 320;
                y = 100;
        x = 140;
        y = 100;
        for (int a = 0 ; a < 14 ; ++a)
            g.setColor (Color.white);
            g.fillRoundRect (x, y, 40, 40, 5, 5);
            g.setColor (Color.black);
            g.drawRoundRect (x, y, 40, 40, 5, 5);
            x += 40;
            if (a == 6)
                x = 140;
                y += 360;
        g.setColor (Color.black);
        g.drawRect (100, 100, 360, 400);
        ImageIcon[] images = new ImageIcon [4];
        images [0] = new ImageIcon ("arrow_left.gif");
        images [1] = new ImageIcon ("arrow_up.gif");
        images [2] = new ImageIcon ("arrow_down.gif");
        images [3] = new ImageIcon ("arrow_right.gif");
        int direction = -1;
        //frame.setVisible (true);
        // direction = JOptionPane.showOptionDialog (frame, "Choose Your //\Path:", "Trapped", JOptionPane.YES_NO_CANCEL_OPTION,
        //         JOptionPane.QUESTION_MESSAGE,
        //         null,
        //         images,
        //         images [3]);
        // if (direction == 0)
        //     if (xCord - 1 > 0)
        //         xCord -= 1;
        //         xLoc += 40;
        // if (direction == 1)
        //     if (yCord - 1 > 0)
        //         yCord -= 1;
        //         yLoc += 40;
        // if (direction == 2)
        //     if (yCord + 1 < 9)
        //         yCord += 1;
        //         yLoc -= 40;
        // if (direction == 3)
        //     if (xCord + 1 < 13)
        //         xCord += 1;
        //         xLoc -= 40;
        one.addKeyListener (this);
        // one.add (button1);
        if (xCord == 1)
            LevelOne (g, one, gbc);
    /** Handle the key typed event from the text field. */
    public void keyTyped (KeyEvent e)
    /** Handle the key pressed event from the text field. */
    public void keyPressed (KeyEvent e)
        if (e.getSource () == "Up")
            JOptionPane.showMessageDialog (null, "Hi", "Hi", 0, null);
    /** Handle the key released event from the text field. */
    public void keyReleased (KeyEvent e)
        // displayInfo (e, "KEY RELEASED: ");
}