Calling classes within classes..

Question

This is what my code looks like:
public class MainClass implements ActionListener
        methods not shown
    public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent event)
        if(event.getSource().equals(newKeyItem))
              NewKeyGUI nkGUI = new NewKeyGUI();
         else if(event.getSource().equals(loadKeyItem))
              LoadKeyGUI lkGUI = new LoadKeyGUI();
    class NewKeyGUI implements ActionListener
        /* methods not shown */
    class LoadKeyGUI implements ActionListener
        /* methods not shown */
}When it performs the action for the newKeyItem in the MainClass nothing happens, but my GUI is set up perfectly.. When I compiled I got no errors due to the classes within the MainClass..
So I am guessing that I am calling the 'sub-classes' incorrectly then.
Please help me! thanks in advance!

Answer 1

Your actionPerformed method does essentially nothing. The blocks of the if statements instantiate new objects, assign them to local variables, which then disappear when the block immediately ends. Unless the NewKeyGUI and LoadKeyGUI constructors do something as a side effect (which, IMHO, is bad design), nothing is happening hear other than instantiating objects unnecessarily.
You probably meant to assign the new objects to existing fields -- so, get rid of the first "NewKeyGUI" and "LoadKeyGUI" on each line.
Personally, I think it's also a red flag when you do event.getSource(). With anonymous inner classes, it's a lot easier now to create mini anonymous classes for each specific GUI widget as needed.