Challenge for all you great programmers out there...i need help!

Question

Okay, my name is Tom. I am attending a small private
college where the computer program is very small. There are
no Java professors or any professors with any experience.
The library has only 3 beginner books on Java as well. So,
for my extremely ambitious Internal Internship Project I
need some help. I have taken a beginner course and am very
apt to learning, so this shouldn't be over my head. Now to
the project:
GUI
I have envisioned a utility automation program. Basically,
There is 1 main pane in the GUI. I have already designed it
but am open to suggestions. It consists of the important
parts: The utilty buttons (on the left), the textArea (in
the middle), and checkboxes (on the right). When opening
the program, the textArea will simply display instructions
on how to use the program. There will be as many buttons as
utilities there are (for now i am experimenting with
defrag), and the checkboxes will be aligned with the
utility buttons but to the right of the textArea.
Function
When each utility button is clicked, a description of the
utility comes up in the textArea. If you decide to use it
then check the appropriate checkbox to the right of the
textArea. Once you choose all the utilities that you want
to do, then you hit the start button.
Execution
This will automate all of the programs so you can leave and
come back.
Things needed
I need to know how to import text files to the textArea,
how to program the textAreas to come up, and one final
thing for now. I will have to somehow set the parameters to
those applications automatically (Ex: "what drive to
defrag"). So, my first thought would be create a popup
window that asks for all of the parameters needed for each
utility, define those values as variables, and then when
the utilities ask for them in the automation feed them the
variables.
I have put about 25 hours into making the GUI, and
designing the structure. I need a ton of help if I want to
get this done. I am using Netbeans for convenience but I'm
not sure i know how to insert custom code.
Any help the ANYONE can give me would be extremely
appreciated.
Thanks to all, and have a great day.
Tom

Answer 1

Here is my code for my GUI
* JFMainMenu.java
* Created on February 10, 2008, 10:16 PM
package internshipproject;
* @author admin
public class JFMainMenu extends javax.swing.JFrame {
/** Creates new form JFMainMenu */
public JFMainMenu() {
initComponents();
/** This method is called from within the constructor to
* initialize the form.
* WARNING: Do NOT modify this code. The content of this method is
* always regenerated by the Form Editor.
// <editor-fold defaultstate="collapsed" desc="Generated Code">
private void initComponents() {
jPanel1 = new javax.swing.JPanel();
JBTomPic = new javax.swing.JButton();
jScrollPane1 = new javax.swing.JScrollPane();
jTextPane1 = new javax.swing.JTextPane();
jScrollPane2 = new javax.swing.JScrollPane();
jTextPane2 = new javax.swing.JTextPane();
jScrollPane3 = new javax.swing.JScrollPane();
JTPHeader = new javax.swing.JTextPane();
jSeparator1 = new javax.swing.JSeparator();
jLabel1 = new javax.swing.JLabel();
jLabel2 = new javax.swing.JLabel();
jLabel3 = new javax.swing.JLabel();
jButton1 = new javax.swing.JButton();
jButton2 = new javax.swing.JButton();
jButton3 = new javax.swing.JButton();
jCheckBox1 = new javax.swing.JCheckBox();
jCheckBox2 = new javax.swing.JCheckBox();
jCheckBox3 = new javax.swing.JCheckBox();
jButton4 = new javax.swing.JButton();
jButton5 = new javax.swing.JButton();
jTextField1 = new javax.swing.JTextField();
setDefaultCloseOperation(javax.swing.WindowConstants.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
setResizable(false);
jPanel1.setBackground(new java.awt.Color(0, 0, 0));
JBTomPic.setBackground(new java.awt.Color(0, 0, 0));
JBTomPic.setIcon(new javax.swing.ImageIcon("C:\\Documents and Settings\\All Users\\Documents\\My Pictures\\Sample Pictures\\TomBorder.jpg")); // NOI18N
JBTomPic.setActionCommand("AboutMe\n");
JBTomPic.setBorderPainted(false);
JBTomPic.setContentAreaFilled(false);
JBTomPic.addActionListener(new java.awt.event.ActionListener() {
public void actionPerformed(java.awt.event.ActionEvent evt) {
JBTomPicActionPerformed(evt);
jTextPane1.setBackground(new java.awt.Color(0, 0, 0));
jTextPane1.setBorder(null);
jTextPane1.setEditable(false);
jTextPane1.setFont(new java.awt.Font("Comic Sans MS", 3, 40));
jTextPane1.setForeground(new java.awt.Color(255, 255, 255));
jTextPane1.setText(" Just start it up, then go to lunch!");
jTextPane1.setCaretColor(new java.awt.Color(0, 51, 51));
jScrollPane1.setViewportView(jTextPane1);
jTextPane2.setBackground(new java.awt.Color(0, 0, 0));
jTextPane2.setBorder(null);
jTextPane2.setEditable(false);
jTextPane2.setFont(new java.awt.Font("Comic Sans MS", 3, 26));
jTextPane2.setForeground(new java.awt.Color(255, 255, 255));
jTextPane2.setText(" An amazing program that automates your computer maintainance applications!");
jScrollPane2.setViewportView(jTextPane2);
JTPHeader.setBackground(new java.awt.Color(0, 0, 0));
JTPHeader.setBorder(null);
JTPHeader.setEditable(false);
JTPHeader.setFont(new java.awt.Font("Comic Sans MS", 3, 20));
JTPHeader.setForeground(new java.awt.Color(255, 255, 255));
JTPHeader.setText(" Welcome to Tom's PC Fix");
jScrollPane3.setViewportView(JTPHeader);
jLabel1.setBackground(new java.awt.Color(51, 51, 0));
jLabel1.setFont(new java.awt.Font("Tahoma", 1, 20));
jLabel1.setForeground(new java.awt.Color(255, 255, 255));
jLabel1.setText("Choose Your maintainance:");
jLabel2.setBackground(new java.awt.Color(51, 51, 0));
jLabel2.setFont(new java.awt.Font("Tahoma", 1, 20));
jLabel2.setForeground(new java.awt.Color(255, 255, 255));
jLabel2.setText("Check to add to automation:");
jLabel3.setBackground(new java.awt.Color(51, 51, 0));
jLabel3.setFont(new java.awt.Font("Tahoma", 1, 20));
jLabel3.setForeground(new java.awt.Color(255, 255, 255));
jLabel3.setText("Description:");
jButton1.setBackground(new java.awt.Color(255, 255, 255));
jButton1.setFont(new java.awt.Font("Comic Sans MS", 1, 15));
jButton1.setForeground(new java.awt.Color(51, 0, 51));
jButton1.setText("Spybot");
jButton1.setBorderPainted(false);
jButton1.setFocusPainted(false);
jButton1.addActionListener(new java.awt.event.ActionListener() {
public void actionPerformed(java.awt.event.ActionEvent evt) {
jButton1ActionPerformed(evt);
jButton2.setBackground(new java.awt.Color(255, 255, 255));
jButton2.setFont(new java.awt.Font("Comic Sans MS", 1, 15));
jButton2.setForeground(new java.awt.Color(51, 0, 51));
jButton2.setText("Disk Cleanup");
jButton2.setBorderPainted(false);
jButton2.setFocusPainted(false);
jButton3.setBackground(new java.awt.Color(255, 255, 255));
jButton3.setFont(new java.awt.Font("Comic Sans MS", 1, 15));
jButton3.setForeground(new java.awt.Color(51, 0, 51));
jButton3.setText("Deframentation");
jButton3.setBorderPainted(false);
jButton3.setFocusPainted(false);
jCheckBox1.setBackground(new java.awt.Color(255, 255, 255));
jCheckBox1.setFont(new java.awt.Font("Comic Sans MS", 1, 12));
jCheckBox2.setBackground(new java.awt.Color(255, 255, 255));
jCheckBox2.setFont(new java.awt.Font("Comic Sans MS", 1, 12));
jCheckBox3.setBackground(new java.awt.Color(255, 255, 255));
jCheckBox3.setFont(new java.awt.Font("Comic Sans MS", 1, 12));
jButton4.setBackground(new java.awt.Color(255, 255, 255));
jButton4.setFont(new java.awt.Font("Comic Sans MS", 1, 20));
jButton4.setText("Start");
jButton5.setBackground(new java.awt.Color(255, 255, 255));
jButton5.setFont(new java.awt.Font("Comic Sans MS", 1, 15));
jButton5.setText("Exit");
jTextField1.setEditable(false);
jTextField1.setText("fcghjdcfhgj");
jTextField1.addActionListener(new java.awt.event.ActionListener() {
public void actionPerformed(java.awt.event.ActionEvent evt) {
jTextField1ActionPerformed(evt);
org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout jPanel1Layout = new org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout(jPanel1);
jPanel1.setLayout(jPanel1Layout);
jPanel1Layout.setHorizontalGroup(
jPanel1Layout.createParallelGroup(org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.LEADING)
.add(jPanel1Layout.createSequentialGroup()
.add(jScrollPane2, org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE, 323, org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE)
.addPreferredGap(org.jdesktop.layout.LayoutStyle.RELATED)
.add(JBTomPic, org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE, 186, org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE)
.addPreferredGap(org.jdesktop.layout.LayoutStyle.RELATED)
.add(jScrollPane1, org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, 320, Short.MAX_VALUE))
.add(jScrollPane3, org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, 841, Short.MAX_VALUE)
.add(org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.TRAILING, jSeparator1, org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, 841, Short.MAX_VALUE)
.add(jPanel1Layout.createSequentialGroup()
.addContainerGap()
.add(jLabel1, org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE, 277, org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE)
.add(71, 71, 71)
.add(jLabel3)
.addPreferredGap(org.jdesktop.layout.LayoutStyle.RELATED, 66, Short.MAX_VALUE)
.add(jLabel2)
.addContainerGap())
.add(org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.TRAILING, jPanel1Layout.createSequentialGroup()
.add(jPanel1Layout.createParallelGroup(org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.LEADING)
.add(jPanel1Layout.createSequentialGroup()
.add(30, 30, 30)
.add(jPanel1Layout.createParallelGroup(org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.LEADING, false)
.add(jButton3, org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, Short.MAX_VALUE)
.add(jButton2, org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, Short.MAX_VALUE)
.add(jButton1, org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, Short.MAX_VALUE))
.add(133, 133, 133)
.add(jTextField1, org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE, 339, org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE))
.add(jPanel1Layout.createSequentialGroup()
.add(349, 349, 349)
.add(jButton4, org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE, 143, org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE)))
.addPreferredGap(org.jdesktop.layout.LayoutStyle.RELATED, 113, Short.MAX_VALUE)
.add(jPanel1Layout.createParallelGroup(org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.LEADING)
.add(jPanel1Layout.createParallelGroup(org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.TRAILING)
.add(jCheckBox1)
.add(jCheckBox3)
.add(jCheckBox2))
.add(jButton5))
.add(21, 21, 21))
jPanel1Layout.setVerticalGroup(
jPanel1Layout.createParallelGroup(org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.LEADING)
.add(org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.TRAILING, jPanel1Layout.createSequentialGroup()
.add(jScrollPane3, org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE, org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE)
.add(7, 7, 7)
.add(jPanel1Layout.createParallelGroup(org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.LEADING)
.add(jScrollPane2, org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, 183, Short.MAX_VALUE)
.add(jPanel1Layout.createParallelGroup(org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.LEADING, false)
.add(jScrollPane1)
.add(JBTomPic, org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE, 183, Short.MAX_VALUE)))
.addPreferredGap(org.jdesktop.layout.LayoutStyle.RELATED)
.add(jSeparator1, org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE, 10, org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE)
.add(18, 18, 18)
.add(jPanel1Layout.createParallelGroup(org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.BASELINE)
.add(jLabel1)
.add(jLabel2)
.add(jLabel3))
.add(86, 86, 86)
.add(jPanel1Layout.createParallelGroup(org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.LEADING)
.add(jPanel1Layout.createSequentialGroup()
.add(jPanel1Layout.createParallelGroup(org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.LEADING)
.add(jButton1, org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE, 44, org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE)
.add(jCheckBox1))
.add(62, 62, 62)
.add(jPanel1Layout.createParallelGroup(org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.LEADING)
.add(jCheckBox2)
.add(jButton2, org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE, 44, org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE))
.add(67, 67, 67)
.add(jPanel1Layout.createParallelGroup(org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.LEADING)
.add(jCheckBox3)
.add(jButton3, org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE, 44, org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE)))
.add(jTextField1, org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE, 318, org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE))
.add(53, 53, 53)
.add(jPanel1Layout.createParallelGroup(org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.BASELINE)
.add(jButton4, org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE, 41, org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE)
.add(jButton5, org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE, 36, org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE))
.add(58, 58, 58))
org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout layout = new org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout(getContentPane());
getContentPane().setLayout(layout);
layout.setHorizontalGroup(
layout.createParallelGroup(org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.LEADING)
.add(org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.TRAILING, jPanel1, org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, Short.MAX_VALUE)
layout.setVerticalGroup(
layout.createParallelGroup(org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.LEADING)
.add(jPanel1, org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, Short.MAX_VALUE)
pack();
}// </editor-fold>
private void JBTomPicActionPerformed(java.awt.event.ActionEvent evt) {                                        
// TODO add your handling code here:
private void jButton1ActionPerformed(java.awt.event.ActionEvent evt) {                                        
// TODO add your handling code here:
private void jTextField1ActionPerformed(java.awt.event.ActionEvent evt) {                                           
// TODO add your handling code here:
* @param args the command line arguments
public static void main(String args[]) {
java.awt.EventQueue.invokeLater(new Runnable() {
public void run() {
new JFMainMenu().setVisible(true);
// Variables declaration - do not modify
private javax.swing.JButton JBTomPic;
private javax.swing.JTextPane JTPHeader;
private javax.swing.JButton jButton1;
private javax.swing.JButton jButton2;
private javax.swing.JButton jButton3;
private javax.swing.JButton jButton4;
private javax.swing.JButton jButton5;
private javax.swing.JCheckBox jCheckBox1;
private javax.swing.JCheckBox jCheckBox2;
private javax.swing.JCheckBox jCheckBox3;
private javax.swing.JLabel jLabel1;
private javax.swing.JLabel jLabel2;
private javax.swing.JLabel jLabel3;
private javax.swing.JPanel jPanel1;
private javax.swing.JScrollPane jScrollPane1;
private javax.swing.JScrollPane jScrollPane2;
private javax.swing.JScrollPane jScrollPane3;
private javax.swing.JSeparator jSeparator1;
private javax.swing.JTextField jTextField1;
private javax.swing.JTextPane jTextPane1;
private javax.swing.JTextPane jTextPane2;
// End of variables declaration
}