Disappearing Images on JButtons using JDK 1.4.0

Question

Here is the Java Swing Button example from java.sun.com:
import java.awt.*;
import java.awt.event.*;
import javax.swing.AbstractButton;
import javax.swing.JButton;
import javax.swing.JPanel;
import javax.swing.JFrame;
import javax.swing.ImageIcon;
public class ButtonDemo extends JPanel
implements ActionListener {
protected JButton b1, b2, b3;
public ButtonDemo() {
ImageIcon leftButtonIcon = new ImageIcon("images/right.gif");
ImageIcon middleButtonIcon = new ImageIcon("images/middle.gif");
ImageIcon rightButtonIcon = new ImageIcon("images/left.gif");
b1 = new JButton("Disable middle button", leftButtonIcon);
b1.setVerticalTextPosition(AbstractButton.CENTER);
b1.setHorizontalTextPosition(AbstractButton.LEFT);
b1.setMnemonic(KeyEvent.VK_D);
b1.setActionCommand("disable");
b2 = new JButton("Middle button", middleButtonIcon);
b2.setVerticalTextPosition(AbstractButton.BOTTOM);
b2.setHorizontalTextPosition(AbstractButton.CENTER);
b2.setMnemonic(KeyEvent.VK_M);
b3 = new JButton("Enable middle button", rightButtonIcon);
//Use the default text position of CENTER, RIGHT.
b3.setMnemonic(KeyEvent.VK_E);
b3.setActionCommand("enable");
b3.setEnabled(false);
//Listen for actions on buttons 1 and 3.
b1.addActionListener(this);
b3.addActionListener(this);
b1.setToolTipText("Click this button to disable the middle button.");
b2.setToolTipText("This middle button does nothing when you click it.");
b3.setToolTipText("Click this button to enable the middle button.");
//Add Components to this container, using the default FlowLayout.
add(b1);
add(b2);
add(b3);
public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {
if (e.getActionCommand().equals("disable")) {
b2.setEnabled(false);
b1.setEnabled(false);
b3.setEnabled(true);
} else {
b2.setEnabled(true);
b1.setEnabled(true);
b3.setEnabled(false);
public static void main(String[] args) {
JFrame frame = new JFrame("ButtonDemo");
frame.addWindowListener(new WindowAdapter() {
public void windowClosing(WindowEvent e) {
System.exit(0);
frame.getContentPane().add(new ButtonDemo(), BorderLayout.CENTER);
frame.pack();
frame.setVisible(true);
Do the following:
1. Compile and run this example using JDK 1.4.0.
2. While the frame is up hit the Control + Alt + Delete key sequence.
3. Now hit the Escape Key.
4. You will notice that atleast one of the buttons on the Java Swing Example will not have the image painted.
Now if you force a repaint then the image(s) gets painted correctly.
Any ideas?

Answer 1

i've got exactely the same problem in a gui application running on windows nt 4, service pack 6. the problem of the disappearing icons occurs also after returning from the screen lock.
if you got a solution in the mean time please let me know, thanks a lot
matthiaszimmermann at yahoo.com