To make a flashing effect?

Question

Hi guys,
I am now making a pente game.
I basically have a n by n JLabels filled a JPanel and set an image of a +.
When the label gets click, then the label simply reset the image to an image that shows a black or white stone.
Now I want to make it looks cool by flashing the stones if one player can form five in a row.
I was thinking to set images to a flashing gif image but that was my last option if i can find some built-in functions that can archieve the same goal.
Can anyone help with this?
Thanks,

Answer 1

it's probably a lot easier making a separate class, incorporating the functionality.
somthing like this
have used JButtons - just click each button to start the flashing
import javax.swing.*;
import java.awt.*;
import java.awt.event.*;
class Testing
  public void buildGUI()
    FlashingButton b1 = new FlashingButton("test1.gif");
    FlashingButton b2 = new FlashingButton("test2.gif");
    FlashingButton b3 = new FlashingButton("test3.gif");
    FlashingButton b4 = new FlashingButton("test4.gif");
    JPanel panel = new JPanel(new GridLayout(1,4));
    panel.add(b1);panel.add(b2);panel.add(b3);panel.add(b4);
    JFrame f = new JFrame();
    f.getContentPane().add(panel);
    f.pack();
    f.setLocationRelativeTo(null);
    f.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
    f.setVisible(true);
  public static void main(String[] args)
    SwingUtilities.invokeLater(new Runnable(){
      public void run(){
        new Testing().buildGUI();
class FlashingButton extends JButton
  ImageIcon icon;
  javax.swing.Timer timer;
  final int MAX_FLASHES = 50;//<--to test all flash
  public FlashingButton(String fileName)
    super(new ImageIcon(fileName));
    icon = new ImageIcon(fileName);
    addActionListener(new ActionListener(){
      public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent ae){
        if(timer == null)
          timer = new javax.swing.Timer(250,new ActionListener(){
            int count = 1;
            public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent ae){
              if(count % 2 == 1) setIcon(null);
              else setIcon(icon);
              count++;
              if(count > MAX_FLASHES)
                timer.stop();
                timer = null;
          timer.start();
}