Unable to paint (using paint() in JPanel) inside mouse listeners

Question

This is hard to explain but I'll do my best :)
I've created a little game and at some point I needed to make images "move" on the JPanel (through paint()), on a checkers-based game board.
The game works like so:
it has a mouse listener for clicks and movement, and the main game process is THINK(), REPAINT(), which is repeated until the user wins (the above is inside a while).
The mouse actions were added to the constructor so they are always active, THINK changes the enemy's locations, and REPAINT simply calls "paint()" again.
The picture is either an enemy or the player, and it can only "rest" on squares.
(e.g. point's x and y must be divided in 50).
While doing that, I wanted to make the movement more sleek and clean,
instead of them simply jumping from one square to the other with a blink of the eye.
So, I've created MOVEACTOR, that "moves" an enemy or a player from its current point (actor.getPoint()) to the requested future square (futurePoint).
//actor = enemy or player, has getPoint() that returnes the current point on the board where he rests on.
//futurePoint = the new point where the enemy or player should be after the animation.
//please ignore obvious stuff that has nothing to do with what I asked -- those will be deleted in the future, for they are only temporary checking extra lines and stuff.
//also feel free to ignore the "jumpX" things. Those are just to change images, to imitate physical "jumping" animation.
protected void moveActor(Actor actor, Point futurePoint)
          Point presentPoint = actor.getPoint();
          int x = (int)presentPoint.getX(), y = (int)presentPoint.getY();
          int addToX, addToY;
          if (futurePoint.getX() > x) addToX = 1;
          else addToX = -1;
          if (futurePoint.getY() > y) addToY = 1;
          else addToY = -1;
          Point middlePoint = new Point(x,y);
          int imageCounter = 0;
          while ( (middlePoint.getX()!=futurePoint.getX()) && (middlePoint.getY()!=futurePoint.getY()) ){
               imageCounter++;
               x+=addToX;
               y+=addToY;
               middlePoint.setLocation(x,y);
               actor.setPoint(middlePoint);
               /*if (imageCounter<=10) actor.setStatus("jump1");
               else if (imageCounter<=40) actor.setStatus("jump2");
               else if (imageCounter<=50) actor.setStatus("jump3");*/
               repaint();
               try {animator.sleep(1);} catch (InterruptedException e) {}
          //actor.setStatus("idle");
     }I use the above on several occasions:
[1] When an enemy moves. Summary:
                         if (playerIsToVillainsRight) xToAdd = 50;
                         else if (playerIsToVillainsLeft) xToAdd = -50;
                         else if (playerIsOnSameRowAsVillain) xToAdd = 0;
                         if (playerIsBelowVillain) yToAdd = 50;
                         else if (playerIsAboveVillain) yToAdd = -50;
                         else if (playerIsOnSameColumnAsVillain) yToAdd = 0;
                         Point futurePoint = new Point (villainX+xToAdd, villainY+yToAdd);
                         moveActor(actors[currentVillain], futurePoint);[2] When the player moves. Summary (this is inside the mouseClicked listener):
//mouseLocation = MouseWEvent.getPoint();
//stl, str, etc = rectangles that represents future location of the player on the board.
          if (waitingForPlayer) {
               if (stl.contains(mouseLocation) && !hoveringVillain(stl)) {
                    moveActor(actors[0], stl.getLocation());
                    waitingForPlayer = false;
               if (str.contains(mouseLocation) && !hoveringVillain(str)) {
                    moveActor(actors[0], str.getLocation());
                    waitingForPlayer = false;
               if (sbl.contains(mouseLocation) && !hoveringVillain(sbl)) {
                    moveActor(actors[0], sbl.getLocation());
                    waitingForPlayer = false;                                   
               if (sbr.contains(mouseLocation) && !hoveringVillain(sbr)) {
                    moveActor(actors[0], sbr.getLocation());
                    waitingForPlayer = false;
SO ... WHAT IS THE QUESTION?!?
What I see when I run the game:
the animation of the enemy (first code) works, but the animation of the player (second code, inside the mouse listeners) -- doesn't!
The purpose of the moveActor is to move the enemy or player pixel by pixel, until its in the future point,
instead of skipping the pixels between the squares and going straight for the future location.
So what comes out is, that the enemy is moving pixel by pixel, and the player simply jumps there!
I doublechecked and if I use moveActor with the player OUTSIDE the mouse listener, it works (i think).
Any ideas what is the source of this problem?
Hope I made myself clear enough :D
Thanks,
Eshed.

Answer 1

I don't know if thats what happens, nor how to fix the thread problems. The mosue actions are "threaded" by default, no? And the moving thing happens after the mouse was clicked, and if the enemy's moving the user can still move his mouse and get responses, like "enemy didn't move yet" and stuff.
Here's the complete GamePanel.java:
//drawings
import javax.swing.ImageIcon;
import java.awt.Image;
import java.awt.Rectangle;
import java.awt.Color;
import java.awt.Graphics;
import java.awt.Graphics2D;
//events
import java.awt.event.MouseAdapter;
import java.awt.event.MouseEvent;
import java.awt.event.MouseMotionAdapter;
//tools
import java.awt.Point;
import java.awt.Rectangle;
import java.awt.MediaTracker;
import java.awt.Dimension;
//panels, buttons, etc
import javax.swing.JPanel;
/** The Game Panel.
*The panel's size is 500x500, and each square is squaresized 50.
*This is where the game actually "exists". Here its being updated, drawn, etc.*/
public class GamePanel extends JPanel implements Runnable
     private static final int PWIDTH = 500;                              //Width of the panel.
     private static final int PHEIGHT = 500;                              //Height of the panel.
     private static final int SQUARESIZE = 50;                         //Size of each square in the panel.
     private boolean working = false;                                   //Game keeps going until this is FALSE.
     private volatile Thread animator;                                   //The animation thread.
     private ImageIcon stand,fall;                                        //Images for the background - ground and water.
     private static ImageHandler ih;                                        //An image handler for image loading.
     private int numOfImages = 0;                                        //Number of total images (max image qunatity).
     private Actor[] actors;                                                  //The actors: [0] is the player, rest are enemies.
     private Point mouseLocation;                                        //Saves the current mouse location for checking where the mouse is
     protected Rectangle stl, str, sbl, sbr;                              //squares around the player, for mouse stuff.
     protected Rectangle v1, v2, v3, v4, v5;                              //squares around each villain, for mouse stuff.
     protected Rectangle wholeBoard = new Rectangle(0,0,PWIDTH,PHEIGHT);
     protected boolean waitingForPlayer = true;
     private int currentVillain = 1;
     private boolean inSight = false;
     // in methods other than the listeners.
     /** Waits for the Window (or whatever this panel loads in) to settle in before doing anything.*/
     public void addNotify()
          super.addNotify();                                                                           //When the super finishes...
          go();                                                                                                         //..go, go, go!
     /** Starts the game.*/
     private void go()
          if (animator==null || !working)     {                                        //if the game isn't in process,
               animator = new Thread(this);                                        //make the animator as the main process,
               animator.start();                                                                      //and start it (because of the runnable it launches "run()".
     /**Constructor of the Game Panel.*/
     public GamePanel()
          numOfImages = 14;                                                                      //Total image num.
          ih = new ImageHandler(this,numOfImages);               //Setting a new image handler for the images.
          ih.addImage("player_idle", "images/p_idle.png");          //Adding images.
          ih.addImage("villain_idle", "images/v_idle.png");
          ih.addImage("stand", "images/stand.gif");
          ih.addImage("fallpng", "images/fall.png");
          ih.addImage("fall", "images/fall.gif");
          ih.addImage("ghost", "images/ghost.gif");
          ih.addImage("villain_angry", "images/v_angry.png");
          ih.addImage("player_angry", "images/p_angry.png");
          ih.addImage("player_jump1", "images/p_j1.gif");
          ih.addImage("player_jump2", "images/p_j2.gif");
          ih.addImage("player_jump3", "images/p_j3.gif");
          ih.addImage("villain_jump1", "images/v_j1.gif");
          ih.addImage("villain_jump2", "images/v_j2.gif");
          ih.addImage("villain_jump3", "images/v_j3.gif");
          setPreferredSize(new Dimension(PWIDTH,PHEIGHT));     //Setting size of the panel.
          setFocusable(true);                                                                                //This and the next makes the window "active" and focused.
          requestFocus();
          /** Mouse hovering settings.*/
          addMouseMotionListener( new MouseMotionAdapter()
               /** When the mouse is moving, do these stuff.*/
               public void mouseMoved(MouseEvent e1)
                     *  |  stl  |       | str   |          stl = squareTopLeft
                     *  |_______|_______|_______|       str = squareTopRight
                    *   |       |current|       |         current = player's location
                    *   |_______|_______|_______|       sbl = squareBottomLeft
                    *   |  sbl  |       |  sbr  |       sbr = squareBottomRight
                    *   |_______|_______|_______|
                    mouseLocation = e1.getPoint();
                    Dimension defaultSquareDimension = new Dimension(50,50);
                    //current-player-location points
                    Point topLeft = new Point((int)actors[0].getPoint().getX(), (int)actors[0].getPoint().getY());
                    Point topRight = new Point((int)actors[0].getPoint().getX()+50, (int)actors[0].getPoint().getY());
                    Point bottomLeft = new Point((int)actors[0].getPoint().getX(), (int)actors[0].getPoint().getY()+50);
                    Point bottomRight = new Point((int)actors[0].getPoint().getX()+50, (int)actors[0].getPoint().getY()+50);
                    //four-squares-around-the-player points
                    //T = top, B = bottom, R = right, L = left
                    Point ptl = new Point((int)topLeft.getX()-50,(int)topLeft.getY()-50);
                    Point ptr = new Point((int)topRight.getX(),(int)topRight.getY()-50);
                    Point pbl = new Point((int)bottomLeft.getX()-50,(int)bottomLeft.getY());
                    Point pbr = new Point((int)bottomRight.getX(),(int)bottomRight.getY());
                    //ghosts
                    stl = new Rectangle (ptl, defaultSquareDimension);
                    str = new Rectangle (ptr, defaultSquareDimension);
                    sbl = new Rectangle (pbl, defaultSquareDimension);
                    sbr = new Rectangle (pbr, defaultSquareDimension);
                    Rectangle player = new Rectangle(topLeft, defaultSquareDimension);     //rectangle of player
                    if (stl.contains(mouseLocation) && !hoveringVillain(stl))
                         actors[8] = new Actor("ghost", ptl);
                         else actors[8] = null;
                    if (str.contains(mouseLocation) && !hoveringVillain(str))
                         actors[9] = new Actor("ghost", ptr);
                         else actors[9] = null;
                    if (sbl.contains(mouseLocation) && !hoveringVillain(sbl))
                         actors[10] = new Actor("ghost", pbl);
                         else actors[10] = null;
                    if (sbr.contains(mouseLocation) && !hoveringVillain(sbr))
                         actors[11] = new Actor("ghost", pbr);
                         else actors[11] = null;
               private boolean hoveringVillain(Rectangle r)
                    boolean onVillain = false;
                    for (int i=1; i<=5 && !onVillain; i++) onVillain = actors.getRect().equals(r);
                    return onVillain;
          /** Mouse-click settings.
          Note: only usable after moving the mouse. /
          addMouseListener (new MouseAdapter()
               /** When the mouse button is clicked */
               public void mouseClicked (MouseEvent me)
                    mouseClickedAction(me);
     private boolean hoveringVillain(Rectangle r)
          boolean onVillain = false;
          for (int i=1; i<=5 && !onVillain; i++) onVillain = actors[i].getRect().equals(r);
          return onVillain;
     public void mouseClickedAction(MouseEvent me)
          System.out.println("Point: "+me.getX()+","+me.getY());
          if (waitingForPlayer) {
               //causes error if the mouse wasn't moved uptil now. try it.
               mouseLocation = me.getPoint();
               if (stl.contains(mouseLocation) && !hoveringVillain(stl)) {
                    moveActor(actors[0], stl.getLocation());
                    waitingForPlayer = false;
               if (str.contains(mouseLocation) && !hoveringVillain(str)) {
                    moveActor(actors[0], str.getLocation());
                    waitingForPlayer = false;
               if (sbl.contains(mouseLocation) && !hoveringVillain(sbl)) {
                    moveActor(actors[0], sbl.getLocation());
                    waitingForPlayer = false;                                   
               if (sbr.contains(mouseLocation) && !hoveringVillain(sbr)) {
                    moveActor(actors[0], sbr.getLocation());
                    waitingForPlayer = false;
          } else MiscTools.shout("Wait for the computer to take action!");
          if (actors[0].getPoint().getY() == 0){
               for (int i=1; i<=5; i++){
                         actors[i].setStatus("angry");
               //repaint();
               MiscTools.shout("Game Over! You Won!");
     /** First thing the Game Panel does.
     Initiating the variables, and then looping: updating, painting and sleeping./
     public void run() {
Thread thisThread = Thread.currentThread();                                                  //Enables the restart action (two threads needed).
init();                                                                                                                                            //Initialize the variables.
while (animator == thisThread && working){                                                  //While the current thead is the game's and it's "on",
               think();                                                                                                                             //Update the variables,
               repaint();                                                                                                                             //Paint the stuff on the panel,
               try {Thread.sleep(5);} catch (InterruptedException ex) {}                    //And take a wee nap.
     /** Initializing the variables.*/
     private void init()
          currentVillain = 1;
          working = true;                                                                                //Make the game ready for running.
          inSight = false;
          actors = new Actor[12];                                                                      //Six actors: player and 5*villains.
          actors[0] = new Actor("player", 200, 450);                                             //The first actor is the player.
          int yPoint = 50;                                                                           //The Y location of the villains (first row).
          /* ACTORS ON TOP, RIGHT, LEFT
          actors[1] = new Actor ("villain", 0, 350);
          actors[2] = new Actor ("villain", 0, 150);
          actors[3] = new Actor ("villain", 50, 0);
          actors[4] = new Actor ("villain", 250, 0);
          actors[5] = new Actor ("villain", 450, 0);
          actors[6] = new Actor ("villain", 450, 200);
          actors[7] = new Actor ("villain", 450, 400);
          /* ACTORS ON TOP*/
          for (int i=1; i<actors.length-4; i++){                                                  //As long as it doesnt go above the array...
               actors[i] = new Actor ("villain", yPoint, 0);                                   //init the villains
               actors[i].setStatus("idle");
               yPoint+=100;                                                                           //and advance in the Y axis.
     /** Updating variables.*/
     private void think()
          if (!waitingForPlayer){
               //initialize
               int playerX = (int)actors[0].getPoint().getX();
               int playerY = (int)actors[0].getPoint().getY();
               boolean moved = false;
               wholeBoard = new Rectangle(0,0,500,500);     //needed to check whether an actor is inside the board
               //for (int in = 0; in<=5; in++) actors[in].setStatus("idle"); //"formatting" the actor's mood
               if (playerY <= 1000) inSight = true;     //first eye contact between the player and villains.
               int closestVillainLevel = 0;
               int[] vills = closestVillain();
               int moveCounter = 0;
               if (inSight) {
                    while (!moved){               //while none of the villains made a move
                    moveCounter++;
                    if (moveCounter == 5) moved = true;
                    else{
                         currentVillain = vills[closestVillainLevel];
                         int villainX = (int)actors[currentVillain].getPoint().getX();
                         int villainY = (int)actors[currentVillain].getPoint().getY();
                         //clearing stuff up before calculating things
                         boolean playerIsBelowVillain = playerY > villainY;
                         boolean playerIsAboveVillain = playerY < villainY;
                         boolean playerIsOnSameRowAsVillain = playerY == villainY;
                         boolean playerIsToVillainsRight = playerX > villainX;
                         boolean playerIsToVillainsLeft = playerX < villainX;
                         boolean playerIsOnSameColumnAsVillain = playerX == villainX;
                         //System.out.println("\n-- villain number "+currentVillain+" --\n");
                         int xToAdd = 0, yToAdd = 0;
                         if (playerIsToVillainsRight) xToAdd = 50;
                         else if (playerIsToVillainsLeft) xToAdd = -50;
                         else if (playerIsOnSameRowAsVillain) xToAdd = 0;
                         if (playerIsBelowVillain) yToAdd = 50;
                         else if (playerIsAboveVillain) yToAdd = -50;
                         else if (playerIsOnSameColumnAsVillain) yToAdd = 0;
                         Point futurePoint = new Point (villainX+xToAdd, villainY+yToAdd);
                         if (legalPoint(futurePoint)){
                              moveActor(actors[currentVillain], futurePoint);
                              moved = true;
                              //System.out.println("\nVillain "+currentVillain+" is now at "+actors[currentVillain].getPoint());
                         else closestVillainLevel=circleFive(closestVillainLevel);
                    } //end of else
                    } //end of while
                    //currentVillain = circleFive(currentVillain); //obsolete
               } //end of ifInSight
               waitingForPlayer = true;
     private boolean legalPoint(Point fp)
          return (wholeBoard.contains(fp) && !onPeople(fp) && legalSquare(fp));
     private boolean legalSquare(Point p)
          if ( (p.getX()==0 || p.getX()%100==0) && (p.getY()/50)%2!=0 ) return true;
          if ( (p.getX()/50)%2!=0 && (p.getY()==0 || p.getY()%100==0) ) return true;
          return false;
     //return the closest villain to the player, by its level of distance.
     public int[] closestVillain()
          //System.out.println("Trying to find the closest villain...");
          double[] gaps = new double[5];     //the distances array
          //System.out.println("The villains' distances are: ");
          for (int i=0; i<5; i++){
               gaps[i] = distanceFromPlayer(actors[i+1].getPoint());     //filling the distances array
               //System.out.print(gaps[i]+", ");
          int[] toReturn = new int[5];
          double smallestGapFound;
          double[] arrangedGaps = smallToLarge(gaps);
          for (int level=0; level<5; level++){
               smallestGapFound = arrangedGaps[level];
               for (int i=1; i<=5; i++){
                    if (smallestGapFound == distanceFromPlayer(actors[i].getPoint())){
                         toReturn[level] = i;
          return toReturn;
     private double[] smallToLarge(double[] nums)
          //System.out.println("\nArranging array... \n");
          double[] newArray = new double[5];
          int neweye = 0;
          double theSmallestOfTheArray;
          for (int i=0; i<nums.length; i++){
               theSmallestOfTheArray = smallest(nums);
               //System.out.println("\t\t>> Checking whether location "+i+" ("+nums[i]+") is equal to "+theSmallestOfTheArray);
               if (nums[i] == theSmallestOfTheArray && nums[i]!=0.0){
                    //System.out.println("\t\t>> Adding "+nums[i]+" to the array...");
                    newArray[neweye] = nums[i];
                    //System.out.println("\t\t>> Erasing "+nums[i]+" from old array...\n");
                    nums[i] = 0.0;
                    neweye++;
                    i=-1;
          /*System.out.print("\nDONE: ");
          for (int i=0; i<newArray.length; i++)
               System.out.print("["+newArray[i]+"] ");
          System.out.println();*/
          return newArray;
     private double smallest (double[] nums)
               //System.out.print("\tThe smallest double: ");
               double small = 0.0;
               int j=0;
               while (j<nums.length){               //checking for a starting "small" that is not a "0.0"
                    if (nums[j]!=0.0){
                         small = nums[j];
                         j = nums.length;
                    } else j++;
               for (int i=1; i<nums.length; i++){
                    if (small>nums[i] && nums[i]!=0.0){
                         small = nums[i];
               //System.out.println(small+".");
               return small;
     private double distanceFromPlayer(Point vp)
          Point pp = actors[0].getPoint(); //pp=plaer's point, vp=villain's point
          double x = Math.abs(vp.getX() - pp.getX());
          double y = Math.abs(vp.getY() - pp.getY());
          return Math.sqrt(Math.pow(x,2) + Math.pow(y,2));
     private int circleFive(int num)
               if (num>=5) return 0;
               else return num+1;
     private boolean onPeople(Point p)
          for (int jj=0; jj<=5; jj++)
               if (jj!=currentVillain && p.equals(actors[jj].getPoint()))
                    return true;
          return false;
     /** Painting the game onto the Game Panel.*/
     public void paintComponent(Graphics g)
          Graphics2D graphics = (Graphics2D)g;                                                            //Reset the graphics to have more features.
          //draw bg
          graphics.setColor(Color.white);                                                                                //"format" the panel.
          graphics.fillRect(0,0,500,500);
     char squareType = 'f';                                                                                                    //First square's type (stand or fall).
     for (int height=0; height<PHEIGHT; height=height+SQUARESIZE){     //Painting the matrix bg.
               for (int width=0; width<PWIDTH; width=width+SQUARESIZE){
                    if (squareType=='f') {                                                                                               //If a "fall" is to be drawn,
                         ih.paint(graphics, "fallpng", new Dimension(width,height));          //Draw a non-animated image to bypass white stuff.
                         ih.paint(graphics, "fall", new Dimension(width,height));               //Draw the water animation.
                         squareType = 's';                                                                                                    //Make the next square a "stand".
                    } else if (squareType=='s'){                                                                                //If a "stand" is to be drawn,
                         ih.paint(graphics, "stand", new Dimension(width,height));          //Draw the ground image,
                         squareType = 'f';                                                                                                    //and make the next square a "fall".
               if (squareType=='f') squareType = 's';                                                                 //After finishing a row, switch again so
               else squareType = 'f';                                                                                                    // the next line will start with the same type (checkers).
          for (int i=actors.length-1; i>=0; i--){                                                                           //Draw the actors on the board.
               if (actors[i]!=null)
                    ih.paint(graphics, actors[i].currentImage(), actors[i].getPoint());
     /** Restart the game.
     Or, in other words, stop, initialize and start (again) the animator thread and variables./
     public void restart()
          System.out.println("\n\n\nRESTARTING GAME\n\n\n");
          animator = null;                                                                                                                   //Emptying the thread.
          init();                                                                                                                                                 //Initializing.
          animator = new Thread(this);                                                                                     //Re-filling the thread with this panel's process.
          animator.start();                                                                                                                   //launch "run()".
     protected void moveActor(Actor actor, Point futurePoint)
          Point presentPoint = actor.getPoint();
          int x = (int)presentPoint.getX(), y = (int)presentPoint.getY();
          int addToX, addToY;
          if (futurePoint.getX() > x) addToX = 1;
          else addToX = -1;
          if (futurePoint.getY() > y) addToY = 1;
          else addToY = -1;
          Point middlePoint = new Point(x,y);
          int imageCounter = 0;
          while ( (middlePoint.getX()!=futurePoint.getX()) && (middlePoint.getY()!=futurePoint.getY()) ){
               imageCounter++;
               x+=addToX;
               y+=addToY;
               middlePoint.setLocation(x,y);
               actor.setPoint(middlePoint);
               /*if (imageCounter<=10) actor.setStatus("jump1");
               else if (imageCounter<=40) actor.setStatus("jump2");
               else if (imageCounter<=50) actor.setStatus("jump3");*/
               repaint();
               try {animator.sleep(1);} catch (InterruptedException e) {}
          //actor.setStatus("idle");