Class VariableInput

All Implemented Interfaces:
InputObject, Tieable, Value, ImageObserver, MenuContainer, Serializable, Accessible

public class VariableInput extends TextField implements InputObject, Tieable, Value
A VariableInput is an input box into which the user can type a real number value, which becomes the value of an associated Variable. The value of the Variable can change only when the VariableInput's checkInput() method is called (usually by a Controller). See the Controller class for more information.

Whenever checkInput is called, an error of type JCMError might be generated. If throwErrors is true, this error is thrown; if it is false, the error is caught, the value of the variable is set to Double.NaN, and no error is thrown. The error message associated with the error can be retrieved by calling getErrorMessage(), if desired. (This value is null if no error occurred the last time checkInput was called.)

A VariableInput is a Value, so it can be used directly where a Value object is needed.

An VariableInput will ordinarily be registered with a Controller in TWO ways: It's added to a Controller with the Controller's add() method. This makes the Controller call the VariableInput's checkInput() method during the Controller's compute() method. Secondly, a Controller is set as the "onUserAction" property. This causes the Controller's compute() method to be called when the user presses return in the VariableInput box. This is optional-- you might, for example, only want the Controller to compute() when a Compute button is pressed. You can also set the VariableInput's onTextChange property to a Controller that you want to compute every time the text in the box changes.

After the VariableInput is created, it is possible to specify the largest and smallest allowed values for the variable. It is also possible to specify what sytle of input is allowed. The style can be to allow any constant expression, constant real numbers only, or integers only. Set these parameters with setMin(), setMax(), and setInputStyle(). For setInputStyle(), the legal parameter values are VariableInput.EXPRESSION, VariableInput.REAL, and VariableInput.INTEGER. The default input style is EXPRESSION.

See Also:
  • Field Details

    • variable

      protected edu.hws.jcm.awt.VariableInput.VI variable
      The Variable that represents the value of this input box. (VI is a private nested class inside VariableInput.)
    • throwErrors

      protected boolean throwErrors
      True if an error should be thrown when checkInput() is calles and the contents do not define a legal number. True by default.
    • errorMessage

      protected String errorMessage
      Error message from the most recent time checkInput() as called. Null if there was no error.
    • serialNumber

      protected long serialNumber
      This serial number is increased each time the value of the variable changes.
    • previousContents

      protected String previousContents
      This is set to true if the text in the box has been changed since the last time the value of the variable was checked by checkInput().
    • minValue

      protected double minValue
      Smallest allowable value.
    • maxValue

      protected double maxValue
      Largest allowable value.
    • inputStyle

      protected int inputStyle
      One of the constant values EXPRESSION, REAL, or INTEGER, specifying the style of input.
    • EXPRESSION

      public static final int EXPRESSION
      A constant for use in the setInputStyle() method. Any constant expression is allowed.
      See Also:
    • REAL

      public static final int REAL
      A constant for use in the setInputStyle() method. Only real numbers are allowed.
      See Also:
    • INTEGER

      public static final int INTEGER
      A constant for use in the setInputStyle() method. Only integers are allowed.
      See Also:
  • Constructor Details

    • VariableInput

      public VariableInput()
      Create an unnamed VariableInput with initial contents "0".
    • VariableInput

      public VariableInput(String name, String initialString)
      Construct a VariableInput with the given name and initial String (which can both be null). If initialString is null, the string "0" is used. No error occurs in the constructor if the initialString does not represent a legal value (A string rather than a double is used for initialization since the initial content can be an expression such as "pi/2".) If name is not null, it is used as the name of the VariableInput component as well as the name of the associated variable.
    • VariableInput

      public VariableInput(String name, String initialString, Parser parser)
      Create a VariableInput just as in the constructor VariableInput(String,String). Then, if both parser and name are non-null, register the associated variable with the parser.
  • Method Details

    • getVariable

      public Variable getVariable()
      Get the associated variable for the VariableInput box. You will need this, for example, if you want to register the variable with a Parser.
    • withLabel

      public JCMPanel withLabel()
      Convenience method for creating a component containing this VariableInput together with a label of the form " = ". This version uses default colors for the label, which are inherited from the containing component.
    • withLabel

      public JCMPanel withLabel(Color back, Color fore)
      Convenience method for creating a component containing this VariableInput together with a label of the form "name = ". Uses the given background and foreground colors for the label and the panel. The colors can be null to use the defaults, which will be inherited from the containing Component.
    • setName

      public void setName(String name)
      Set the name of the variable. This should not be called while the variable is registered with a Parser. The name of the VariableInput Component is also set to name, if the name is non=null.
      Overrides:
      setName in class Component
    • addTo

      public void addTo(Parser p)
      A convenience method that registers this VariableInput's variable with Parser p (but only if both p and the name of the variable are non-null).
    • setOnUserAction

      public void setOnUserAction(Controller c)
      If the Controller, c, is non-null, then its compute() method will be called whenever the user presses the return key while typing in this text-input box.
    • getOnUserAction

      public Controller getOnUserAction()
      Return the Controller, if any, that is notified when the user presses return in this text-input box.
    • notifyControllerOnChange

      public void notifyControllerOnChange(Controller c)
      Method required by InputObject interface; in this class, it simply calls setOnUserAction(c). This is meant to be called by JCMPanel.gatherInputs().
      Specified by:
      notifyControllerOnChange in interface InputObject
    • setOnTextChange

      public void setOnTextChange(Controller c)
      If the Controller, cm is non-null, then its compute() method will be called whenever the text in this input box changes. Furthermore, the throwErrors property will be set to false, to avoid throwing multiple errors while the user is typing. (You can change it back to true if you want by calling setThrowErrors(true).)
    • getOnTextChange

      public Controller getOnTextChange()
      Return the Controller, if any, that is notified when the text in this input box changes
    • getVal

      public double getVal()
      Return the value of the associated variable, which might not reflect the value of the contents of the input box. The value of the variable changes only when the checkInput() method is called, or when the setVal() method is called. Call checkInput() first, if you want to be sure of getting the same value that is currently shown in the box.
      Specified by:
      getVal in interface Value
    • setVal

      public void setVal(double d)
      Set the value of the associated variable. Also sets the content of the input box.
    • setThrowErrors

      public void setThrowErrors(boolean throwErrors)
      Set the throwErrors property. If the value is true, then an error will be thrown by the checkInput() method when the contents of the VariableInput box are not legal. Otherwise, no error is thrown; the value of the variable is just set to Double.NaN.
    • getThrowErrors

      public boolean getThrowErrors()
      Return the value of the throwErrors property.
    • setMin

      public void setMin(double min)
      Specify the smallest allowed value for the content of this VariableInput box.
    • getMin

      public double getMin()
      Return the minimum value that will be accepted in this VariableInput box.
    • setMax

      public void setMax(double max)
      Specify the largest allowed value for the content of this VariableInput box.
    • getMax

      public double getMax()
      Return the maximum value that will be accepted in this VariableInput box.
    • setInputStyle

      public void setInputStyle(int style)
      Specify what types of things are allowed in the input box. The value of the parameter, style, must be one of the constants VariableInput.EXPRESSION, VariableInput.REAL, or VariableInput.INTEGER. If not, the call to setInputStyle is ignored.
    • getInputStyle

      public int getInputStyle()
      Return the input style, which determines what types of things are allowed in the input box. The returned value is one of the contstants EXPRESSION, REAL, or INTEGER
    • getErrorMessage

      public String getErrorMessage()
      Get error message from previous call to checkInput(). Returns null if there was no error.
    • checkInput

      public void checkInput()
      Check whether the contents are valid, and change the value of the associated variable if the new contents do not match the current value. This might throw an error of type JCMError, if throwErrors is true. This is usually called by a Controller.
      Specified by:
      checkInput in interface InputObject
    • getSerialNumber

      public long getSerialNumber()
      Return this object's serial number, which increases whenever the value of the associated variable changes.
      Specified by:
      getSerialNumber in interface Tieable
    • sync

      public void sync(Tie tie, Tieable newest)
      Synchronize serial number and value with newest, unless this VariableInput is itself newest. This is required by the Tieable interface, and is usually called by an object of type Tie.
      Specified by:
      sync in interface Tieable
    • convertInput

      protected double convertInput(String num)
      Convert a string into a real value. The parameter is taken from the input box when this method is called by VI.checkInput() Throw a JCMError if any error is found in the input.
      Parameters:
      num - String to be converted
      Returns:
      the real value.
    • setText

      public void setText(String text)
      This overrides the setText() method from the TextField class so that it will also force the contents to be checked the next time the checkInput() method is called.
      Overrides:
      setText in class TextField
      Parameters:
      text - change text to this.
    • processActionEvent

      public void processActionEvent(ActionEvent evt)
      Overridden to call onUserAction.compute() if onUserAction is non-null. This is not meant to be called directly.
      Overrides:
      processActionEvent in class TextField
    • processTextEvent

      public void processTextEvent(TextEvent evt)
      Overridden to call onUserAction.compute() if onUserAction is non-null. This is not meant to be called directly.
      Overrides:
      processTextEvent in class TextComponent