🚀 go-pugleaf

 >Tom Giammo wrote:


> I would like to alter the text of "stausBar" from within another component 
> that I've added to "frame", the instance of the top-level JFrame extension.
> 

Easy enough if statusBar is the name of your JLabel:

  statusBar.setText("Some new text.");

> I've tried several approaches to getting at "statusBar".  Simply using its 
> name (i.e. "frame.statusBar") doesn't work  - presumably because "frame" is 
> only a property of the generated application class (named, in this case, 
> "hexGame").  

Unless the implementation of frame is static, that would be correct. 
Children or child objects of the parent class are only accessible within 
that class if they are declared private, only accessible by derived 
classes within the same package if declared protected, and accessible by 
all if declared "public".


The instance of hexGame, however, has not been given a name by
> JBuilder  - it is simply generated in the main() method by "new hexGame()" 
> without any assignment - and so I can't prefix its name to 
> "frame.statusBar".  

And that is totally within the context of the rules concerning 
encapsulation. Since the public static void main(String args[]) is 
declaring this as a new variable for HexGame (presumably), then the 
hexGame instance is only accessible within this method, static void main().


I've tried using the "parentFrame" property of the
> component on the same "frame" from which I am trying to alter "statusBar". 
> With the right castings, this compiles without a problem but causes an 
> uncaught exception in the system's event queue.
> 
Will not work, you are attempting to bypass encapsulation rules.
> Everything else in my application works like a charm  - as long as I don't 
> try to access "statusBar".
> 
> I'm obviously missing something.  I'd appreciate what ever help anyone gan 
> give.
> 
You are. Here are several suggestions:

/* (1) Make main a static member of the Main class and hexGame a member 
of the Main Class */

   public class Main{
    private HexGame hexGame;
    private static Main main;

    //in the Main Class' public static void method
    //add the main=New Main();

       public static void main(String args[]) {
         main= new Main();
           main.hexGame = new HexGame();
             //set any other attributes or run time methods

       }

     //add a method to get main
         public static Main getMainClass(){
          if(main==null) {
             main=new Main();
          }
            return main;
        }
    //Add a method to get HexGame
         public HexGame getHexGame(){
           return hexGame();
         }

   //Now in your HexGame class, add a public method for settingText for 
StatusBar

       public class HexGame implements JFrame{

        .....


        public void setStatusBarText(String newText){
            statusBar.setText(""); //make sure to clear text up
				  //to this point
	   statusBar.setText(newText);

       }
  .........
   }

    //Now in your other classes
      private void someClassMethod(){
        Main.getMainClass().getHexGame().setStatusBarText("Some new Text");
      }

That should do it for you!