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Set disabled text color on JButton

I have a JButton with HTML text:

JButton button = new JButton("<html><center>Manage Users</center></html>");

When I disabled the button, the text still appear in black. How do I make the disabled text in gray (as it should appear when it's not in HTML)? This is what I currently do:

button.setText("<html><center>Manage Users</center></html>");
button.setEnabled(false);

I don't really like this way of doing. Is there a better way?

Kostas Harvatis

Try the setVisible() method and see what happens...

yongsing

ASKER

Calling setVisible(false) would have made the whole button disappear.

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

saurav17

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mjsmith99

Extend JButton and override setEnabled(). Include your button-colouring code in the overriding method.

Regards,
Mike
mjsmith99@hotmaildotyouknowwhat

Mick Barry

Override setEnabled and change the HTML button text:

public void setEnabled(boolean flag)
{
if (flag)
{
setText("<html><center>Manage Users</center></html>");
}
else
{
setText("<html><center>Manage Users</center></html>");
}
super.setEnabled(flag);
repaint();
}

yongsing

ASKER

objects, that was exactly what I had done. I am actually hoping for a less complicated method.

Mick Barry

Not sure there is a simpler way.
As you're using HTML for specifying the button text then that is what is being displayed regardless of whether it's enabled or disabled.

yongsing

ASKER

Thanks. It seems that there's no other way of doing it.

mlempert

I created a class that extends JButton and I provide the Enabled and Disabled text with an overridden setEnabled(boolean) method. This way I only have to specify the text in one place and the text changes based on the setEnabled parameter value.

Example usage
JButton button=new TextChangeButton(
"<html><center>Manage Users</center></html>",
"<html><center>Manage Users</center></html>");
...
button.setEnabled(true); // Show manage users in black
button.setEnabled(false); // Show manage users in grey

import javax.swing.JButton;
 
/**
 * Class to change the text of a JButton when the button is enabled or disabled.
 * In the case of HTML text, this class can be used to "Gray out" the button if
 * it is disabled and reset when the button is enabled.
 * 
 * @author mlempert
 */
public class TextChangeButton extends JButton {
    private String enabledText = null;
    private String disabledText = null;
 
    /**
     * Constructor
     * @param enabledText  Enabled text
     */
    public TextChangeButton(String enabledText) {
        super(enabledText);
        this.enabledText = enabledText;
    }
 
    /**
     * Constructor
     * @param enabledText  Enabled text
     * @param disabledText Disabled text
     */
    public TextChangeButton(String enabledText, String disabledText) {
        this(enabledText);
        this.disabledText = disabledText;
    }
 
    /**
     * Set the button text and the enabled text
     * 
     * @param enabledText Enabled text
     */
    public void setText(String enabledText) {
        this.enabledText = enabledText;
        super.setText(enabledText);
    }
 
    /**
     * Set the disabled text
     * 
     * @param disabledText
     */
    public void setDisabledText(String disabledText) {
        this.disabledText = disabledText;
    }
 
    /*
     * @see javax.swing.AbstractButton#setEnabled(boolean)
     */
    public void setEnabled(boolean b) {
        super.setEnabled(b);
        if (disabledText != null)
            super.setText(b ? this.enabledText : this.disabledText);
    }
    
    /**
     * Show the enabled text
     */
    public void showEnabledText(){
    	super.setText(this.enabledText);
    }
    
    /**
     * Show the disabled text
     */
    public void showDisabledText(){
    	if (disabledText != null)
            super.setText(this.disabledText);
    }
}

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yongsing

ASKER

Good effort, mlempert. But unfortunately you are late by almost 6 years, and this question is no longer relevant to me now. :)

mlempert

I understand. I thought that it might help someone else who might be searching for a similar situation. I ran across this on an internet search for something else.