Module java.desktop
Package javax.swing

Class Spring

java.lang.Object
javax.swing.Spring
public abstract class Spring extends Object
An instance of the Spring class holds three properties that characterize its behavior: the minimum, preferred, and maximum values. Each of these properties may be involved in defining its fourth, value, property based on a series of rules.

An instance of the Spring class can be visualized as a mechanical spring that provides a corrective force as the spring is compressed or stretched away from its preferred value. This force is modelled as linear function of the distance from the preferred value, but with two different constants -- one for the compressional force and one for the tensional one. Those constants are specified by the minimum and maximum values of the spring such that a spring at its minimum value produces an equal and opposite force to that which is created when it is at its maximum value. The difference between the preferred and minimum values, therefore, represents the ease with which the spring can be compressed and the difference between its maximum and preferred values, indicates the ease with which the Spring can be extended. See the sum(javax.swing.Spring, javax.swing.Spring) method for details.

By defining simple arithmetic operations on Springs, the behavior of a collection of Springs can be reduced to that of an ordinary (non-compound) Spring. We define the "+", "-", max, and min operators on Springs so that, in each case, the result is a Spring whose characteristics bear a useful mathematical relationship to its constituent springs.

A Spring can be treated as a pair of intervals with a single common point: the preferred value. The following rules define some of the arithmetic operators that can be applied to intervals ([a, b] refers to the interval from a to b, where a <= b). 

          [a1, b1] + [a2, b2] = [a1 + a2, b1 + b2]

                      -[a, b] = [-b, -a]

      max([a1, b1], [a2, b2]) = [max(a1, a2), max(b1, b2)]

If we denote Springs as [a, b, c], where a <= b <= c, we can define the same arithmetic operators on Springs: 

          [a1, b1, c1] + [a2, b2, c2] = [a1 + a2, b1 + b2, c1 + c2]

                           -[a, b, c] = [-c, -b, -a]

      max([a1, b1, c1], [a2, b2, c2]) = [max(a1, a2), max(b1, b2), max(c1, c2)]

With both intervals and Springs we can define "-" and min in terms of negation: 

      X - Y = X + (-Y)

      min(X, Y) = -max(-X, -Y)

For the static methods in this class that embody the arithmetic operators, we do not actually perform the operation in question as that would snapshot the values of the properties of the method's arguments at the time the static method is called. Instead, the static methods create a new Spring instance containing references to the method's arguments so that the characteristics of the new spring track the potentially changing characteristics of the springs from which it was made. This is a little like the idea of a lazy value in a functional language.

If you are implementing a SpringLayout you can find further information and examples in How to Use SpringLayout, a section in The Java Tutorial.

Warning: Serialized objects of this class will not be compatible with future Swing releases. The current serialization support is appropriate for short term storage or RMI between applications running the same version of Swing. As of 1.4, support for long term storage of all JavaBeans has been added to the java.beans package. Please see XMLEncoder.

Since:
1.4
See Also:

  • Field Summary

    Fields
    Modifier and Type
    Field
    Description
    static final int
    UNSET
    An integer value signifying that a property value has not yet been calculated.

  • Constructor Summary

    Constructors
    Modifier
    Constructor
    Description
    protected
    Spring()
    Used by factory methods to create a Spring.

  • Method Summary

    Modifier and Type
    Method
    Description
    static Spring
    constant(int pref)
    Returns a strut -- a spring whose minimum, preferred, and maximum values each have the value pref.
    static Spring
    constant(int min, int pref, int max)
    Returns a spring whose minimum, preferred, and maximum values have the values: min, pref, and max respectively.
    abstract int
    getMaximumValue()
    Returns the maximum value of this Spring.
    abstract int
    getMinimumValue()
    Returns the minimum value of this Spring.
    abstract int
    getPreferredValue()
    Returns the preferred value of this Spring.
    abstract int
    getValue()
    Returns the current value of this Spring.
    static Spring
    height(Component c)
    Returns a spring whose minimum, preferred, maximum and value properties are defined by the heights of the minimumSize, preferredSize, maximumSize and size properties of the supplied component.
    static Spring
    max(Spring s1, Spring s2)
    Returns max(s1, s2): a spring whose value is always greater than (or equal to) the values of both s1 and s2.
    static Spring
    minus(Spring s)
    Returns -s: a spring running in the opposite direction to s.
    static Spring
    scale(Spring s, float factor)
    Returns a spring whose minimum, preferred, maximum and value properties are each multiples of the properties of the argument spring, s.
    abstract void
    setValue(int value)
    Sets the current value of this Spring to value.
    static Spring
    sum(Spring s1, Spring s2)
    Returns s1+s2: a spring representing s1 and s2 in series.
    static Spring
    width(Component c)
    Returns a spring whose minimum, preferred, maximum and value properties are defined by the widths of the minimumSize, preferredSize, maximumSize and size properties of the supplied component.

    Methods declared in class java.lang.Object

    clone, equals, finalize, getClass, hashCode, notify, notifyAll, toString, wait, wait, wait

  • Field Details

    • UNSET

      public static final int UNSET
      An integer value signifying that a property value has not yet been calculated.
      See Also:

  • Constructor Details

  • Method Details

    • getMinimumValue

      public abstract int getMinimumValue()
      Returns the minimum value of this Spring.
      Returns:
      the minimumValue property of this Spring

    • getPreferredValue

      public abstract int getPreferredValue()
      Returns the preferred value of this Spring.
      Returns:
      the preferredValue of this Spring

    • getMaximumValue

      public abstract int getMaximumValue()
      Returns the maximum value of this Spring.
      Returns:
      the maximumValue property of this Spring

    • getValue

      public abstract int getValue()
      Returns the current value of this Spring.
      Returns:
      the value property of this Spring
      See Also:

    • setValue

      public abstract void setValue(int value)
      Sets the current value of this Spring to value.
      Parameters:
      value - the new setting of the value property
      See Also:

    • constant

      public static Spring constant(int pref)
      Returns a strut -- a spring whose minimum, preferred, and maximum values each have the value pref.
      Parameters:
      pref - the minimum, preferred, and maximum values of the new spring
      Returns:
      a spring whose minimum, preferred, and maximum values each have the value pref
      See Also:

    • constant

      public static Spring constant(int min, int pref, int max)
      Returns a spring whose minimum, preferred, and maximum values have the values: min, pref, and max respectively.
      Parameters:
      min - the minimum value of the new spring
      pref - the preferred value of the new spring
      max - the maximum value of the new spring
      Returns:
      a spring whose minimum, preferred, and maximum values have the values: min, pref, and max respectively
      See Also:

    • minus

      public static Spring minus(Spring s)
      Returns -s: a spring running in the opposite direction to s.
      Parameters:
      s - a Spring object
      Returns:
      -s: a spring running in the opposite direction to s
      See Also:

    • sum

      public static Spring sum(Spring s1, Spring s2)
      Returns s1+s2: a spring representing s1 and s2 in series. In a sum, s3, of two springs, s1 and s2, the strains of s1, s2, and s3 are maintained at the same level (to within the precision implied by their integer values). The strain of a spring in compression is: 
               value - pref
         ------------
          pref - min
      and the strain of a spring in tension is: 
               value - pref
         ------------
          max - pref
      When setValue is called on the sum spring, s3, the strain in s3 is calculated using one of the formulas above. Once the strain of the sum is known, the values of s1 and s2 are then set so that they are have a strain equal to that of the sum. The formulas are evaluated so as to take rounding errors into account and ensure that the sum of the values of s1 and s2 is exactly equal to the value of s3.
      Parameters:
      s1 - a Spring object
      s2 - a Spring object
      Returns:
      s1+s2: a spring representing s1 and s2 in series
      See Also:

    • max

      public static Spring max(Spring s1, Spring s2)
      Returns max(s1, s2): a spring whose value is always greater than (or equal to) the values of both s1 and s2.
      Parameters:
      s1 - a Spring object
      s2 - a Spring object
      Returns:
      max(s1, s2): a spring whose value is always greater than (or equal to) the values of both s1 and s2
      See Also:

    • scale

      public static Spring scale(Spring s, float factor)
      Returns a spring whose minimum, preferred, maximum and value properties are each multiples of the properties of the argument spring, s. Minimum and maximum properties are swapped when factor is negative (in accordance with the rules of interval arithmetic).

      When factor is, for example, 0.5f the result represents 'the mid-point' of its input - an operation that is useful for centering components in a container.

      Parameters:
      s - the spring to scale
      factor - amount to scale by.
      Returns:
      a spring whose properties are those of the input spring s multiplied by factor
      Throws:
      NullPointerException - if s is null
      Since:
      1.5

    • width

      public static Spring width(Component c)
      Returns a spring whose minimum, preferred, maximum and value properties are defined by the widths of the minimumSize, preferredSize, maximumSize and size properties of the supplied component. The returned spring is a 'wrapper' implementation whose methods call the appropriate size methods of the supplied component. The minimum, preferred, maximum and value properties of the returned spring therefore report the current state of the appropriate properties in the component and track them as they change.
      Parameters:
      c - Component used for calculating size
      Returns:
      a spring whose properties are defined by the horizontal component of the component's size methods.
      Throws:
      NullPointerException - if c is null
      Since:
      1.5

    • height

      public static Spring height(Component c)
      Returns a spring whose minimum, preferred, maximum and value properties are defined by the heights of the minimumSize, preferredSize, maximumSize and size properties of the supplied component. The returned spring is a 'wrapper' implementation whose methods call the appropriate size methods of the supplied component. The minimum, preferred, maximum and value properties of the returned spring therefore report the current state of the appropriate properties in the component and track them as they change.
      Parameters:
      c - Component used for calculating size
      Returns:
      a spring whose properties are defined by the vertical component of the component's size methods.
      Throws:
      NullPointerException - if c is null
      Since:
      1.5