Question

I am making a Java application where I show a couple of checkboxes with relevant item from a file. Based on the selection I have to modify the original file accordingly. I have done this part.

I now realized that there might be some information that the user wants to add extra. I therefore want to show a checkbox with a JTextField hooked to it. The idea that I am trying to use is that if the value of checkbox is true, the value of JTextField associated with it, is included in the file.

I want to do something like this:

checkBoxes[i] = new Checkbox(new JTextField("enter new member e.g private int newMember"), null, false);

then

if(checkBoxes[i]==true)
{
    updatefile(file, checkBoxes[i]);
}

Where updateFile is a function that adds the value of checkBoxes[i] to file

Any idea on how should I work on this?

Answer 1

Just create the JTextField separately, there’s no need for them to be the same control.

i.e.

checkBoxes[i] = new JCheckBox("label");
textFields[i] = new JTextField("extra data");
// ...
if (checkBoxes[i].isSelected()) {
    updateFile(file, textFields[i]);
}

If you want to enable/disable the textFields based on the selected state of the checkbox, do it using a listener – e.g. an ActionListener:

checkBoxes[i].addActionListener(new ActionListener() {
    @Override
    public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {
        textFields[i].setEnabled(checkBoxes[i].isSelected());
    }