Create Phonebook using inheritance

Aloha,

I'm new to Java and am having trouble understanding inheritance (super/subclass) and coding it. The assignment I have is to upgrade the CellPhoneGuiP that I created and add an address book to it. Here's my assignment:

"Upgrade your phone application to include a “phone book”. That is, create a list of contacts and phone numbers that can be called from your cell phone. You must create a separate class to represent a contact, instantiate at least five contacts storing them in an array or a dynamic data structure. Your phone book must display on your cell phone display or “pop up” as a separate JFrame."

Below is the my CellPhoneGui & the address Book code. I need some direction and understanding on how to do this. Any help will do.

My code is below:

Code :

---

import javax.swing.*;
import java.awt.*;
import java.awt.event.*;
import java.text.*;
 
public class CellPhoneGuiP extends JFrame
{
     private JPanel displayPanel = new JPanel();            //display panel
     private JPanel funcPanel = new JPanel();            //function buttons SEND, CLEAR, REDIAL & END
     private JPanel addBookPanel = new JPanel();
     private JPanel buttonPanel = new JPanel();            //numerical buttons
     private JTextField display = new JTextField(25);        //to reference a text field
     private JTextField addBookDisplay = new JTextField(20);    
     private JLabel dlabel = new JLabel ("              Cell Phone Simulator            ");     
     private final String WINDOW_TITLE = "Cell Phone Gui";
 
     private JButton clearButton;            //Clear display
     private JButton sendButton;            //SEND button
     private JButton redialButton;            //Redial number button
     private JButton endButton;            //End the call
     private JButton exitButton;            //Exit Button
     private JButton addBookButton;            //Address Book button
 
     private JButton Button1;                //Button #1
     private JButton Button2;                //Button #2
     private JButton Button3;                //Button #3
     private JButton Button4;                //Button #4
     private JButton Button5;                //Button #5
     private JButton Button6;                //Button #6
     private JButton Button7;                //Button #7
     private JButton Button8;                //Button #8
     private JButton Button9;                //Button #9
     private JButton asterisk;                //asterisk button
     private JButton Button0;                //Button #0
     private JButton lbButton;                //pound sign button
 
     String numInput;                //variable that holds number dialed
 
     private final int WINDOW_WIDTH = 350;        //Window width
     private final int WINDOW_HEIGHT = 425;        //Window height
 
     // AddressBook is the JFrame or child JFrame that will be opened later. 
 
    AddressBook addBook =  new AddressBook(this);
 
     //instantiate the parent CellPhoneGuiP (parent)    
 
     public static void main(String[] args) {
    CellPhoneGuiP cp1 = new CellPhoneGuiP();
    cp1.init();
    cp1.setDefaultCloseOperation (JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
     }
 
     // this builds the GUI from the child 
 
     void init() {
           addBook.addActionListener(new AddressBookListener());
           addBookPanel.setLayout(new BorderLayout());
           addBookPanel.add(addBookButton, BorderLayout.NORTH);
           addBookPanel.add(exitButton,BorderLayout.SOUTH);
           addBookPanel.add(display,BorderLayout.CENTER);
           add(addBookPanel);
           setSize(400,400);
 
           setVisible(true);
     }
 
     public CellPhoneGuiP() {
         super("Address Book");
         setTitle(WINDOW_TITLE);                //set the window title
         setSize(WINDOW_WIDTH, WINDOW_HEIGHT);        //set the size of the window
         setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);    //specify an action for the close button
 
         buildDisplayPanel();
         buildFunctionPanel();                    //build the panel & add it to the frame
         buildButtonPanel();
         setLayout(new BorderLayout());                //create a BorderLayout manager
 
         add(displayPanel,BorderLayout.NORTH);            //add the panel to the frame's content pane
         add(buttonPanel,BorderLayout.CENTER);
         add(funcPanel,BorderLayout.SOUTH);
         clearScreen();
         setVisible(true);                        //display the window
      }
 
      private void buildDisplayPanel()
      {
    displayPanel.setLayout(new BorderLayout());    
    displayPanel.add(dlabel,BorderLayout.NORTH);         
    displayPanel.add(display,BorderLayout.CENTER);
    displayPanel.setBackground(Color.LIGHT_GRAY);
      }
 
      private void buildFunctionPanel()
      {
    funcPanel.setLayout(new GridLayout(3, 1));
    sendButton = new JButton("SEND");
            clearButton = new JButton("CLEAR");
            redialButton = new JButton("REDIAL");
            endButton = new JButton(" END ");
    addBookButton = new JButton("Address Book");
 
    funcPanel.add(sendButton);
    funcPanel.add(clearButton);
    funcPanel.add(endButton);
    funcPanel.add(redialButton);
    funcPanel.add(addBookButton);
 
     //add action listeners to function buttons
 
    sendButton.addActionListener(new SendButtonListener());
    clearButton.addActionListener(new ClearButtonListener());
    endButton.addActionListener(new EndButtonListener());
    redialButton.addActionListener(new RedialButtonListener());
    addBookButton.addActionListener(new AddressBookListener());
 
    //set color to background of function panel
 
    buttonPanel.setBackground(Color.LIGHT_GRAY);
      }
 
      private void buildButtonPanel()
      {
    buttonPanel.setLayout(new GridLayout(5, 5));
    buttonPanel.setBackground(Color.BLUE);
 
              //create buttons with the appropriate captions
 
            Button1 = new JButton(" 1 ");
            Button2 = new JButton(" 2 ");
            Button3 = new JButton(" 3 ");
            Button4 = new JButton(" 4 ");
            Button5 = new JButton(" 5 ");
            Button6 = new JButton(" 6 ");
            Button7 = new JButton(" 7 ");
            Button8 = new JButton(" 8 ");
            Button9 = new JButton(" 9 ");
            asterisk = new JButton(" * ");
            Button0 = new JButton(" 0 "); 
            lbButton= new JButton(" # ");
 
              //add the numeric buttons to the panel
 
    buttonPanel.add(Button1);
    buttonPanel.add(Button2);
    buttonPanel.add(Button3);
    buttonPanel.add(Button4);
    buttonPanel.add(Button5);
    buttonPanel.add(Button6);
    buttonPanel.add(Button7);
    buttonPanel.add(Button8);
    buttonPanel.add(Button9);
    buttonPanel.add(asterisk);
    buttonPanel.add(Button0);
    buttonPanel.add(lbButton);
 
    //add action listener to numeric buttons
 
    Button1.addActionListener(new ButtonListener());
    Button2.addActionListener(new ButtonListener());
    Button3.addActionListener(new ButtonListener());
    Button4.addActionListener(new ButtonListener());
    Button5.addActionListener(new ButtonListener());
    Button6.addActionListener(new ButtonListener());
    Button7.addActionListener(new ButtonListener());
    Button8.addActionListener(new ButtonListener());
    Button9.addActionListener(new ButtonListener());
    asterisk.addActionListener(new ButtonListener());
    Button0.addActionListener(new ButtonListener());
    lbButton.addActionListener(new ButtonListener());
        }    
 
        private class SendButtonListener implements ActionListener {
             public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e)
                {
        numInput = display.getText();
                  send();
                }
       }
       private class ClearButtonListener implements ActionListener {
              public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e)
              {
                  clearScreen();
              }
       }
       private class RedialButtonListener implements ActionListener {
              public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e)
              {
            numInput = display.getText();
                  redial();
              }
       }
       private class EndButtonListener implements ActionListener {
              public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e)
              {
                  end();
              }
       }
       private class AddressBookListener implements ActionListener {
              public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e)
    {
        addBook.setVisible(true);
        addBook.toFront();    
    }
       }
       private class ButtonListener implements ActionListener {
              public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e)
              {
          if (e.getSource() == Button1) {
                     display.setText(display.getText() + "1"); }
        else if (e.getSource()  == Button2) {
                    display.setText(display.getText() + "2"); }
        else if (e.getSource()  == Button3) {
                    display.setText(display.getText() + "3"); }
          else if (e.getSource()  == Button4) {
                 display.setText(display.getText() + "4"); }
          else if (e.getSource()  == Button5) {
                    display.setText(display.getText() + "5"); }
          else if (e.getSource()  == Button6) {
                         display.setText(display.getText() + "6"); }
          else if (e.getSource()  == Button7) {
                         display.setText(display.getText() + "7"); }
          else if (e.getSource()  == Button8) {
                         display.setText(display.getText() + "8"); }
          else if (e.getSource()  == Button9) {
                         display.setText(display.getText() + "9"); }
          else if (e.getSource()  == asterisk) {
                         display.setText(display.getText() + "*"); }
                  else if (e.getSource()  == Button0) {
                         display.setText(display.getText() + "0"); }
        else if (e.getSource()  == lbButton) {
                         display.setText(display.getText() + "#"); }
              }
      } //end of ButtonListener class
 
      //         Method to set the text field on CellPhoneGuiP (parent).  Called from addressBook (child) upon hiding.
 
      public void setAddressBookDisplay(String x) {
        addBookDisplay.setText(x);
        }
      public void clearScreen() {
             display.setText(" ");
      }
      public void send() {
                  display.setText("Calling " + numInput);
      }
      public void end() {
           display.setText("Call Ended");
      }
      public void redial() {
         display.setText("Redialing " + numInput);
      }
}
 
=================address book====================================
import java.awt.*;
import java.awt.event.*;
import javax.swing.*;
 
public class AddressBook extends CellPhoneGuiP
{
     JLabel firstNameLabel;            //label for first name
     JLabel lastNameLabel;            //label for last name
     JLabel cellNumberLabel;            //label for cell number
     JTextField fNameTxtField;            //text field for first name
     JTextField lNameTxtField;            //text field for last name
     JTextField cNumTxtField;            //text field for cell number
 
     JPanel addBook = new JPanel;        //panel for address book
     JTextArea display;            //display Area
 
     JButton addButton;            //button to add information
     JButton callButton;            //button to send a call
     JButton exitButton;            //exit button
 
     //array for contact and cell numbers
 
     String cellContacts[] = new strName[5];    
     String cellNumbers[] = new cellNum[5];
 
     //initialize i variable
     i = 0;
 
     /**
    Constructor: 
    @param AddressBook -- Reference to CellPhoneGuiP, which is the parent JFrame
    */
 
    public AddressBook(AddressBook addBook)  
    {
    super("Address Book");
    this.addBook = addBook;
 
    init();
     }
 
     public void init()
     {
    JFrame addBook = getContentPane();
    addBook.setLayout(new FlowLayout());
 
    //set labels and text fields for the address book panel
 
    firstNameLabel = new JLabel ("First Name");
    lastNameLabel = new JLabel ("Last Name");
    cellNumLabel = new JLabel ("Cell Phone Number");
 
    fNameTxtField = new JTextField(25);
    lNameTxtField = new JTextField(25);
    cNumTxtField = new JTextField(15);
 
    addButton = new JButton("ADD");
    callButton = new JButton("CALL");
    exitButton = new JButton("EXIT");    
 
 
    //setting for the display area
 
    display = new JTextArea (11, 40);
 
    //add labels and buttons
 
    addBook.add(firstNameLabel);
    addBook.add(lastNameLabel);
    addBook.add(cellNumLabel);
    addBook.add(fNameTxtField);
    addBook.add(lNameTxtField);
    addBook.add(cellNumTxtField);
    addBook.add(display);
 
    //add Action Listeners
 
    addButton.addActionListener(this);
    callButton.addActionListener(this);
    exitButton.addActionListener(this);
     }
 
     public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) 
     {
    if (e.getSource() == addButton)
         addFunction();
    else if (e.getSource() == callButton)
         callFunction();
    else if (e.getSource() == exitButton)
         exitFunction();
     }
 
     public void addFunction()
     {
    cellNames[i] = fNameTxtField.getText() + " " + lNameTxtField.getTextField();
    cellNum[i] = cNumTxtField.getText();
    fNameTxtField.setText(" ");
    lNameTxtField.setText(" ");
    cNumTxtField.setText(" ");
    display.append("Added:  " + cellNames[i] + "\t\tCell Number: " + cellNum[i] + "\n");
    i++;
     }
 
     public void callFunction()
     {
    super.send(display);
 
     }
 
     public void exitFunction()
     {
    system.exit(0);
     }
}

---

Hello islandGirl and welcome to the Java Programming Forums :D

When you post Java code in the future can you please place the [code] tags around your code. For example:

http://www.javaprogrammingforums.com...s/codetags.jpg

It cleans everything up when you post and makes your code a lot easier to read. I've done it for you this time.

Thanks!

As for your assignment, I'm just about to go to bed for the night but ill look into this for you first thing in the morning and post a reply :)

Hey islandGirl,

Is there any more parts to the code you posted? I have just tried compiling it in Eclipse and there are a load of errors stopping it.

Good morning,

No, there are no other parts to this code. I posted what I had done for the 3rd assignment, which I expected for the code to have errors. To run my Java programs, I've been using the dos command window (javac/java) as instructed by our instructor. The cellphonecode that I used in my 2nd assignment worked out fine, which I'm indicating below. So all I need to do in our 3rd assignment is add an address book to it using an array to store 5 contact names then make a call on one of the contacts on the list. The addressbook must popup in a separate JFrame.

I don't understand how the super/subclass and how the arguments are pass from one class to another. So in my assignment case, will my Cellphone code be the parent class and then the child will be my phonebook? Also, is it better I start using either NetBeans or Eclipse to run all my assignment programs?

Sorry, I'm really new to Java but I want to learn more on the programming side. I hope I'm not confusing you but I think the first thing we should do is look at my orginal cellphone code then maybe you can provide me with suggestions and understanding how I need to code the phonebook.

Here is the original cellphone code:

Code :

---

]import javax.swing.*;
import java.awt.*;
import java.awt.event.*;
import java.text.*;
 
/**  
 
       @author islandGirl
*/
public class CellPhoneGui extends JFrame
{
     private JPanel displayPanel = new JPanel();		//display panel
     private JPanel funcPanel = new JPanel();		//function buttons
     private JPanel buttonPanel = new JPanel();		//numerical buttons
     private JTextField display = new JTextField(25);	//to reference a test field
     private JLabel dlabel = new JLabel ("             Cell Phone Simulator            ");     
     private final String WINDOW_TITLE = "Cell Phone Gui";
 
     private JButton clearButton;			//Clear display
     private JButton sendButton;			//SEND button
     private JButton redialButton;			//Redial number button
     private JButton endButton;			//End the call
     private JButton Button1;				//Button #1
     private JButton Button2;				//Button #2
     private JButton Button3;				//Button #3
     private JButton Button4;				//Button #4
     private JButton Button5;				//Button #5
     private JButton Button6;				//Button #6
     private JButton Button7;				//Button #7
     private JButton Button8;				//Button #8
     private JButton Button9;				//Button #9
     private JButton asterisk;				//asterisk button
     private JButton Button0;				//Button #0
     private JButton lbButton;				//pound sign button
 
     String numInput;				//variable that holds number dialed
     private final int WINDOW_WIDTH = 350;		//Window width
     private final int WINDOW_HEIGHT = 425;		//Window height
 
 
     public static void main(String[] args) {
	new CellPhoneGui();
     }
 
 
     public CellPhoneGui() {
         setTitle(WINDOW_TITLE);				//set the window title
         setSize(WINDOW_WIDTH, WINDOW_HEIGHT);		//set the size of the window
         setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);	//specify an action for the close button
 
         buildDisplayPanel();
         buildFunctionPanel();				//build the panel & add it to the frame
         buildButtonPanel();
         setLayout(new BorderLayout());				//create a BorderLayout manager
 
         add(displayPanel,BorderLayout.NORTH);			//add the panel to the frame's content pane
         add(buttonPanel,BorderLayout.CENTER);
         add(funcPanel,BorderLayout.SOUTH);
         clearScreen();
         setVisible(true);				    	//display the window
      }
 
        private void buildDisplayPanel()
        {
	displayPanel.setLayout(new BorderLayout());	
	displayPanel.add(dlabel,BorderLayout.NORTH);         
	displayPanel.add(display,BorderLayout.CENTER);
	displayPanel.setBackground(Color.LIGHT_GRAY);
        }
 
        private void buildFunctionPanel()
        {
	funcPanel.setLayout(new GridLayout(3, 1));
	sendButton = new JButton("SEND");
        	clearButton = new JButton("CLEAR");
        	redialButton = new JButton("REDIAL");
        	endButton = new JButton(" END ");
 
	funcPanel.add(sendButton);
	funcPanel.add(clearButton);
	funcPanel.add(endButton);
	funcPanel.add(redialButton);
 
 	//add action listeners to function buttons
 
	sendButton.addActionListener(new SendButtonListener());
	clearButton.addActionListener(new ClearButtonListener());
	endButton.addActionListener(new EndButtonListener());
	redialButton.addActionListener(new RedialButtonListener());
 
	//set color to background of function panel
 
	buttonPanel.setBackground(Color.LIGHT_GRAY);
         }
 
         private void buildButtonPanel()
         {
	buttonPanel.setLayout(new GridLayout(5, 7));
 
              //create buttons with the appropriate captions
 
        	Button1 = new JButton(" 1 ");
        	Button2 = new JButton(" 2 ");
        	Button3 = new JButton(" 3 ");
        	Button4 = new JButton(" 4 ");
        	Button5 = new JButton(" 5 ");
        	Button6 = new JButton(" 6 ");
        	Button7 = new JButton(" 7 ");
        	Button8 = new JButton(" 8 ");
        	Button9 = new JButton(" 9 ");
        	asterisk = new JButton(" * ");
        	Button0 = new JButton(" 0 "); 
        	lbButton= new JButton(" # ");
 
              //add the numeric buttons to the panel
 
	buttonPanel.add(Button1);
	buttonPanel.add(Button2);
	buttonPanel.add(Button3);
	buttonPanel.add(Button4);
	buttonPanel.add(Button5);
	buttonPanel.add(Button6);
	buttonPanel.add(Button7);
	buttonPanel.add(Button8);
	buttonPanel.add(Button9);
	buttonPanel.add(asterisk);
	buttonPanel.add(Button0);
	buttonPanel.add(lbButton);
 
	//add action listener to numeric buttons
 
	Button1.addActionListener(new ButtonListener());
	Button2.addActionListener(new ButtonListener());
	Button3.addActionListener(new ButtonListener());
	Button4.addActionListener(new ButtonListener());
	Button5.addActionListener(new ButtonListener());
	Button6.addActionListener(new ButtonListener());
	Button7.addActionListener(new ButtonListener());
	Button8.addActionListener(new ButtonListener());
	Button9.addActionListener(new ButtonListener());
	asterisk.addActionListener(new ButtonListener());
	Button0.addActionListener(new ButtonListener());
	lbButton.addActionListener(new ButtonListener());
          }	
 
          private class SendButtonListener implements ActionListener {
         	public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e)
            	{
		numInput = display.getText();
	              send();
            	}
          }
          private class ClearButtonListener implements ActionListener {
          	public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e)
              {
	              clearScreen();
              }
          }
          private class RedialButtonListener implements ActionListener {
          	public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e)
              {
	    	numInput = display.getText();
	              redial();
              }
          }
          private class EndButtonListener implements ActionListener {
          	public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e)
              {
	              end();
              }
          }
          private class ButtonListener implements ActionListener {
              public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e)
              {
	  	if (e.getSource() == Button1) {
	     	        display.setText(display.getText() + "1"); }
		else if (e.getSource()  == Button2) {
	     	       display.setText(display.getText() + "2"); }
		else if (e.getSource()  == Button3) {
	     	       display.setText(display.getText() + "3"); }
	  	else if (e.getSource()  == Button4) {
	  	       display.setText(display.getText() + "4"); }
	  	else if (e.getSource()  == Button5) {
	     	       display.setText(display.getText() + "5"); }
	  	else if (e.getSource()  == Button6) {
	                     display.setText(display.getText() + "6"); }
	  	else if (e.getSource()  == Button7) {
	                     display.setText(display.getText() + "7"); }
	  	else if (e.getSource()  == Button8) {
	                     display.setText(display.getText() + "8"); }
	  	else if (e.getSource()  == Button9) {
	                     display.setText(display.getText() + "9"); }
	  	else if (e.getSource()  == asterisk) {
	                     display.setText(display.getText() + "*"); }
		  else if (e.getSource()  == Button0) {
	                     display.setText(display.getText() + "0"); }
		  else if (e.getSource()  == lbButton) {
	                     display.setText(display.getText() + "#"); }
              }
          } //end of ButtonListener class
 
          public void clearScreen() {
 	    	display.setText(" ");
          }
          public void send() {
	              display.setText("Calling " + numInput);
          }
          public void end() {
 	  	display.setText("Call Ended");
          }
          public void redial() {
	 	display.setText("Redialing " + numInput);
          }
 
}

---

Hello islandGirl,

Most of the applications you write for your assignments will probably be GUI (graphical user interface) based so I suggest you use the NetBeans IDE. Its really handy for creating GUIs.
Eclipse is a very powerful IDE for console use but it doesn't have a built in drag & drop GUI creator.

To understand subclass/superclass I suggest you read through the Sun Java Tutorial on Inheritance:

Inheritance (The Java™ Tutorials > Learning the Java Language > Interfaces and Inheritance)

Here is a really simple example of how to pass a String value from one class to another.

Code :

---

public class Test1 {
 
    public static void main(String[] args) {
 
        //Create object of Test2 class called t2
 
        Test2 t2 = new Test2("I've just passed a String to the Test2 class!");
    }
 
}

---

Code :

---

public class Test2 {
 
    //Test2 String Constructor
 
    public Test2(String myString){
      System.out.println(myString);
    }
 
}

---

When Test1 class is run, Test2 will print "I've just passed a String to the Test2 class!" in the console.

I was reading up on the inheritance today so I'm understanding it now. Thank you so much for your assistance and for providing me with your example. I'll start using NetBeans for future GUI program assignments.

Have a great day/evening.

Mahalo (thank you)

islandGirl