Thread: SWING ANIMATIONS

(i dont know if this is the proper place to post this, i think the problem can be categorize as SWING problems please move if innapropriate)

hello everyone
i am just trying to code a simple shooting game. the code works properly so far(except for a bug on the first shoot). my problem is after few shoots the animation of the target becomes slow. i dont know what is the source of this problem? could anyone look at my code and tell me whats wrong?? thanks.

import java.awt.Rectangle;
import java.awt.event.ActionEvent;
import java.awt.event.ActionListener;
import java.awt.event.KeyEvent;
import javax.swing.JOptionPane;
import javax.swing.Timer;
 
public class FrameMain extends javax.swing.JFrame {
    final int speed = 5;
    int dirx = speed;
    int diry = speed;
 
    /** Creates new form FrameMain */
    public FrameMain() {
        initComponents();
        setLocationRelativeTo(null);
        bullet.setVisible(false);
 
        //ANIMATE THE TARGET
        Timer t = new Timer(1, new ActionListener() {
 
            public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {
                if(obj1.getLocation().x>=500)dirx = -dirx;
                if(obj1.getLocation().x<=0)dirx = speed;
                obj1.setLocation(obj1.getLocation().x+dirx, obj1.getLocation().y);
 
            }
        });
 
        t.start();
    }
 
    /** This method is called from within the constructor to
     * initialize the form.
     * WARNING: Do NOT modify this code. The content of this method is
     * always regenerated by the Form Editor.
     */
    @SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
    // <editor-fold defaultstate="collapsed" desc="Generated Code">
    private void initComponents() {
 
        obj = new javax.swing.JLabel();
        obj1 = new javax.swing.JLabel();
        bullet = new javax.swing.JLabel();
 
        setDefaultCloseOperation(javax.swing.WindowConstants.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
        setMinimumSize(new java.awt.Dimension(500, 500));
        setResizable(false);
        addMouseMotionListener(new java.awt.event.MouseMotionAdapter() {
            public void mouseMoved(java.awt.event.MouseEvent evt) {
                formMouseMoved(evt);
            }
        });
        addKeyListener(new java.awt.event.KeyAdapter() {
            public void keyPressed(java.awt.event.KeyEvent evt) {
                formKeyPressed(evt);
            }
        });
        getContentPane().setLayout(new org.netbeans.lib.awtextra.AbsoluteLayout());
 
        obj.setBackground(new java.awt.Color(0, 0, 0));
        obj.setText("jLabel1");
        obj.setOpaque(true);
        getContentPane().add(obj, new org.netbeans.lib.awtextra.AbsoluteConstraints(150, 370, 20, 20));
 
        obj1.setBackground(new java.awt.Color(0, 0, 0));
        obj1.setText("jLabel1");
        obj1.setOpaque(true);
        getContentPane().add(obj1, new org.netbeans.lib.awtextra.AbsoluteConstraints(300, 70, 20, 20));
 
        bullet.setText("*");
        getContentPane().add(bullet, new org.netbeans.lib.awtextra.AbsoluteConstraints(310, 370, 10, -1));
 
        pack();
    }// </editor-fold>
 
    private void formMouseMoved(java.awt.event.MouseEvent evt) {                                
 
    }                               
 
   //KEY LISTENERS
    private void formKeyPressed(java.awt.event.KeyEvent evt) {
 
 
       if(evt.getKeyCode()==KeyEvent.VK_RIGHT)
       obj.setLocation(obj.getLocation().x+2, obj.getLocation().y);
       if(evt.getKeyCode()==KeyEvent.VK_LEFT)
       obj.setLocation(obj.getLocation().x-2, obj.getLocation().y);
 
       if(evt.getKeyCode()==KeyEvent.VK_SPACE)
       checkCollision();
    }
 
    /**
    * @param args the command line arguments
    */
    public static void main(String args[]) {
        java.awt.EventQueue.invokeLater(new Runnable() {
            public void run() {
                new FrameMain().setVisible(true);
            }
        });
    }
 
    // Variables declaration - do not modify
    private javax.swing.JLabel bullet;
    private javax.swing.JLabel obj;
    private javax.swing.JLabel obj1;
    // End of variables declaration
 
//RELEASE BULLET AND CHECK FOR COLLISION
    private void checkCollision() {
        obj.setLocation(obj.getLocation().x, obj.getLocation().y);
        bullet.setLocation(obj.getLocation());
        bullet.setVisible(true);
        bullet.setVisible(true);
        Timer t = new Timer(5, new ActionListener() {
 
            public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {
                bullet.setLocation(bullet.getLocation().x, bullet.getLocation().y-5);
                Rectangle r1 = new Rectangle(obj1.getLocation().x, obj1.getLocation().y, obj1.getWidth(), obj1.getHeight());
                Rectangle r = new Rectangle(bullet.getLocation().x, bullet.getLocation().y, bullet.getWidth(), bullet.getHeight());
                if(r.intersects(r1)){
                    bullet.setVisible(false);
                    obj1.setVisible(false);
                    JOptionPane.showMessageDialog(null, "THIS IS SPARTA!!");
                }
            }
        });
        t.start();
    }
 
}

the animation of the target becomes slow.

Is this because the time between moving the target gets longer or the paint method is called less frequently or the distance the target is moved is less or ????

Try debugging your code by Adding some print outs to the code to show what the cause of the slow down is. Print out the values of all the variables that control how fast the target moves.

Are the animations intended to be continual? I don't see where they are ever stopped, so over time you may accumulate bunches of animation Timers who end up all competing for the same thread

i see the problem now.. i am running 2 timers simultaneously.. i put the animation on the same timers and its working perfectly now...