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Java Swing - Using Java Preferences to remember last location and size of a frame

[Last Updated: Oct 8, 2018]

In following example we will use a utility to remember JFrame last location and size. We will also use our coalesce event util on JFrame 'resized' and 'moved' events for efficiency.

Example

package com.logicbig.example.uicommon;

import javax.swing.*;
import java.awt.*;
import java.awt.event.ComponentAdapter;
import java.awt.event.ComponentEvent;
import java.util.prefs.Preferences;

public class FrameMonitor {

  public static void registerFrame(JFrame frame, String frameUniqueId,
                                   int defaultX, int defaultY, int defaultW, int defaultH) {
      Preferences prefs = Preferences.userRoot()
                                     .node(FrameMonitor.class.getSimpleName() + "-" + frameUniqueId);
      frame.setLocation(getFrameLocation(prefs, defaultX, defaultY));
      frame.setSize(getFrameSize(prefs, defaultW, defaultH));

      CoalescedEventUpdater updater = new CoalescedEventUpdater(400,
              () -> updatePref(frame, prefs));

      frame.addComponentListener(new ComponentAdapter() {
          @Override
          public void componentResized(ComponentEvent e) {
              updater.update();
          }

          @Override
          public void componentMoved(ComponentEvent e) {
              updater.update();
          }
      });
  }

  private static void updatePref(JFrame frame, Preferences prefs) {
      System.out.println("Updating preferences");
      Point location = frame.getLocation();
      prefs.putInt("x", location.x);
      prefs.putInt("y", location.y);
      Dimension size = frame.getSize();
      prefs.putInt("w", size.width);
      prefs.putInt("h", size.height);
  }

  private static Dimension getFrameSize(Preferences pref, int defaultW, int defaultH) {
      int w = pref.getInt("w", defaultW);
      int h = pref.getInt("h", defaultH);
      return new Dimension(w, h);
  }

  private static Point getFrameLocation(Preferences pref, int defaultX, int defaultY) {
      int x = pref.getInt("x", defaultX);
      int y = pref.getInt("y", defaultY);
      return new Point(x, y);
  }
}
package com.logicbig.example.uicommon;

import javax.swing.*;

public class CoalescedEventUpdater {
  private Timer timer;

  public CoalescedEventUpdater(int delay, Runnable callback) {
      timer = new Timer(delay, e -> {
          timer.stop();
          callback.run();
      });
  }

  public void update() {
      if (!SwingUtilities.isEventDispatchThread()) {
          SwingUtilities.invokeLater(() -> {timer.restart();});
      } else {
          timer.restart();
      }
  }
}

Example Main

public class ExampleMain {
  public static void main(String[] args) {
      JFrame frame = createFrame();
      FrameMonitor.registerFrame(frame, ExampleMain.class.getName(),
              0, 0, 500, 400);
      frame.setVisible(true);
  }

  private static JFrame createFrame() {
      JFrame frame = new JFrame("Remembering Window Size and Location");
      frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
      return frame;
  }
}

Output

On changing size and location the preferences is updated. On restarting, last size and location are restored.

Example Project

Dependencies and Technologies Used:

  • JDK 10
  • Maven 3.5.4

Remembering JFrame location and size Select All Download
  • java-prefs-remember-frame-location-and-size
    • src
      • main
        • java
          • com
            • logicbig
              • example
                • uicommon
                  • FrameMonitor.java

    See Also