Java swing "children" windows

Sorry for really simple question, but I wasnt able to find anything in the net, probably because I dont know the right terms to look for.

When you have a desktop application, there are many so called children windows: one for options, one for "about" and so on. How to make them in Java Swing (with NetBeans tools - optional)?

So far I just created another JFrame and on relevant event opened it the same way Main function launc开发者_StackOverflow中文版hes, well, main JFrame. But there's something wrong with this method: when I close child window via x in the upper right corner, whole program terminates as if I was closing the main window. This is probably because NetBeans auto generated code for x and I can find and change it somewhere... but still I have a feeling that there must be a simpler proper way to add children JFrames (or JPanels or whatever is it for children windows) ;)

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... But there's something wrong with this method: when I close child window via x in the upper right corner, whole program terminates as if I was closing the main window. ...

Well, I would say you are on the right path. Just make sure that you do the following for your child frames :

frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.DISPOSE_ON_CLOSE);

Then closing the child windows won't shut down your entire application.

HTH ! ;-)

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Do you mean a Dialog Window (see How to Make Dialogs) that you likely want to be modal to block user input to all other windows in the program (see An Overview of Dialogs)?

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Go to the frame-design mode -> select your frame -> in the properties, the fist option. Select Dispose on close.

If you don't see the props: Ctrl + Shift + 7 or Window (in the frame menu) -> Properties

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If you create frames, they aren't considered children windows. You can not set an owner for them as you could a JDialog. If you did want to create another JFrame, then you would have to set the close operation

frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.DISPOSE_ON_CLOSE);

instead of

frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);  

The EXIT_ON_CLOSE operation will call System.exit(0); which will terminate the JVM. Just remember, that if your main JFrame is set to DISPOSE_ON_CLOSE then you must make sure that all your other frames have been properly disposed of, otherwise it won't exit until they have been.