Java CardLayout

The Java CardLayout class manages the components in such a manner that only one component is visible at a time. It treats each component as a card that is why it is known as CardLayout.

Constructors of CardLayout Class

CardLayout(): creates a card layout with zero horizontal and vertical gap.
CardLayout(int hgap, int vgap): creates a card layout with the given horizontal and vertical gap.

Commonly Used Methods of CardLayout Class

public void next(Container parent): is used to flip to the next card of the given container.
public void previous(Container parent): is used to flip to the previous card of the given container.
public void first(Container parent): is used to flip to the first card of the given container.
public void last(Container parent): is used to flip to the last card of the given container.
public void show(Container parent, String name): is used to flip to the specified card with the given name.

Example of CardLayout Class: Using Default Constructor

The following program uses the next() method to move to the next card of the container.

FileName: CardLayoutExample1.java

// import statements
import java.awt.*;  
import javax.swing.*; 
import java.awt.event.*;  

public class CardLayoutExample1 extends JFrame implements ActionListener
{  

CardLayout crd;  

// button variables to hold the references of buttons
JButton btn1, btn2, btn3;  
Container cPane; 

// constructor of the class
CardLayoutExample1()
{  

cPane = getContentPane();  

//default constructor used
// therefore, components will 
// cover the whole area
crd = new CardLayout();  

cPane.setLayout(crd);  

// creating the buttons
btn1 = new JButton("Apple");  
btn2 = new JButton("Boy");  
btn3 = new JButton("Cat");  

// adding listeners to it
btn1.addActionListener(this);  
btn2.addActionListener(this);  
btn3.addActionListener(this);  

cPane.add("a", btn1); // first card is the button btn1
cPane.add("b", btn2); // first card is the button btn2
cPane.add("c", btn3);  // first card is the button btn3
		  
}  
public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) 
{  
// Upon clicking the button, the next card of the container is shown
// after the last card, again, the first card of the container is shown upon clicking
crd.next(cPane);  
}  

// main method
public static void main(String argvs[]) 
{   
// creating an object of the class CardLayoutExample1
CardLayoutExample1 crdl = new CardLayoutExample1(); 

// size is 300 * 300		
crdl.setSize(300, 300);  
crdl.setVisible(true);  
crdl.setDefaultCloseOperation(EXIT_ON_CLOSE);  
}  
}  

Output:

When the button named apple is clicked, we get

When the boy button is clicked, we get

Again, we reach the first card of the container if the cat button is clicked, and the cycle continues.

Example of CardLayout Class: Using Parameterized Constructor

FileName: CardLayoutExample2.java

import java.awt.*;  
import java.awt.event.*;  
  
import javax.swing.*;  
  
public class CardLayoutExample2 extends JFrame implements ActionListener{  
CardLayout card;  
JButton b1,b2,b3;  
Container c;  
    CardLayoutExample2(){  
          
        c=getContentPane();  
        card=new CardLayout(40,30);  
//create CardLayout object with 40 hor space and 30 ver space  
        c.setLayout(card);  
          
        b1=new JButton("Apple");  
        b2=new JButton("Boy");  
        b3=new JButton("Cat");  
        b1.addActionListener(this);  
        b2.addActionListener(this);  
        b3.addActionListener(this);  
              
        c.add("a",b1);c.add("b",b2);c.add("c",b3);  
                          
    }  
    public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {  
    card.next(c);  
    }  
  
    public static void main(String[] args) {  
        CardLayoutExample2 cl=new CardLayoutExample2();  
        cl.setSize(400,400);  
        cl.setVisible(true);  
        cl.setDefaultCloseOperation(EXIT_ON_CLOSE);  
    }  
}  

download this example

Output:

Usage of the Methods of the CardLayout Class

The following example shows how one can use different methods of the CardLayout class.

FileName: CardLayoutExample3.java

// Import statements.
import java.awt.*;
import java.awt.event.ActionEvent;
import java.awt.event.ActionListener;
import javax.swing.*;

public class CardLayoutExample3 extends JFrame 
{

// Initializing the value of
// currCard to 1 .
private int currCard = 1;

// Declaring of objects
// of the CardLayout class.
private CardLayout cObjl;

// constructor of the class
public CardLayoutExample3()
{

// Method to set the Title of the JFrame
setTitle("Card Layout Methods");

// Method to set the visibility of the JFrame
setSize(310, 160);

// Creating an Object of the "Jpanel" class
JPanel cPanel = new JPanel();

// Initializing of the object "cObjl"
// of the CardLayout class.
cObjl = new CardLayout();

// setting the layout
cPanel.setLayout(cObjl);

// Initializing the object
// "jPanel1" of the JPanel class.
JPanel jPanel1 = new JPanel();

// Initializing the object
// "jPanel2" of the CardLayout class.
JPanel jPanel2 = new JPanel();

// Initializing the object
// "jPanel3" of the CardLayout class.
JPanel jPanel3 = new JPanel();

// Initializing the object
// "jPanel4" of the CardLayout class.
JPanel jPanel4 = new JPanel();

// Initializing the object
// "jl1" of the JLabel class.
JLabel jLabel1 = new JLabel("C1");

// Initializing the object
// "jLabel2" of the JLabel class.
JLabel jLabel2 = new JLabel("C2");

// Initializing the object
// "jLabel3" of the JLabel class.
JLabel jLabel3 = new JLabel("C3");

// Initializing the object
// "jLabel4" of the JLabel class.
JLabel jLabel4 = new JLabel("C4");

// Adding JLabel "jLabel1" to the JPanel "jPanel1".
jPanel1.add(jLabel1);

// Adding JLabel "jLabel2" to the JPanel "jPanel2".
jPanel2.add(jLabel2);

// Adding JLabel "jLabel3" to the JPanel "jPanel3".
jPanel3.add(jLabel3);

// Adding JLabel "jLabel4" to the JPanel "jPanel4".
jPanel4.add(jLabel4);

// Add the "jPanel1" on cPanel
cPanel.add(jPanel1, "1");

// Add the "jPanel2" on cPanel
cPanel.add(jPanel2, "2");

// Add the "jPanel3" on cPanel
cPanel.add(jPanel3, "3");

// Add the "jPanel4" on cPanel
cPanel.add(jPanel4, "4");

// Creating an Object of the "JPanel" class
JPanel btnPanel = new JPanel();

// Initializing the object
// "firstButton" of the JButton class.
JButton firstButton = new JButton("First");

// Initializing the object
// "nextButton" of the JButton class.
JButton nextButton = new JButton("->");

// Initializing the object
// "previousbtn" of JButton class.
JButton previousButton = new JButton("<-");

// Initializing the object
// "lastButton" of the JButton class.
JButton lastButton = new JButton("Last");

// Adding the JButton "firstbutton" on the JPanel.
btnPanel.add(firstButton);

// Adding the JButton "nextButton" on the JPanel.
btnPanel.add(nextButton);

// Adding the JButton "previousButton" on the JPanel.
btnPanel.add(previousButton);

// Adding the JButton "lastButton" on the JPanel.
btnPanel.add(lastButton);

// adding firstButton in the ActionListener
firstButton.addActionListener(new ActionListener()
{
public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent ae)
{

// using the first cObjl CardLayout
cObjl.first(cPanel);

// value of currCard is 1
currCard = 1;
}
});

// add lastButton in ActionListener
lastButton.addActionListener(new ActionListener()
{
public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent ae)
{

// using the last cObjl CardLayout
cObjl.last(cPanel);

// value of currCard is 4
currCard = 4;
}
});

// add nextButton in ActionListener
nextButton.addActionListener(new ActionListener()
{
public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent ae)
{

if (currCard < 4)
{

// increase the value of currCard by 1
currCard = currCard + 1;

// show the value of currCard
cObjl.show(cPanel, "" + (currCard));
}
}
});

// add previousButton in ActionListener
previousButton.addActionListener(new ActionListener()
{
public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent ae)
{

if (currCard > 1) 
{

// decrease the value
// of currCard by 1
currCard = currCard - 1;

// show the value of currCard
cObjl.show(cPanel, "" + (currCard));
}
}
});

// using to get the content pane
getContentPane().add(cPanel, BorderLayout.NORTH);

// using to get the content pane
getContentPane().add(btnPanel, BorderLayout.SOUTH);
}

// main method
public static void main(String argvs[])
{

// Creating an object of the CardLayoutExample3 class.
CardLayoutExample3 cll = new CardLayoutExample3();

// method to set the default operation of the JFrame.
cll.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);

// aethod to set the visibility of the JFrame.
cll.setVisible(true);
}
}

Output: