In Java, how to use Modality in Dialogs?

[Bigga Lexx]

Hi everyone,
I have recently started with the Java, before that I have done C++ and HTML programming languages. I have created a dialog box in my application in Java. I am told to use the modality into that.!! But I don't have any idea about using the modality. Really speaking I don't know the term modality. So can anyone explain me what is modality and how to use Modality in Dialogs.?? Expecting help from your side sooner.!!

[void]

hi 'Bigga Lexx', I think that you should first get the concept of the dialog box that are used in Java. Dialog box are the pop-up windows with the title and border that requires an input from the users. There are two types of dialog boxes :
Modal dialog box - Many times you have observed that when the dialog box pop ups, you cannot do the other things but you have to input something in that dialog box first. Such type of dialog box are called as modal dialog box. In simple words you can say that it blocks user input to all other windows.
Modeless dialog box - In this type, you can do interact with the other windows even if this dialog box is opened.

[Warner]

You should also have a knowledge about the modality types that are supported in Java versions. I am specifying some of the types that are supported by the Java SE 6 :

• Modeless type - This is one type of the dialog box. This dialog box does not block any other window while it is visible.
• Application-modal type - An application-modal dialog box blocks all windows from the same application. But it has some different feature from the modal dialog box which also blocks the other windows, but the different feature is that this dialog box except windows from its child hierarchy.
• Document-modal type - A Document-modal type is very much similar to the application modal type. But in this context, a document is a hierarchy of windows that share a common ancestor which is the closest ancestor window without an owner. This is called as the document root.

[Viensterrr]

I am providing you with the code snippets that may help you in creating the modality in dialogs. In the following sample of coding I have shown you how to create dialog boxes of different modality types :

f1 = new JFrame("Guide A (parent frame)");

...

d2 = new JDialog(f1);
...
	
d3 = new JDialog(d2, "", Dialog.ModalityType.DOCUMENT_MODAL);

...

f4 = new JFrame("Guide B (parent frame)");

...

d5 = new JDialog(f4);

...

d6 = new JDialog(d5, "", Dialog.ModalityType.DOCUMENT_MODAL);
	
...

[MELTRONICS]

After using the coding for creating the dialog boxes, you can use the following codes for completion of that dialog boxes. The codes that is mentioned by the 'Viensterrr', is just to create the dialog boxes. You can use the following code for doing the further coding into that :

JButton b8 = new JButton("How was that.!?");
b8.addActionListener(new ActionListener() {
    public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent ae) {
        JOptionPane.showConfirmationDialog(null,
                                           "Did you liked the Guide?",
                                           "Question (application-modal dialog)", 
                                           JOptionPane.Yes_NO_OPTION,
                                           JOptionPane.QUESTION_MESSAGE); 
    }
})

[Deabelos]

For creating the dialog boxes you need some constructors. That constructors should be of JDialog class because the JDialog class constructors enable you to create dialog boxes of various modality types. The following are some types of JDialog class constructors :

• JDialog(Dialog owner) - This type of the constructor creates a modeless dialog box with the specified Dialog owner but without a title.
• JDialog(Dialog owner, boolean modal) - This constructor is used for creating a dialog box with the specified Dialog owner and modality.
• JDialog(Dialog owner, String title) - This constructor creates a modeless dialog box with the specified Dialog owner and title.
• JDialog(Frame owner) - This constructor creates a modeless dialog box without a title with the specified Frame owner.