Serializing a JFrame and sending via network

Question

What I\'m trying to do is to send a JFrame through sockets. The problem is after I send the form and press the button to view it I get the below exception.

Answer 1

JPanel implementation

Following @Jack advices sending a JPanel instead of a JFrame seems to work. Below is the implementation.

package ds3;

import java.awt.Container;
import java.io.IOException;
import java.io.ObjectInputStream;
import java.io.ObjectOutputStream;
import java.net.ServerSocket;
import java.net.Socket;
import java.net.UnknownHostException;
import java.util.logging.Level;
import java.util.logging.Logger;
import javax.swing.JFrame;
import javax.swing.JPanel;
import javax.swing.SwingUtilities;
import javax.swing.UIManager;

public class SerializationApp extends JFrame {

    private DataPanel dataPanel = new DataPanel();
    private JFrame frPanel = new JFrame();
    private int serverPort = 15000;
    private ServerSocket serverSocket;

    public SerializationApp() {
        try {
            serverSocket = new ServerSocket(serverPort);
            initComponents();
            setLocationRelativeTo(null);
            frPanel.add(dataPanel);
            frPanel.pack();
            frPanel.setLocationRelativeTo(this);
            frPanel.setDefaultCloseOperation(DISPOSE_ON_CLOSE);
            new Thread(new Runnable() {

                @Override
                public void run() {
                    while (true) {
                        try {
                            Socket socket = serverSocket.accept();
                            ObjectInputStream objectinputstream = new ObjectInputStream(socket.getInputStream());
                            JPanel container = (JPanel) objectinputstream.readObject();
                            JFrame frame = new JFrame(socket.getInetAddress().getHostAddress());
                            frame.add(container);
                            frame.pack();
                            frame.setLocationRelativeTo(null);
                            setVibility(frame);


                            socket.close();
                        } catch (ClassNotFoundException ex) {
                            Logger.getLogger(SerializationApp.class.getName()).log(Level.SEVERE, null, ex);
                        } catch (IOException ex) {
                            Logger.getLogger(SerializationApp.class.getName()).log(Level.SEVERE, null, ex);
                        }
                    }
                }
            }).start();
        } catch (IOException ex) {
            Logger.getLogger(SerializationApp.class.getName()).log(Level.SEVERE, null, ex);
        }
    }

    @SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
    //                           
    private void initComponents() {

        jPanel1 = new javax.swing.JPanel();
        iptextfield = new javax.swing.JTextField();
        jPanel2 = new javax.swing.JPanel();
        viewButton = new javax.swing.JButton();
        sendButton = new javax.swing.JButton();

        setDefaultCloseOperation(javax.swing.WindowConstants.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);

        jPanel1.setBorder(javax.swing.BorderFactory.createTitledBorder(null, "Receiver IP Address", javax.swing.border.TitledBorder.DEFAULT_JUSTIFICATION, javax.swing.border.TitledBorder.DEFAULT_POSITION, new java.awt.Font("Dialog", 0, 12), new java.awt.Color(0, 0, 204))); // NOI18N
        jPanel1.setLayout(new java.awt.BorderLayout());
        jPanel1.add(iptextfield, java.awt.BorderLayout.CENTER);

        getContentPane().add(jPanel1, java.awt.BorderLayout.CENTER);

        viewButton.setText("View Form");
        viewButton.addActionListener(new java.awt.event.ActionListener() {
            public void actionPerformed(java.awt.event.ActionEvent evt) {
                viewButtonActionPerformed(evt);
            }
        });
        jPanel2.add(viewButton);

        sendButton.setText("Send Form");
        sendButton.addActionListener(new java.awt.event.ActionListener() {
            public void actionPerformed(java.awt.event.ActionEvent evt) {
                sendButtonActionPerformed(evt);
            }
        });
        jPanel2.add(sendButton);

        getContentPane().add(jPanel2, java.awt.BorderLayout.SOUTH);

        pack();
    }//                         

    private void setVibility(final JFrame dataform) {

        SwingUtilities.invokeLater(new Runnable() {

            @Override
            public void run() {
                dataform.setVisible(!dataform.isVisible());
            }
        });
    }

private void viewButtonActionPerformed(java.awt.event.ActionEvent evt) {                                           
    setVibility(frPanel);
}                                          

private void sendButtonActionPerformed(java.awt.event.ActionEvent evt) {                                           
    try {
        Socket clientsocket = new Socket(iptextfield.getText(), 15000);
        ObjectOutputStream oout = new ObjectOutputStream(clientsocket.getOutputStream());
        oout.writeObject(dataPanel);
        oout.reset();
        oout.flush();
        clientsocket.close();
    } catch (UnknownHostException ex) {
        Logger.getLogger(SerializationApp.class.getName()).log(Level.SEVERE, null, ex);
    } catch (IOException ex) {
        Logger.getLogger(SerializationApp.class.getName()).log(Level.SEVERE, null, ex);
    }
}                                          

    public static void main(String args[]) {

        try {
            UIManager.setLookAndFeel(UIManager.getSystemLookAndFeelClassName());
        } catch (Exception ignored) {
            ignored.printStackTrace();
        }

        java.awt.EventQueue.invokeLater(new Runnable() {

            @Override
            public void run() {
                new SerializationApp().setVisible(true);
            }
        });
    }
    // Variables declaration - do not modify                     
    private javax.swing.JTextField iptextfield;
    private javax.swing.JPanel jPanel1;
    private javax.swing.JPanel jPanel2;
    private javax.swing.JButton sendButton;
    private javax.swing.JButton viewButton;
    // End of variables declaration                   
}

The JPanel

On the received JPanel only the second one ActionListener works.

package ds3;


import java.awt.event.ActionEvent;
import java.awt.event.ActionListener;
import java.io.Serializable;

public class DataPanel extends javax.swing.JPanel implements Serializable,ActionListener {

    public DataPanel() {
        initComponents();
        jButton1.addActionListener(this);
    }

    @SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
    //                           
    private void initComponents() {

        jLabel1 = new javax.swing.JLabel();
        jLabel2 = new javax.swing.JLabel();
        jLabel3 = new javax.swing.JLabel();
        jLabel4 = new javax.swing.JLabel();
        jTextField1 = new javax.swing.JTextField();
        jTextField2 = new javax.swing.JTextField();
        jTextField3 = new javax.swing.JTextField();
        jTextField4 = new javax.swing.JTextField();
        jButton1 = new javax.swing.JButton();

        jLabel1.setText("jLabel1");
        add(jLabel1);

        jLabel2.setText("jLabel1");
        add(jLabel2);

        jLabel3.setText("jLabel1");
        add(jLabel3);

        jLabel4.setText("jLabel1");
        add(jLabel4);

        jTextField1.setText("jTextField1");
        add(jTextField1);

        jTextField2.setText("jTextField1");
        add(jTextField2);

        jTextField3.setText("jTextField1");
        add(jTextField3);

        jTextField4.setText("jTextField1");
        add(jTextField4);

        jButton1.setText("jButton1");
        jButton1.addActionListener(new java.awt.event.ActionListener() {
            public void actionPerformed(java.awt.event.ActionEvent evt) {
                jButton1ActionPerformed(evt);
            }
        });
        add(jButton1);
    }//                         

    private void jButton1ActionPerformed(java.awt.event.ActionEvent evt) {                                         
       System.out.println("The label");
    }                                        

    // Variables declaration - do not modify                     
    private javax.swing.JButton jButton1;
    private javax.swing.JLabel jLabel1;
    private javax.swing.JLabel jLabel2;
    private javax.swing.JLabel jLabel3;
    private javax.swing.JLabel jLabel4;
    private javax.swing.JTextField jTextField1;
    private javax.swing.JTextField jTextField2;
    private javax.swing.JTextField jTextField3;
    private javax.swing.JTextField jTextField4;
    // End of variables declaration                   

    @Override
    public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {
        System.out.println("Print");
    }
}

XMLEncoder implementation

As for the XMLEncoder if I encode the whole class the inputs on the fields are not transferred.

The main class

import java.awt.FlowLayout;
import java.awt.event.ActionEvent;
import java.awt.event.ActionListener;
import java.beans.XMLEncoder;
import java.io.ByteArrayOutputStream;
import java.io.OutputStream;
import java.net.Socket;
import javax.swing.JButton;
import javax.swing.JFrame;
import javax.swing.UIManager;

public final class MainClass extends JFrame {

    private TheFRameForm x;

    public MainClass() {
        x = new TheFRameForm();
        initComponents();
        TheServer theServer = new TheServer();
        theServer.start();

    }

    void initComponents() {
        setTitle("Look At Me Now");
        setLayout(new FlowLayout());
        JButton b = new JButton("Show Form");
        b.addActionListener(new ActionListener() {

            @Override
            public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {
                x.setVisible(true);
            }
        });
        add(b);
        JButton s = new JButton("Send Form");
        s.addActionListener(new ActionListener() {

            @Override
            public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {
                sendForm();
            }
        });
        add(s);
        pack();
        setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
        setLocationRelativeTo(null);
        setVisible(true);
    }

    private void sendForm() {
        try {
            Socket clientsocket = new Socket("localhost", 15000);
            XMLEncoder encoder = new XMLEncoder(clientsocket.getOutputStream());
            encoder.writeObject(x); //.getContentPane()
            encoder.close();

            OutputStream memStream = new ByteArrayOutputStream();
            XMLEncoder mencoder = new XMLEncoder(memStream);
            mencoder.writeObject(x);//.getContentPane()
            mencoder.close();
            String xmlString = memStream.toString();
            System.out.println(xmlString);

        } catch (Exception e) {
            e.printStackTrace();
        }
    }

    public static void main(String args[]) {

        try {
            UIManager.setLookAndFeel(UIManager.getSystemLookAndFeelClassName());
        } catch (Exception ignored) {
            ignored.printStackTrace();
        }

        MainClass theMainclass = new MainClass();
    }
}

The Server class

import java.beans.XMLDecoder;
import java.io.IOException;
import java.net.ServerSocket;
import java.net.Socket;
import java.util.logging.Level;
import java.util.logging.Logger;
import javax.swing.JFrame;

public class TheServer extends Thread {

    private static final int serverPort = 15000;
    private ServerSocket serverSocket;

    public TheServer() {
        try {
            serverSocket = new ServerSocket(serverPort);
        } catch (IOException ex) {
            Logger.getLogger(TheServer.class.getName()).log(Level.SEVERE, null, ex);
        }
    }

    @Override
    public void run() {
        try {
            while (true) {
                Socket socket = serverSocket.accept();
                System.out.println("Server is running");
                XMLDecoder decoder = new XMLDecoder(socket.getInputStream());
                JFrame frame = (JFrame) decoder.readObject();
                frame.setVisible(true);
                socket.close();
            }
        } catch (IOException ex) {
            Logger.getLogger(TheServer.class.getName()).log(Level.SEVERE, null, ex);
        }
    }
}

And the JFrame

public class TheFRameForm extends javax.swing.JFrame {

    public TheFRameForm() {
        initComponents();
    }

    @SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
    //                           
    private void initComponents() {

        jButton1 = new javax.swing.JButton();
        jLabel1 = new javax.swing.JLabel();
        jTextField1 = new javax.swing.JTextField();

        setDefaultCloseOperation(javax.swing.WindowConstants.DISPOSE_ON_CLOSE);

        jButton1.setText("jButton1");
        jButton1.addActionListener(new java.awt.event.ActionListener() {
            public void actionPerformed(java.awt.event.ActionEvent evt) {
                jButton1ActionPerformed(evt);
            }
        });

        jLabel1.setText("jLabel1");

        jTextField1.setText("jTextField1");

        javax.swing.GroupLayout layout = new javax.swing.GroupLayout(getContentPane());
        getContentPane().setLayout(layout);
        layout.setHorizontalGroup(
            layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.LEADING)
            .addGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.TRAILING, layout.createSequentialGroup()
                .addContainerGap(123, Short.MAX_VALUE)
                .addComponent(jButton1)
                .addGap(54, 54, 54)
                .addComponent(jLabel1)
                .addGap(102, 102, 102))
            .addGroup(layout.createSequentialGroup()
                .addGap(149, 149, 149)
                .addComponent(jTextField1, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE, javax.swing.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE)
                .addContainerGap())
        );
        layout.setVerticalGroup(
            layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.LEADING)
            .addGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.TRAILING, layout.createSequentialGroup()
                .addContainerGap(120, Short.MAX_VALUE)
                .addGroup(layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.BASELINE)
                    .addComponent(jLabel1)
                    .addComponent(jButton1))
                .addGap(57, 57, 57)
                .addComponent(jTextField1, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE, javax.swing.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE)
                .addGap(65, 65, 65))
        );

        pack();
    }//                         

    private void jButton1ActionPerformed(java.awt.event.ActionEvent evt) {                                         
        System.out.println("Print");      
    }                                        

    public static void main(String args[]) {

        try {
            for (javax.swing.UIManager.LookAndFeelInfo info : javax.swing.UIManager.getInstalledLookAndFeels()) {
                if ("Nimbus".equals(info.getName())) {
                    javax.swing.UIManager.setLookAndFeel(info.getClassName());
                    break;
                }
            }
        } catch (ClassNotFoundException ex) {
            java.util.logging.Logger.getLogger(TheFRameForm.class.getName()).log(java.util.logging.Level.SEVERE, null, ex);
        } catch (InstantiationException ex) {
            java.util.logging.Logger.getLogger(TheFRameForm.class.getName()).log(java.util.logging.Level.SEVERE, null, ex);
        } catch (IllegalAccessException ex) {
            java.util.logging.Logger.getLogger(TheFRameForm.class.getName()).log(java.util.logging.Level.SEVERE, null, ex);
        } catch (javax.swing.UnsupportedLookAndFeelException ex) {
            java.util.logging.Logger.getLogger(TheFRameForm.class.getName()).log(java.util.logging.Level.SEVERE, null, ex);
        }
        java.awt.EventQueue.invokeLater(new Runnable() {

            @Override
            public void run() {
                new TheFRameForm().setVisible(true);
            }
        });
    }
    // Variables declaration - do not modify                     
    private javax.swing.JButton jButton1;
    private javax.swing.JLabel jLabel1;
    private javax.swing.JTextField jTextField1;
    // End of variables declaration                   
}