Java graphics repaint problem

Question

Having trouble with a simple paint pad in java. Issues with getting my clear button to repaint. The array is clearing but not repainting. Can anyone spot my problem or is there any different way of generating a clear button for this code.

public class DrawingPanel extends JPanel {
  private double x1=0;
  private double x2=0;
  private double y1=0;
  private double y2=0;

  private ArrayList<Shape> myArr = new ArrayList<Shape>();
  //private ArrayList<Shape> clearMyArr = new ArrayList<Shape>();
  ButtonPanel buttonPress;

   public void paintComponent(Graphics g) 
  {
     for (Shape i : myArr)
     {
        Graphics2D g2d = (Graphics2D)g;
        g2d.draw(i);
     }   
         /*for (Shape i : clearMyArr)
     {
        Graphics2D g2d = (Graphics2D)g;
        g2d.draw(i);
     }   */

  }         
    //inner class

   class Listener1 extends MouseAdapter
  {
      public void mousePressed(MouseEvent e)
     {
        x1=e.getX();
        y1=e.getY();
        System.out.println("Mouse Pressed");
     }

      public void mouseReleased(MouseEvent e)
     {
        x2=e.getX();
        y2=e.getY();
        Shape shape = null;
        if (buttonPress.buttonType.equals("Rectangle"))
        {
        // Rectangles cannot have a zero width or height
           if (x1 != x2 || y1 != y2)
           {
              double width = Math.abs(x1 -x2);
              double height = Math.abs(y1-y2);
              shape = new Rectangle2D.Double(Math.min(x1,x2),Math.min(y1,y2), width, height);
           }
        } 
        if (buttonPress.buttonType.equals("Eclipse"))
        {
           double width = Math.abs(x1 -x2);
           double height = Math.abs(y1-y2);
           shape = new Ellipse2D.Double(Math.min(x1,x2),Math.min(y1,y2), width, height);;
       } 
        if (buttonPress.buttonType.equals("Lines"))
        {
           shape = new Line2D.Double(x1, y1, x2, y2);

        } 
            if (buttonPress.buttonType.equals("Clear"))
        {
                for( int i = 0;i <= myArr.size(); i++ )
                {
                System.out.println("ArrayList Size :"+myArr.size());

                myArr.clear(); // clear all elements from arraylist 
                //clearMyArr.addAll(myArr);
                System.out.println("ArrayList Size :"+myArr.size()); 

                //myArr.removeAll();
                revalidate();
                repaint();
                }


        } 

        if (shape != null)
        {
           myArr.add(shape);

        }
        repaint();
     }


  }
//end of inner class

   public DrawingPanel(ButtonPanel reference)
  {
     buttonPress = reference;
     setBorder(BorderFactory.createLineBorder(Color.black,4));
     addMouseListener(new Listener1());      
  }

}

Answer 1

If you forget to call super.paintComponent(g); the background does not get cleared, so the old image will still be visible. And all JButton's and stuff you added, will not be drawn. To fix this, let the panel draw itself first, then you can draw your stuff on top of it.

@Override
protected void paintComponent(Graphics g) {
     super.paintComponent(g);// <-- let panel draw itself
     Graphics2D g2d = (Graphics2D)g;
     for (Shape i : myArr)
     {
        g2d.draw(i);
     }   
  }

This works too (except that it does not draw widgets you added with DrawingPanel.add(..)). It's a dirty hack:

@Override
protected void paintComponent(Graphics g)
     Graphics2D g2d = (Graphics2D)g;
     g2d.setColor(Color.grey);
     g2d.fillRect(0,0,this.getWidth(),this.getHeight()); //<-- clear the background
     for (Shape i : myArr)
     {
        g2d.draw(i);
     }   
  }

In the listener this would be enough.

if (buttonPress.buttonType.equals("Clear"))
{
   myArr.clear();
   repaint();
}

You shouldn't have to call revalidate();.