JavaFX

[vsquared]

When trying to run the JavaFX code shown below, I get this error:

Do you know a way that I could add JavaFX to the Thonny IDE? In Processing I can usually add all seven jar files to a data folder in the sketch folder and get it to run.

from javafx.scene import Scene
from javafx.stage import Stage
from javafx.scene.control import Button
from javafx.scene.layout import Pane

def setup():
    size(1,1,FX2D)
    stage = Stage()
    stage.set_title("Button demo")
    btn = Button("Button")
    btn.layout_x(80)
    btn.layout_y(80)
    pane = Pane()
    pane.get_children().add(btn)
    scene = Scene(pane, 250, 200)
    stage.setScene(scene)
    stage.show()
    

[hx2A]

Hi @vsquared !

You can put the javafx jars in a jars subdirectory. py5 will check for the existence of such a directory and will add those jars to the classpath before starting the JVM. Jars must always be added to the classpath before the JVM is started.

There is a good discussion about this that I will refer you to:

https://discourse.processing.org/t/importing-a-java-pocessing-library-into-py5/44444/8

This will provide you with more information on importing jars.

However, there is an extra twist: javafx has some weird import thing where you'll get a strange error when you try to add those jars to the classpath. And I vaguely remember getting py5 working with javafx at one point but stopped working on it. It can work but the weird error messages got annoying.

[hx2A]

Those files are not being initialized and Thonny is telling me that the hang up is in JPype.

The files are not being initialized because the relevant code to initialize them was not used. In the example code I provided, there were several lines of code using py5_tools that enable the modules. You cannot use that code with imported mode, however, because that code can only be run before the JVM is started, which takes place when you import py5. In imported mode, this is done before the first line of your code executes, so you do not get a chance to run the necessary code needed to enable the FX modules. Therefore, FX2D is not compatible with imported mode.

I realize that it is a different approach than your demo with all the py5. prefixes, but I want to try it.

If you are going to continue down this path of exploration, I am going to have to insist that you use module mode and stop trying to use imported mode. You should also know that I am also a person with needs outside of GitHub and am currently managing my Dad's health problems, which is consuming much of my time, and has been consuming my time for many months, and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. Every day is a struggle as I try to manage my own needs on top of what I am doing for my parents. One of the things I do outside of that is try to grow the py5 library and community, and part of how I do that is by answering questions here. I am motivated for people to have a good experience with py5. I don't have a lot of time to do this. I am getting frustrated here because I am trying to help you with what you want to accomplish by pointing you in a direction that could work but you want to do things in a way that cannot possibly work. Asking me to help you do something that cannot work is not fair to me or my time.

[villares]

Cheers @vsquared and @hx2A !

vsquared, you asked the other day the benefits of module mode, comparing with imported mode that takes less typing, and it was not that clear to me (other than namespace clashes) so I guess now we found a very clear limitation of imported mode and benefit of moving advanced stuff to module mode!

Maybe we could add that to the docs, if you want to import jars, if you need to add stuff to jpype's classpath, you have to use module mode or class mode.

[vsquared]

Asking me to help you do something that cannot work is not fair to me or my time.

Please don't stress out about this. It's not a life or death matter. I have lots of projects I can work on and I'm not totally committed to py5. If we get JavaFX to work in py5, great, if we don't it's no big deal. I only report things to you because you said you wanted to be kept in the loop; I certainly don't expect you to answer questions that you don't know the answers to, but I am always interested in what you have to say. I have another opinion from someone on the JPype forum and he thinks that there's some problem with the JavaFX module jars and associated code and admits that there is a scarcity of error messages to solve the problem, but supposedly he has had JavaFX running in some other python app, so it appears to be possible. For now I nearly have an educational app written in py5 with Swing components that should help students master the multiplication tables. I'll post it here when I get it done and run it by Villares since I believe he is a teacher. At least we were successful getting Swing into py5. As far as JavaFX goes I also got it into Processing, but I don't see that many people using it. It can also be run from the command line and I need to finish my objc based JavaFX editor so I can experiment more with it. Creating a py5 editor that could run JavaFX from the command line is another possibility if this other technique proves too difficult to do. At any rate, don't fret over it and don't think you have to provide answers. I sympathize with you trying to care for an infirmed parent and realize it's not easy.

[hx2A]

@vsquared , I do want you to know I do respect your motivation to experiment and try out ideas, especially since the motivation to hack things is literally the foundation upon which py5 is born. I hope my tone does not come across in a way that diminishes your motivation. It's just that imported mode as a concept is suited for beginner coders and combining Java and Python is an advanced technique, and there will certainly be shortcomings in what something designed for beginners is able to achieve when it is used for advanced things. Those shortcomings are perhaps weaknesses but are also necessary parts of making something easier for beginners to use.

[hx2A]

(I typed my previous message before your reply appeared here)

At any rate, don't fret over it and don't think you have to provide answers. I sympathize with you trying to care for an infirmed parent and realize it's not easy.

Thank you for being understanding, and you have a point, I am putting pressure on myself to provide answers. Maybe accepting that I don't have to do that all the time is something I need to learn as a maintainer. I appreciate your helping me realize that; I'm sure that will help me in the future.

[vsquared]

Success! Should work for openers(seven javafx modules should be dropped into 'jars' folder):

import py5
import javafx.scene.Scene
import javafx.scene.layout.Pane
import javafx.stage.Stage

this = py5._instance

def settings():
    this.size(1,1,this.FX2D)
    
def setup():
    btn = javafx.scene.control.Button("Button")
    print(btn)   
# **** Adds btn to pane ****    
    pane = javafx.scene.layout.Pane(btn)
    print("pane =",pane) 
    scene = javafx.scene.Scene(pane,250,200)
    stage = javafx.stage.Stage()
    stage.setTitle("JavaFX Demo")
    print("stage =",stage)   
    print("scene = ",scene)  
    stage.setScene(scene)
    stage.show()
    
__name__ == '__main__' and py5.run_sketch()

Output:

[villares]

This looks very cool and promising!

I can imagine a GUI library for py5 based on this, if you could package it (hide some of the complexity) in a way that would make it easy for people to both:

• Have a normal py5 canvas window and a "controls" window with JavaFX elements
• Have a JavaFX window like this one with an interactive py5 canvas inside.

[vsquared]

Thanks for reviewing. I'm curious if you can run this in Linux and what does the output look like? BTW the graphics and text with the FX2D renderer are really sharp compared to what we're used to in Processing. Below is a window arrangement like what you described.
FX2D graphics output:

[villares]

Oh boy, I was unlucky... I copied the jars but it doesn't work for me on Linux...

Graphics Device initialization failed for :  es2, sw
Error initializing QuantumRenderer: no suitable pipeline found
...
    import javafx.scene.layout.Pane
  File "/home/villares/.local/lib/python3.10/site-packages/jpype/imports.py", line 189, in find_spec
    if not hasattr(base, parts[2]):
  File "/home/villares/.local/lib/python3.10/site-packages/jpype/imports.py", line 82, in _JExceptionHandler
    raise ImportError("Unable to import '%s' due to initializer error" % javaname) from ex
ImportError: Unable to import 'javafx.scene.layout.Pane' due to initializer error

[hx2A]

I get the same exception as @villares on Linux. Glad you are making progress with this, @vsquared ! How does this work without enabling the FX modules? Is that somehow being done elsewhere?

[vsquared]

@villares
Here's an example of building two windows in a single py5 file. One window is the py5 window with FX2D renderer and the other is a JavaFX controller window. The size of the circle in the py5 window may be changed by adjusting the slider in the JavaFX window.

import py5
import javafx.scene.Scene
import javafx.scene.layout.Pane
import javafx.stage.Stage
import javafx.scene
import javafx.scene.text.Text
import javafx.scene.text.Font
import javafx.scene.paint.Color

this = py5._instance

_wndW = 400
_wndH = 400

def settings():
    this.size(_wndW,_wndH,this.FX2D)
 
def setup():
    global stage
    global scene
    global pane
    global slider
    
    py5.get_surface().set_title("FX2D Window")

    slider = javafx.scene.control.Slider(0,300,100)
    print(slider)
    print("slider init value =",slider.getValue())  
    label = javafx.scene.control.Label("Pull slider to change circle.")
    print(label)
    btn = javafx.scene.control.Button("Button")
    print(btn)
    txt = javafx.scene.text.Text("Welcome to JavaFX")
    txt.setUnderline(True)
    print("txt =",txt)
    print(txt.getText())

    pane = javafx.scene.layout.Pane()
    print("pane =",pane)
    pane.getChildren().add(txt)
    txt.relocate(40,20)
    pane.getChildren().add(label)
    label.relocate(40,50)
    pane.getChildren().add(slider)
    slider.relocate(30,80)
    pane.getChildren().add(btn)
    btn.relocate(80,120)
    myColor = javafx.scene.paint.Color
    print("ALICEBLUE =",myColor.ALICEBLUE)   
    scene = javafx.scene.Scene(pane,250,200, myColor.ALICEBLUE)
    stage = javafx.stage.Stage()
    print("stage =",stage)
    stage.setTitle("JavaFX Window")
    print("scene = ",scene)  
    stage.setScene(scene)
    stage.show()

def draw():
    this.background(209)
    this.fill(255)
    this.rect(10,10,220,40)
    this.fill(0)
    this.textSize(22)
    this.text("Welcome to FX2D!!",20,40)
    this.fill(0,0,255)
    this.circle(_wndW/2,_wndH/2,float(slider.getValue())) 
    
py5.run_sketch()

Output:

[villares]

Well, I fiddled a bit more... downloaded some other JavaFX jars from https://gluonhq.com/products/javafx/ combined them with the javafx.jar from Processing... and...

[vsquared]

I have a lot of jar files in my 'jars' folder and I'm still trying to determine what is the bare minimum. Based on my work with the cmd-line you need at least javafx.controls.jar and perhaps javafx.graphics.jar depending on what you are trying to do. I'm not sure if you need javafx.jar as well (I don't believe I ever called it from the cmd-line, but it has been awhile since I did that.) When it comes to the 'jars' folder I probably have far too many files in there, but I always thought it was better to have too many than not enough. Glad you got it working on Linux.

[hx2A]

@vsquared , can you show us the output of tree jars/? I can't read the filenames in that image, it is too blurry.

[villares]

@hx2A I haven't tried the last imported mode demo by @vsquared , but this is from the slider demo, using a jars from https://gluonhq.com/products/javafx/ -> javafx-sdk-22.0.1 (2024 dates) plus javafx.jar (2022, I think) from the Processing 4 link you sent us. I'm not 100% sure because I was in crazy-tired-eploratory mode, I might be able to try and replicate it taking notes at some later time...

>>> for p in jpype.getClassPath().split(':'):
    print(p)
    
/home/villares/.local/lib/python3.10/site-packages/py5/jars/core.jar
/home/villares/.local/lib/python3.10/site-packages/py5/jars/gluegen-rt.jar
/home/villares/.local/lib/python3.10/site-packages/py5/jars/jogl-all.jar
/home/villares/.local/lib/python3.10/site-packages/py5/jars/py5.jar
/home/villares/.local/lib/python3.10/site-packages/py5/jars/dxf/dxf.jar
/home/villares/.local/lib/python3.10/site-packages/py5/jars/pdf/itext.jar
/home/villares/.local/lib/python3.10/site-packages/py5/jars/pdf/pdf.jar
/home/villares/.local/lib/python3.10/site-packages/py5/jars/svg/batik.jar
/home/villares/.local/lib/python3.10/site-packages/py5/jars/svg/svg.jar
/home/villares/GitHub/python_play_reboot/py5_play/jars/javafx.jar
/home/villares/GitHub/python_play_reboot/py5_play/jars/javafx.base.jar
/home/villares/GitHub/python_play_reboot/py5_play/jars/javafx.controls.jar
/home/villares/GitHub/python_play_reboot/py5_play/jars/javafx.fxml.jar
/home/villares/GitHub/python_play_reboot/py5_play/jars/javafx.graphics.jar
/home/villares/GitHub/python_play_reboot/py5_play/jars/javafx.media.jar
/home/villares/GitHub/python_play_reboot/py5_play/jars/javafx.swing.jar
/home/villares/GitHub/python_play_reboot/py5_play/jars/javafx.web.jar
/home/villares/GitHub/python_play_reboot/py5_play/jars/javafx-swt.jar
/home/villares/GitHub/python_play_reboot/py5_play/jars/linux-amd64/modules/javafx.base.jar
/home/villares/GitHub/python_play_reboot/py5_play/jars/linux-amd64/modules/javafx.controls.jar
/home/villares/GitHub/python_play_reboot/py5_play/jars/linux-amd64/modules/javafx.fxml.jar
/home/villares/GitHub/python_play_reboot/py5_play/jars/linux-amd64/modules/javafx.graphics.jar
/home/villares/GitHub/python_play_reboot/py5_play/jars/linux-amd64/modules/javafx.media.jar
/home/villares/GitHub/python_play_reboot/py5_play/jars/linux-amd64/modules/javafx.swing.jar
/home/villares/GitHub/python_play_reboot/py5_play/jars/linux-amd64/modules/javafx.web.jar

[vsquared]

For those who believe that it's impossible to run JavaFX from Imported Mode:

# Uses Imported mode for py5

import javafx.scene.Scene
import javafx.scene.layout.Pane
import javafx.stage.Stage
import javafx.scene
import javafx.scene.text.Text
import javafx.scene.text.Font
import javafx.scene.paint.Color

def settings():
    size(1,1,FX2D)
 
def setup():    
    btn = javafx.scene.control.Button("Button")
    print(btn)
    txt = javafx.scene.text.Text("Welcome to JavaFX")
    txt.setUnderline(True)
    font = javafx.scene.text.Font("Verdana",25)
    txt.setFont(font)
    print("txt =",txt)
    print(txt.getText())
    pane = javafx.scene.layout.Pane()
    print("pane =",pane)
    pane.getChildren().add(txt)
    txt.relocate(40,20)
    pane.getChildren().add(btn)
    btn.relocate(80,120)
    myColor = javafx.scene.paint.Color
    print("ALICEBLUE =",myColor.ALICEBLUE)   
    scene = javafx.scene.Scene(pane,320,200, myColor.ALICEBLUE)
    stage = javafx.stage.Stage()
    print("stage =",stage)
    stage.setTitle("JavaFX Window")
    print("scene = ",scene)  
    stage.setScene(scene)
    stage.show()
    
run_sketch()

Output:

Issue:
Note that only the window title bar is ALICEBLUE (change to myColor.RED to make more obvious), whereas the pane that the buttons appear on is supposed to be colored, not the title bar.

[hx2A]

Interesting. Glad your persistence got results. It doesn't work on my machine though, and I'm confused how this can work. You are doing this on a mac, right? How exactly are you running this? Through thonny? Can it run from the command line with run_sketch fx2d_imported_mode.py? I'd like to see what is in your jars folder with tree jars/, if you could.

[vsquared]

There's a screen shot of my jar folder a couple of posts up. Won't run from cmd-line with python3 fileName which is what I usually use. May need to use module path addmodules ; I'll work on it. It runs on macos Sonoma 14.4.1 with Thonny editor using py5 plugin and Imported mode for py5 checked on menubar.

Addendum:
run_sketch ... returns command not found

python3 fileName returns ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'javafx'

[hx2A]

There's a screen shot of my jar folder a couple of posts up.

GitHub was giving me problems before and wouldn't show me that full-sized. Now I can see it. Can you tell me what is in the javafx folder? What is the contents of javafx.properties?

run_sketch ... returns command not found

Thonny uses the run_sketch command line utility that is installed along with py5. For run_sketch to work, it must be run in the same environment that Thonny is using.

python3 fileName returns ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'javafx'

If this is also run in the same place that you get run_sketch ... returns command not found, it will also fail because py5 is not there to activate jpype's ability to import Java classes.

It runs on macos Sonoma 14.4.1 with Thonny editor using py5 plugin and Imported mode for py5 checked on menubar.

Since Thonny uses run_sketch when you check Imported mode for py5, is Thonny doing something magical on your machine to enable JavaFX? What version of py5 is installed there?

[vsquared]

javafx folder is found in the Processing/libraries folder and you also sent me a link to it. I don't think it is used. At some point I'm going to start stripping out files from the 'jars' folder until I find the bare minimum. At this point my current concept is that we just need the seven jar modules. I'm not sure about all those lib files.

My concept: py5 is automatically called when I check Imported mode for py5 so I don't have to use the py5. prefix(Yay!!) I don't think Thonny is a magician other than using the py5 plugin. As mentioned previously, py5 version is the latest (I forget the numbers).

[vsquared]

Here's a revision of my original post which now runs without error in the Thonny editor with py5 plugin and Imported mode for py5 checked in the menubar py5 menu.

import javafx.scene.Scene
import javafx.scene.layout.Pane
import javafx.stage.Stage

def settings():
    size(1,1,FX2D)
    
def setup():
    btn = javafx.scene.control.Button("Button")    
    btn.setLayoutX(80)
    btn.setLayoutY(80)
    pane = javafx.scene.layout.Pane()
    pane.getChildren().add(btn)
    scene = javafx.scene.Scene(pane, 250, 200)
    stage = javafx.stage.Stage()
    stage.setTitle("Button demo")
    stage.setScene(scene)
    stage.show()

[hx2A]

@villares , can I see all of your classpath? Are the files in linux-amd64/modules/ identical to the files in the directory two levels up? You are doing this on linux, right?

[vsquared]

For whatever it's worth: I have a folder called "Python" in my home directory which contains almost every python file I ever created using Thonny (many made before I ever used py5). Inside the "Python" folder is another folder called 'jars'; inside the 'jars' folder are the seven javafx jar files and other lib files as shown in the screenshot above. Py5 code apparently is what is accessing jar files inside the 'jars' folder.

[villares]

Does this help, @hx2A ? I'm on Linux. They look pretty similar... I should have documented better... but as I said... crazy-tired-exploratory mode...

[vsquared]

@villares
Thanks for confirming.

[vsquared]

@hx2A
As far as I can tell the image below is a minimum of what is required in the jars folder; javafx.jar appears to be necessary (last demo broke when I removed it) in addition to the eight javafx.xxxx.jar files. I'm still not sure about those lib files and have not experimented with removing them: