[javafx] Passing Parameters JavaFX FXML

I realize this is a very old post and has some great answers already, but I wanted to make a simple MCVE to demonstrate one such approach and allow new coders a way to quickly see the concept in action.

In this example, we will use 5 files:

  1. Main.java - Simply used to start the application and call the first controller.
  2. Controller1.java - The controller for the first FXML layout.
  3. Controller2.java - The controller for the second FXML layout.
  4. Layout1.fxml - The FXML layout for the first scene.
  5. Layout2.fxml - The FXML layout for the second scene.

All files are listed in their entirety at the bottom of this post.

The Goal: To demonstrate passing values from Controller1 to Controller2 and vice versa.

The Program Flow:

  • The first scene contains a TextField, a Button, and a Label. When the Button is clicked, the second window is loaded and displayed, including the text entered in the TextField.
  • Within the second scene, there is also a TextField, a Button, and a Label. The Label will display the text entered in the TextField on the first scene.
  • Upon entering text in the second scene's TextField and clicking its Button, the first scene's Label is updated to show the entered text.

This is a very simple demonstration and could surely stand for some improvement, but should make the concept very clear.

The code itself is also commented with some details of what is happening and how.

THE CODE

Main.java:

import javafx.application.Application;
import javafx.stage.Stage;

public class Main extends Application {

    public static void main(String[] args) {
        launch(args);
    }

    @Override
    public void start(Stage primaryStage) {

        // Create the first controller, which loads Layout1.fxml within its own constructor
        Controller1 controller1 = new Controller1();

        // Show the new stage
        controller1.showStage();

    }
}

Controller1.java:

import javafx.fxml.FXML;
import javafx.fxml.FXMLLoader;
import javafx.scene.Scene;
import javafx.scene.control.Button;
import javafx.scene.control.Label;
import javafx.scene.control.TextField;
import javafx.stage.Stage;

import java.io.IOException;

public class Controller1 {

    // Holds this controller's Stage
    private final Stage thisStage;

    // Define the nodes from the Layout1.fxml file. This allows them to be referenced within the controller
    @FXML
    private TextField txtToSecondController;
    @FXML
    private Button btnOpenLayout2;
    @FXML
    private Label lblFromController2;

    public Controller1() {

        // Create the new stage
        thisStage = new Stage();

        // Load the FXML file
        try {
            FXMLLoader loader = new FXMLLoader(getClass().getResource("Layout1.fxml"));

            // Set this class as the controller
            loader.setController(this);

            // Load the scene
            thisStage.setScene(new Scene(loader.load()));

            // Setup the window/stage
            thisStage.setTitle("Passing Controllers Example - Layout1");

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

    /**
     * Show the stage that was loaded in the constructor
     */
    public void showStage() {
        thisStage.showAndWait();
    }

    /**
     * The initialize() method allows you set setup your scene, adding actions, configuring nodes, etc.
     */
    @FXML
    private void initialize() {

        // Add an action for the "Open Layout2" button
        btnOpenLayout2.setOnAction(event -> openLayout2());
    }

    /**
     * Performs the action of loading and showing Layout2
     */
    private void openLayout2() {

        // Create the second controller, which loads its own FXML file. We pass a reference to this controller
        // using the keyword [this]; that allows the second controller to access the methods contained in here.
        Controller2 controller2 = new Controller2(this);

        // Show the new stage/window
        controller2.showStage();

    }

    /**
     * Returns the text entered into txtToSecondController. This allows other controllers/classes to view that data.
     */
    public String getEnteredText() {
        return txtToSecondController.getText();
    }

    /**
     * Allows other controllers to set the text of this layout's Label
     */
    public void setTextFromController2(String text) {
        lblFromController2.setText(text);
    }
}

Controller2.java:

import javafx.fxml.FXML;
import javafx.fxml.FXMLLoader;
import javafx.scene.Scene;
import javafx.scene.control.Button;
import javafx.scene.control.Label;
import javafx.scene.control.TextField;
import javafx.stage.Stage;

import java.io.IOException;

public class Controller2 {

    // Holds this controller's Stage
    private Stage thisStage;

    // Will hold a reference to the first controller, allowing us to access the methods found there.
    private final Controller1 controller1;

    // Add references to the controls in Layout2.fxml
    @FXML
    private Label lblFromController1;
    @FXML
    private TextField txtToFirstController;
    @FXML
    private Button btnSetLayout1Text;

    public Controller2(Controller1 controller1) {
        // We received the first controller, now let's make it usable throughout this controller.
        this.controller1 = controller1;

        // Create the new stage
        thisStage = new Stage();

        // Load the FXML file
        try {
            FXMLLoader loader = new FXMLLoader(getClass().getResource("Layout2.fxml"));

            // Set this class as the controller
            loader.setController(this);

            // Load the scene
            thisStage.setScene(new Scene(loader.load()));

            // Setup the window/stage
            thisStage.setTitle("Passing Controllers Example - Layout2");

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

    /**
     * Show the stage that was loaded in the constructor
     */
    public void showStage() {
        thisStage.showAndWait();
    }

    @FXML
    private void initialize() {

        // Set the label to whatever the text entered on Layout1 is
        lblFromController1.setText(controller1.getEnteredText());

        // Set the action for the button
        btnSetLayout1Text.setOnAction(event -> setTextOnLayout1());
    }

    /**
     * Calls the "setTextFromController2()" method on the first controller to update its Label
     */
    private void setTextOnLayout1() {
        controller1.setTextFromController2(txtToFirstController.getText());
    }

}

Layout1.fxml:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<?import javafx.geometry.Insets?>
<?import javafx.scene.control.*?>
<?import javafx.scene.layout.AnchorPane?>
<?import javafx.scene.layout.HBox?>
<?import javafx.scene.layout.VBox?>
<AnchorPane xmlns="http://javafx.com/javafx/9.0.1" xmlns:fx="http://javafx.com/fxml/1">
    <VBox alignment="CENTER" spacing="10.0">
        <padding>
            <Insets bottom="10.0" left="10.0" right="10.0" top="10.0"/>
        </padding>
        <Label style="-fx-font-weight: bold;" text="This is Layout1!"/>
        <HBox alignment="CENTER_LEFT" spacing="10.0">
            <Label text="Enter Text:"/>
            <TextField fx:id="txtToSecondController"/>
            <Button fx:id="btnOpenLayout2" mnemonicParsing="false" text="Open Layout2"/>
        </HBox>
        <VBox alignment="CENTER">
            <Label text="Text From Controller2:"/>
            <Label fx:id="lblFromController2" text="Nothing Yet!"/>
        </VBox>
    </VBox>
</AnchorPane>

Layout2.fxml:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<?import javafx.geometry.Insets?>
<?import javafx.scene.control.*?>
<?import javafx.scene.layout.AnchorPane?>
<?import javafx.scene.layout.HBox?>
<?import javafx.scene.layout.VBox?>
<AnchorPane xmlns="http://javafx.com/javafx/9.0.1" xmlns:fx="http://javafx.com/fxml/1">
    <VBox alignment="CENTER" spacing="10.0">
        <padding>
            <Insets bottom="10.0" left="10.0" right="10.0" top="10.0"/>
        </padding>
        <Label style="-fx-font-weight: bold;" text="Welcome to Layout 2!"/>
        <VBox alignment="CENTER">
            <Label text="Text From Controller1:"/>
            <Label fx:id="lblFromController1" text="Nothing Yet!"/>
        </VBox>
        <HBox alignment="CENTER_LEFT" spacing="10.0">
            <Label text="Enter Text:"/>
            <TextField fx:id="txtToFirstController"/>
            <Button fx:id="btnSetLayout1Text" mnemonicParsing="false" text="Set Text on Layout1"/>
        </HBox>
    </VBox>
</AnchorPane>

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