How to Create and Draw SWT Images in Java

How can I create and draw images using SWT in Java?

Image image = new Image(display, "path/to/image.png");
gc.drawImage(image, x, y);

The Standard Widget Toolkit (SWT) is a graphical widget toolkit for use with Java. It provides capabilities for creating and manipulating images, making it essential for developing rich client applications. This guide explains how to create and draw an SWT Image effectively.

import org.eclipse.swt.SWT;
import org.eclipse.swt.graphics.*;
import org.eclipse.swt.widgets.*;

public class ImageExample {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        Display display = new Display();
        Shell shell = new Shell(display);
        shell.setSize(300, 300);
        shell.addPaintListener(e -> {
            GC gc = e.gc;
            Image image = new Image(display, "path/to/image.jpg");
            gc.drawImage(image, 0, 0);
            image.dispose();
        });
        shell.open();
        while (!shell.isDisposed()) {
            if (!display.readAndDispatch()) {
                display.sleep();
            }
        }
        display.dispose();
    }
}

Causes

• Incorrect image path or format
• Improper Graphics Context (GC) setup
• Failure to dispose of images after use

Solutions

• Ensure the image file path is correct and accessible
• Initialize the Graphics Context properly before drawing
• Always dispose of images when they are no longer needed

Mistake: Using an invalid file path for the image.

Solution: Double-check the path and ensure the specified image exists.

Mistake: Not disposing of image resources after usage.

Solution: Always call dispose() on Image objects to free up system resources.

Mistake: Drawing an image without a valid Graphics Context.

Solution: Ensure that the Graphics Context is properly initialized in a Paint or Draw event.