Java double buffer using an override for update method throws stack overflow

Question

I am trying to achieve double buffering of my game in Java by overriding the update method for my JPanel, I do all the usual code etc and still it won't work, it throws a stack overflow error, below is the specific error:

Exception in thread "AWT-EventQueue-0" java.lang.StackOverflowError
        at java.awt.Rectangle.<init>(Rectangle.java:193)
        at java.awt.Rectangle.<init>(Rectangle.java:208)
        at sun.awt.image.BufImgSurfaceData.getBounds(BufImgSurfaceData.java:369)
        at sun.java2d.loops.GraphicsPrimitive.convertFrom(GraphicsPrimitive.java:533)
        at sun.java2d.loops.GraphicsPrimitive.convertFrom(GraphicsPrimitive.java:523)
        at sun.java2d.loops.MaskBlit$General.MaskBlit(MaskBlit.java:171)
        at sun.java2d.loops.Blit$GeneralMaskBlit.Blit(Blit.java:186)
        at sun.java2d.pipe.DrawImage.blitSurfaceData(DrawImage.java:927)
        at sun.java2d.pipe.DrawImage.renderImageCopy(DrawImage.java:550)
        at sun.java2d.pipe.DrawImage.copyImage(DrawImage.java:54)
        at sun.java2d.pipe.DrawImage.copyImage(DrawImage.java:982)
        at sun.java2d.SunGraphics2D.drawImage(SunGraphics2D.java:2979)
        at sun.java2d.SunGraphics2D.drawImage(SunGraphics2D.java:2964)
        at epicgame.Menu.displayMenu(Menu.java:71)
        at epicgame.GUI$1.paintComponent(GUI.java:64)
        at javax.swing.JComponent.paint(JComponent.java:1029)
        at epicgame.GUI$1.update(GUI.java:117)
        at epicgame.GUI$1.paintComponent(GUI.java:98)
        at javax.swing.JComponent.paint(JComponent.java:1029)

My code isn't particularly complex either:

mainPanel = new JPanel()
        {
            @Override protected void paintComponent(Graphics g)
            {
                //super.paintComponent(g);

                if(menuEnabled == 1)
                {
                    Menu.displayMenu(g, mainPanel);
                }
                else if(gameNum == 1)
                { 
                    StreetFighter.StreetFighter(g, mainPanel);

                    // Calls the controls method within the controls class.
                    Controls.controls(Calendar.getInstance().getTimeInMillis() - timeOld);
                    timeOld = Calendar.getInstance().getTimeInMillis();
                }
                else if(gameNum == -1)
                {
                    Menu.scoreBoard(g, mainPanel);
                    if(loaded != true)
                    {
                        Menu.loadScoreBoard(mainPanel);
                        loaded = true;
                    }
                }
                if(gameNum > 0)
                {
                    if(longcat == true && longcatloaded != true)
                    {
                        Extras.loadLongCat();
                        longcatloaded = true;
                    }
                    if(longcatloaded == true && longcat == true)
                    {
                        Extras.displayLongCat(g, mainPanel);
                    }
                }

                // Causes an infinite loop, e.g makes the screen render over and over.
                //repaint();
                update(g);
            }

            @Override public void update(Graphics g)
            {
                System.err.println("Updating screen and using double buffer!");

                // initialize buffer
                if(dbImage == null)
                {
                    dbImage = createImage (this.getSize().width, this.getSize().height);
                    dbg = dbImage.getGraphics ();
                }
                // clear screen in background
                dbg.setColor (getBackground ());
                dbg.fillRect (0, 0, this.getSize().width, this.getSize().height);
                // draw elements in background
                dbg.setColor (getForeground());

                paint(dbg);

                // draw image on the screen
                g.drawImage (dbImage, 0, 0, this);

                try
                {
                    Thread.sleep(200);

                }
                catch (InterruptedException ex)
                {
                    System.err.print("cant delay repaint.");
                }
            }
        };

I was hoping someone could point out where I went wrong, I'm thinking maybe something to do with the update being called too many times, or possible update is the wrong method?

Answer 1

Don't call paint() or update() methods from paintComponent().

Also don't call Thread.sleep() in any painting methods. Instead, create a thread that updates your game model every x milliseconds and then calls repaint() on your custom component where you have overridden paintComponent() so that it draws the game state.