Proper way to add nodes using loop - javafx

Question

I'm trying to make a small application that displays the contents of an arrayList but I have not been succesful. Currently I have a loop concatenating each object in the list with their toString method. This is not the solution I want for displaying the arrayList however. I want to be able to add a separate label and button for each object in the list so that I can press the button and open a window to change the item's data. Is there a way to add multiple javafx nodes using a loop AND add a parameter/id to a button? I know you can set an id to a button using fxml but I have to make this application without using fxml and have not been able to figure out how to do it otherwise.
Here is a code example of how I add the text right now
String list;
for (Registration registration : registrationList) {
list += registration.toString();
}
label.setText(list);
and what I've tried so far
for (Registration registration : registrationList) {
Label dynamicLabel = new Label(registration.toString());
Button dynamicButton = new Button("" + registration.getId());
layout1.getChildren().addAll(dynamicLabel, dynamicButton);
}
please let me know if something is unclear in my question, thanks in advance.

Answer 1

The problem is that you're thinking about the controls like data, and you need to treat them like regular objects. You're also thinking about the entire thing monolithically, which makes it difficult to see a solution.
Think about a Label + a Button as a distinct unit that works together. Define them together and you can freely have them talk to each other without figuring out ways to identify them and link them together later on.
Something like this will do what you're looking for:
public class ButtonActionSample extends Application {
public static void main(String[] args) {
launch(args);
}
#Override
public void start(Stage primaryStage) {
List<String> strings = List.of("String 1", "String 2", "String 3");
VBox vBox = new VBox(5);
vBox.getChildren().addAll(strings.stream().map(string -> createHBox(string)).collect(Collectors.toList()));
primaryStage.setScene(new Scene(vBox));
primaryStage.show();
}
private Node createHBox(String string) {
Label label = new Label(string);
Button button = new Button("Change Text");
button.setOnAction(evt -> new TextInputDialog(label.getText()).showAndWait().ifPresent(label::setText));
return new HBox(5, label, button);
}
}
When you do it like this, you don't need to hang on to references to any of the screen elements at all; just create them, set the action on the Button and stick them on the screen. They just work after that.