how to keep focus on jframe when jtextfield or button are selected

Question

like the title says. I'm trying to figure out how to keep the focus on the JFrame or perhaps the window. So that when I press F1 on the keyboard, it activates a method. And it should also do it when I'm typing in a textfield.

I have read through the "How to Use the Focus Subsystem" but can't find what I'm looking for. Or maybe I just don't know where to look.

I tried using contentPane.setFocusable(true); but it looses focus when I activate another component. So how do I get it to keep focus?

Answer 1

You may be trying to solve the wrong problem caused by using a KeyListener, which requires focus. Instead, use key bindings or setDefaultButton(), found in the frame's root pane.

Addendum: I tried key bindings, and solved it almost. It still does not work when a JTextField is selected. Do you maybe have a solution for that?

Depending on your needs, consider a DocumentListener or DocumentFilter. See this Q&A for more on the two.