Java animation isn't smooth :(

Hi,
I am trying to make a simple game in java. every thing is fine. But the

problem is that the animation in not smooth. It has a lot of fluctuations

... and the 2nd problem is that when I keep pressing a key the object

detects it very late ... I mean if i press left arrow key and keep pressing

it then the object should immediately move towards left and keep moving

until I release the key. But in my case when I keep pressing a key the

object is paused for some time and then it starts moving.. which is a big

issue in a game
Can anyone help me with this ???
Here is my code:

[CODE]
import java.awt.*;
import java.awt.event.FocusEvent;
import java.awt.event.FocusListener;
import java.awt.event.KeyEvent;
import java.awt.event.KeyListener;
import java.awt.event.MouseEvent;
import java.awt.event.MouseListener;
import java.awt.image.BufferedImage;
import java.applet.*;
import java.io.File;
import java.io.IOException;
import javax.imageio.ImageIO;

public class main extends Applet implements Runnable, KeyListener,

FocusListener, MouseListener{

private static final long serialVersionUID = 1L;
Thread runner;

// Add KeyListener In the Constructor of the class which you want

to listeb keys from
int flagStartGame = 0;
int Xpos = 230;
boolean flagRight=false;
int outerWidth = 320;
int outerHight = 200;
int xInner = 340;
int innerSpeed = 40;
boolean flagLeft=false;
int innerWidth = 100;
int innerHight = 100;
int flag = 0;
private int width = -1;
private int height = -1;
private Image OSC;
private Graphics OSG;
boolean focussed = false;
int sleepTime = 2;

public main(){
addKeyListener(this);
addFocusListener(this);
addMouseListener(this);
}
public void drawFrame(Graphics g, int width, int height) {
g.setColor(Color.lightGray);
g.fillRect(0,0,width,height);
g.setColor(Color.black);
}

//
public void start(){
if (runner == null){
runner = new Thread(this);
runner.start();
}
}
public void stop(){
if(runner != null)
{
runner = null;
}
}
public void run(){
while(true){
repaint();
try {
Thread.sleep(sleepTime);
} catch (InterruptedException e) {
// TODO Auto-generated catch block
e.printStackTrace();
}
}
}
//
public void paint(Graphics g){
///////
// Draw the current frame on the applet drawing area. If the
// applet has focus, draw a cyan border around the frame.

Otherwise,
// draw a message telling the user to click on the applet to
// activate it.

if (width != getSize().width || height != getSize().height) { // if size

has changed, recreate frame
doSetup();
if (OSC != null)
drawFrame(OSG,width-6,height-6);
}

if (OSC == null) { // if not enough memory for OSC, draw an error

message
g.setColor(getBackground());
g.fillRect(0,0,width,height);
g.setColor(getForeground());
g.drawString("Sorry, out of Memory!", 10,25);
return;
}

g.drawImage(OSC,3,3,this);

if (focussed) // Draw a 3-pixel border. If the

applet has the
// g.setColor(focusBorderColor); // focus, draw it in

focusBorderColor; otherwise,
//else // draw it in the background

color.
g.setColor(getBackground());
g.drawRect(0,0,width-1,height-1);
g.drawRect(1,1,width-3,height-3);
g.drawRect(2,2,width-5,height-5);

if (!focussed) { // If the applet does not have the

focus,
g.setColor(getForeground()); // print a message for the

user.
g.drawString("Click to activate",10,height-12);
}

//////
File file = new File("outer.bmp");
File file2 = new File("inner.bmp");
try {
BufferedImage img = ImageIO.read(file);
BufferedImage img2 = ImageIO.read(file2);

if(!g.drawImage(img, Xpos, 30, outerWidth,

outerHight, null))
{
System.out.println("Error opening image

file");
}
if(!g.drawImage(img2, xInner, 80, innerWidth,

innerHight, null))
{
System.out.println("Error opening image

file2");
}
} catch (IOException e) {
// TODO Auto-generated catch block
e.printStackTrace();
}
//g.fill3DRect(Xpos, 30, 100, 100, true);
if(flag == 0 && focussed)
{
Xpos--;
if(flagLeft == true)
{
xInner-=innerSpeed;
flagLeft=false;
}
else if(flagRight == true)
{
xInner+=innerSpeed;
flagRight=false;
}
}
else if(flag == 1 && focussed)
{
Xpos++;
if(flagLeft == true)
{
xInner-=innerSpeed;
flagLeft=false;
}
else if(flagRight == true)
{
xInner+=innerSpeed;
flagRight=false;
}
}

if(Xpos<0)
{
flag = 1;
}
else if(Xpos>550)
{
flag = 0;
}
if (Xpos<50 || Xpos>500)
{
sleepTime = 10;
}
else
{
sleepTime = 2;
}
if(Xpos >= xInner)
{
System.out.println("Out ..!!");
}
if(Xpos+outerWidth < xInner+innerWidth)
{
System.out.println("Out2 ..!!");
}
}
/////////////////////
//////////////////////////////

@Override
public void keyPressed(KeyEvent ke) {
// TODO Auto-generated method stub
if(ke.getKeyCode() == KeyEvent.VK_DOWN)
{

// System.out.println("Down...!!");
repaint();
}
if(ke.getKeyCode() == KeyEvent.VK_UP)
{
//System.out.println("Up...!!");
repaint();
}
if(ke.getKeyCode() == KeyEvent.VK_LEFT)
{
//System.out.println("Left...!!");
flagLeft=true;
repaint();
}
if(ke.getKeyCode() == KeyEvent.VK_RIGHT)
{
//System.out.println("Right...!!");
flagRight=true;
repaint();
}

}

@Override
public void keyReleased(KeyEvent ke) {
// TODO Auto-generated method stub
if(ke.getKeyCode() == KeyEvent.VK_DOWN)
{

// System.out.println("Down...!!");
repaint();
}
if(ke.getKeyCode() == KeyEvent.VK_UP)
{
//System.out.println("Up...!!");
repaint();
}
if(ke.getKeyCode() == KeyEvent.VK_LEFT)
{
//System.out.println("Left...!!");
flagLeft=true;
repaint();
}
if(ke.getKeyCode() == KeyEvent.VK_RIGHT)
{
flagRight=true;
repaint();
}
}

@Override
public void keyTyped(KeyEvent arg0) {
// TODO Auto-generated method stub

}
@Override
public void mouseClicked(MouseEvent arg0) {
// TODO Auto-generated method stub

}
@Override
public void mouseEntered(MouseEvent arg0) {
// TODO Auto-generated method stub

}
@Override
public void mouseExited(MouseEvent arg0) {
// TODO Auto-generated method stub

}
@Override
public void mousePressed(MouseEvent arg0) {
// TODO Auto-generated method stub

}
@Override
public void mouseReleased(MouseEvent arg0) {
// TODO Auto-generated method stub
System.out.println("Clicked!!");
focussed = true;
repaint();
//notify();
}
@Override
public void focusGained(FocusEvent arg0) {
// TODO Auto-generated method stub
System.out.println("Focussed!!");
focussed = true;
repaint();
//notify();
}
@Override
public void focusLost(FocusEvent arg0) {
// TODO Auto-generated method stub

}

private void doSetup() {
// creates OSC and graphics context for OSC
width = getSize().width;
height = getSize().height;
OSC = null; // free up any memory currently used by OSC

before allocating new memory
try {
OSC = createImage(width-6,height-6);
OSG = OSC.getGraphics();
OSG.setColor(Color.black);
OSG.setFont(new Font("Serif",Font.PLAIN,12));
}
catch (OutOfMemoryError e) {
OSC = null;
OSG = null;
}
}

}
[/CODE]

Please rename the following image as: "outer.bmp"

Please rename the following image as: "inner.bmp"

if you can't see the images then right click and select 'view image'
It will lead you to the URL where I uploaded the images ...
Thanks ..
Waiting for Best help content

I have to agree with Yawmark in your crosspost. Let the main thread do it's job and send your work to a worker type thread.

The problem is solved ... Thanks a lot guys ...