JFormattedTextField nullpointerException

Question

I have a panel that shows a list of patients (ID/names/age). I have a jlist that when i click the patient it links the data of the patient to the textfields in my panel.

The problem: When im trying to update patient information i get a nullpointerexception for my age JFormattedTextField, ONLY when i do not click the age text field before hitting update.

To verify 1. All text fields empty 2. i click a patient, it updates the textfields with the patient info 3. i change say patient ID to something different and click update -> nullpointerexception

but if i instead click the patient, and then just click the age JFTF and then hit update, it reads the data perfectly fine.

Is there a way to "click" the textfield??

my code = when i click the jlist

    int patientIndex = patientList.getSelectedIndex();
    if (patientIndex == -1) {
        return;
    }
    Object info = listModel.get(patientIndex);
    String infoString = (String) info;
    StringTokenizer st = new StringTokenizer(infoString);
    idTF.setText(st.nextToken());
    if (idTF.getText().equals("Empty")) {
        idTF.setText("");
        return;
    }

    firstNameTF.setText(st.nextToken());
    lastNameTF.setText(st.nextToken());
    ageTF.setText(st.nextToken());

-

    String fName, lName, id, id2;    //  For now the ID will be name+age
    int age;
    Patient p = new Patient();
    boolean gender;

    //  attempts to read the text fields 
    try {
        fName = firstNameTF.getText();
        lName = lastNameTF.getText();
        id = idTF.getText();
        age = ((Number) ageTF.getValue()).intValue();            
        System.out.println("age = " + age);
        } catch (NullPointerException ex) {
        System.out.println(ex.getMessage());
        statusLabel.setText("All fields marked by a * are requried!");
    }

Answer 1

I was using the wrong function to add the age to the age field. Since it is formatted, i must use setValue().

old code

ageTF.setText(st.nextToken());

ageTF.setValue(Integer.valueOf(st.nextToken()));