Develop Reference

How to have a JButton that moves as I scroll on the frame?

I have a Panel which I have made scrollable in my frame.
What I need is to add a button that stays fixed in the lower right corner even when I scroll.
I'm new to Java Swing so would appreciate all and any help that I can get.
mainPanel = new SimulationPanel(); //class SimulationPanel extends JPanel
//making mainPanel scrollable
mainPanel.setPreferredSize(new Dimension(((int)(WIDTH*1.2)), HEIGHT));
JScrollPane scrollPane = new JScrollPane(mainPanel);
scrollPane.setViewportView(mainPanel);
// Settings for JFrame
Dimension screenSize = Toolkit.getDefaultToolkit().getScreenSize();
frame = new JFrame("Warehouse Simulator");
frame.setContentPane(scrollPane);
frame.setSize(screenSize.width, screenSize.height);
frame.setResizable(true);
frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(WindowConstants.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
frame.setVisible(true);

I would use nested panels with the outer one be with BorderLayout. Then one with FlowLayout and align FlowLayout.RIGHT and the button inside it.
public class Example extends JFrame {
public Example() {
super("");
setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
setLayout(new BorderLayout());
JTextArea textArea = new JTextArea(10000, 0);
JScrollPane scrollPane = new JScrollPane(textArea);
add(scrollPane, BorderLayout.CENTER);
JButton button = new JButton("button");
JPanel panelWithButton = new JPanel(new FlowLayout(FlowLayout.RIGHT));
panelWithButton.add(button);
add(panelWithButton, BorderLayout.PAGE_END);
setLocationByPlatform(true);
pack();
setSize(600, 600);
}
public static void main(String[] args) {
SwingUtilities.invokeLater(() -> {
new Example().setVisible(true);
});
}
}
Result:

I would go for a BoxLayout. Add another panel (metaPanel) in which your first put your scrollingPanel, and then you add a button. Instead of usgin scrollingPanel as contentPane, you use metaPanel. Example (the example works, but you need to modify it to make the interface look nice):
JPanel mainPanel = new JPanel();
JScrollPane scrollPane = new JScrollPane(mainPanel);
scrollPane.setViewportView(mainPanel);
JPanel metaPanel = new JPanel();
BoxLayout boxlayout = new BoxLayout(metaPanel, BoxLayout.Y_AXIS);
metaPanel.setLayout(boxlayout);
metaPanel.add(scrollPane);
metaPanel.add(new JButton("button"));
// Settings for JFrame
frame = new JFrame("Warehouse Simulator");
frame.setContentPane(metaPanel); // Put metaPanel here
frame.setSize(500, 300);
frame.setResizable(true);
frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(WindowConstants.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
frame.setVisible(true);

My JTextArea's are not respecting the size of the component and are being cut off

I have been working on this for hours. I honestly cannot figure it out. I have JTextArea's inside a JSplitPane which is inside a JPanel with a JButton and all that is put in my JFrame. I am using Layout managers. I have tried using pack(). I have tried using preferred sizes. Without the JPanel my button does not display in the proper location or switch buttons in other Tabs. With the JPanel it cuts off all my text, stops the scroll function(yes I have tried setting the TextAreas to always have horizontal and vertical scroll bars...does not solve the problem where text just stops wrapping for no apparent reason).
public static void main(String[] args) throws IOException
{
JFrame frame = new JFrame();
Deck blackjack = new Deck(Deck.TYPE[0]);
JTextArea textBlackjackUnshuffled = new JTextArea();
JTextArea textBlackjackShuffle = new JTextArea();
JButton shuffleButtonBlackjack = new JButton(new ImageIcon(ImageIO.read(new File("res/shuffle.png"))));
JToolBar toolBarBlackjack = new JToolBar("Blackjack");
JSplitPane splitPaneBlackjack = new JSplitPane(JSplitPane.HORIZONTAL_SPLIT);
JPanel panel = new JPanel();
JTabbedPane tabbedPaneBlackJack = new JTabbedPane();
JTabbedPane tabbedPaneCanasta = new JTabbedPane();
JTabbedPane tabbedPanePinochle = new JTabbedPane();
frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
frame.setLayout(new BorderLayout());
textBlackjackUnshuffled.setColumns(10);
textBlackjackUnshuffled.setLineWrap(true);
textBlackjackUnshuffled.setWrapStyleWord(true);
textBlackjackUnshuffled.setEditable(false);
textBlackjackUnshuffled.setFont(new Font("DejaVu Sans", Font.PLAIN, 100));
textBlackjackUnshuffled.append(blackjack.toString());
textBlackjackShuffle.setColumns(10);
textBlackjackShuffle.setLineWrap(true);
textBlackjackShuffle.setWrapStyleWord(true);
textBlackjackShuffle.setEditable(false);
textBlackjackShuffle.setFont(new Font("DejaVu Sans", Font.PLAIN, 100));
textBlackjackShuffle.append(blackjack.toString());
shuffleButtonBlackjack.setBorderPainted(false);
shuffleButtonBlackjack.setFocusPainted(false);
shuffleButtonBlackjack.setContentAreaFilled(false);
splitPaneBlackjack.add(new JScrollPane(textBlackjackUnshuffled));
splitPaneBlackjack.add(new JScrollPane(textBlackjackShuffle));
panel.add(splitPaneBlackjack, BorderLayout.CENTER);
panel.add(shuffleButtonBlackjack, BorderLayout.PAGE_END);
tabbedPaneBlackJack.addTab("Blackjack", panel);
frame.add(tabbedPaneBlackJack);
frame.setSize(new Dimension(Toolkit.getDefaultToolkit().getScreenSize()));
frame.setVisible(true);
}

You're adding the JScrollPanes to the panel in BorderLayout positions, but have not set the layout manager of panel to BorderLayout. In this situation, panel will be using JPanel's default layout manager, FlowLayout, a manager which is not smart enough to respect the scroll pane's preferred sizes.
Your code needs:
panel.setLayout(new BorderLayout());

Adding labels to the next line of a BoxLayout

I have a box layout that has a JLabel and a button next to it, as such:
JFrame frame = new JFrame();
JPanel panel = new JPanel();
panel.setLayout(new BoxLayout(panel,BoxLayout.X_AXIS));
panel.add(new JLabel("Reference "));
panel.add(new JButton("HI"));
frame.add(panel);
frame.setSize(500,300);
frame.setVisible(true);
This correctly presents a label called reference and a button right next to it. But if I want to present the same thing right below it (a new label, and another button), how would I do that?
Because simply creating another panel, and emulating what I did before, doesn't seem to work.
I.e
JPanel newPanel = new JPanel();
newPanel.setLayout(new BoxLayout(panel,BoxLayout.X_AXIS));
Or using HTML in a new label like
JLabel s = new JLabel("<html> <br>newLaberl </html>");
adding this to the panel still would print it on the same line, after the button, not the next, any ideas?

You just have to set the layout of the JFrame get it working the way you said.
I used your example setting the frame layout to use a GridLayout
JFrame frame = new JFrame();
JPanel panel = new JPanel();
JPanel panel2 = new JPanel();
frame.setLayout(new GridLayout(2,1));
panel.setLayout(new BoxLayout(panel,BoxLayout.X_AXIS));
panel.add(new JLabel("Reference "));
panel.add(new JButton("HI"));
panel2.setLayout(new BoxLayout(panel2,BoxLayout.X_AXIS));
panel2.add(new JLabel("Reference2 "));
panel2.add(new JButton("HI2"));
frame.add(panel);
frame.add(panel2);
frame.setSize(500,300);
frame.setVisible(true);

boxlayout isn't maybe the best layout for such thing, i suggest you to go to
https://docs.oracle.com/javase/tutorial/uiswing/layout/layoutlist.html
and take a look on the various layout and tutorial documented on Oracle's docs website.
this one could be usefull for your application
https://docs.oracle.com/javase/tutorial/uiswing/layout/gridbag.html

How can I make a layout like the attached image

I am trying to design a layout which contains a form and couple of items. but I found it too hard to put items in right places.
In the following image, the right frame is what I am aiming to design and the left on is what I could made.
And this is the code for the right frame:
public class GUI extends JFrame{
public GUI(){
JFrame frame = new JFrame("frame");
frame.setSize(600, 600);
JPanel panel = new JPanel(new BorderLayout());
panel.add(new JLabel("Title"), BorderLayout.NORTH);
JPanel formPanel = new JPanel(new GridLayout(1,2));
panel.add(formPanel);
TitledBorder formPanelTitle = BorderFactory.createTitledBorder("GridLayout(1,2)");
formPanel.setBorder(formPanelTitle);
//LEFT PANEL
JPanel labelsPanel = new JPanel(new GridLayout(4,1));
TitledBorder labelsPanelTitle = BorderFactory.createTitledBorder("GridLayout(4,1)");
labelsPanel.setBorder(labelsPanelTitle);
labelsPanel.add(new JLabel("Label 1"));
labelsPanel.add(new JLabel("Label 2"));
labelsPanel.add(new JLabel("Label 3"));
labelsPanel.add(new JLabel("Label 4"));
formPanel.add(labelsPanel);
//RIGHT PANEL
JPanel fieldsPanel = new JPanel(new GridLayout(4,1));
TitledBorder fieldsPanelTitle = BorderFactory.createTitledBorder("GridLayout(4,1)");
fieldsPanel.setBorder(fieldsPanelTitle);
fieldsPanel.add(new JTextField("Label 1"));
fieldsPanel.add(new JTextField("Label 2"));
fieldsPanel.add(new JTextField("Label 3"));
fieldsPanel.add(new JTextField("Label 4"));
formPanel.add(fieldsPanel);
//BOTTOM PANEL
JPanel bottomPanel = new JPanel(new GridLayout(2,1));
TitledBorder BottomPanelTitle = BorderFactory.createTitledBorder("GridLayout(2,1)");
bottomPanel.setBorder(BottomPanelTitle);
panel.add(bottomPanel, BorderLayout.SOUTH);
JPanel buttonPanel = new JPanel(new FlowLayout());
buttonPanel.add(new JButton("Browse"));
buttonPanel.add(new JLabel("Label"));
TitledBorder buttonPanelTitle = BorderFactory.createTitledBorder("FlowLayout()");
buttonPanel.setBorder(buttonPanelTitle);
bottomPanel.add(buttonPanel);
JPanel secondButtonPanel = new JPanel(new GridLayout(1,2));
secondButtonPanel.add(new JButton("Back"));
secondButtonPanel.add(new JButton("Next"));
TitledBorder secondButtonPanelTitle = BorderFactory.createTitledBorder("GridLayout(1,2)");
secondButtonPanel.setBorder(secondButtonPanelTitle);
bottomPanel.add(secondButtonPanel);
frame.add(panel);
frame.setLocationRelativeTo(null);
frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
frame.setVisible(true);
}
public static void main(String[] args) {
// TODO code application logic here
new GUI();
}
}
I am not sure if the code is really optimal, since there are a lot of inner panels and made it too complicated. Also I could not put items in the places I wanted to. Is there any suggestion or idea to make this layout look better?

Create a JPanel, using GridBagLayout and add your labels/fields to it, this forms the "center" portion of your layout.
Create a JPanel and add the Browse button a JLabel to it. Using GridBagConstraints#gridwidth set to REMAINDER, add this to your first panel
Create a JPanel, using BorderLayout, add the first panel to the CENTER position. Add the title Label to the NORTH position, you may need to adjust it's horizontalAlignment property
Create a JPanel using FlowLayout, aligned to the RIGHT and add your "Back" and "Next" buttons to it. Add this to the SOUTH position of the previous panel.
Check out Laying Out Components Within a Container for more details

Adding components into JPanel inside a JFrame

Since im a beginner and i don't want to get involved with the layout managers, i was simply adding a JPanel into my main JFrame and giving spesific location to each component in the panel. But somehow the output appears way too wrong..
frame = new JFrame(email + " (Offline)");
frame.setSize(400, 400);
frame.setLocation(0, 0);
frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.DO_NOTHING_ON_CLOSE);
frame.setLayout(new FlowLayout());
frame.addWindowListener(new WindowAdapter()
{
public void windowClosing(WindowEvent e)
{
// out.println("BYE");
// out.flush();
frame.dispose();
thread.stop();
}
});
panel = new JPanel();
frame.add(panel);
chat = new JTextArea();
chat.setSize(400, 200);
chat.setLocation(0, 0);
chat.setEditable(false);
panel.add(chat);
panel.validate();
JLabel you = new JLabel("You:");
you.setSize(you.getPreferredSize());
you.setLocation(0, 210);
panel.add(you);
panel.validate();
input = new JTextArea();
input.setSize(200, 200);
input.setLocation(0, 220 + chat.getSize().height);
panel.add(input);
panel.validate();
send = new JButton("Send");
send.setSize(send.getPreferredSize());
send.setLocation(210, 220 + chat.getSize().height);
panel.add(send);
panel.validate();
frame.setVisible(true);
The outcome of this frame is that text areas are invisible, a You: label in the middle and next to the right of it the button.. What am i missing here?

Again, don't use null layout since it makes updating and maintaining your GUI much more difficult than it should be, and can lead to ugly GUI's if you plan on having them run on multiple platforms. Instead
Use several JPanels, each one holding a core group of components and each using its best layout manager
Nest these JPanels in other JPanels that use the best layout manager to display them
and that will allow your GUI to be resizeable without need of extra code.
Put your JTextAreas in JScrollPanes so that you can see all text even if it goes beyond the text area.
Never set the size of the JTextArea as that will not allow it to scroll. Instead set its columns and rows.
As a very simple example, run this to see what I mean:
import java.awt.*;
import javax.swing.*;
public class FooSwing2 {
public static void main(String[] args) {
JTextArea chatArea = new JTextArea(8, 40);
chatArea.setEditable(false);
chatArea.setFocusable(false);
JScrollPane chatScroll = new JScrollPane(chatArea);
JPanel chatPanel = new JPanel(new BorderLayout());
chatPanel.add(new JLabel("Chat:", SwingConstants.LEFT), BorderLayout.PAGE_START);
chatPanel.add(chatScroll);
JTextField inputField = new JTextField(40);
JButton sendBtn = new JButton("Send");
JPanel inputPanel = new JPanel();
inputPanel.setLayout(new BoxLayout(inputPanel, BoxLayout.LINE_AXIS));
inputPanel.add(inputField);
inputPanel.add(sendBtn);
JPanel youLabelPanel = new JPanel(new FlowLayout(FlowLayout.LEFT, 0, 0));
youLabelPanel.add(new JLabel("You:"));
JPanel mainPanel = new JPanel();
mainPanel.setLayout(new BoxLayout(mainPanel, BoxLayout.PAGE_AXIS));
mainPanel.add(chatPanel);
mainPanel.add(Box.createVerticalStrut(10));
mainPanel.add(youLabelPanel);
mainPanel.add(inputPanel);
JFrame frame = new JFrame("Foo");
frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
frame.add(mainPanel);
frame.pack();
frame.setLocationRelativeTo(null);
frame.setVisible(true);
}
}
This would result in a simple (non-functioning) GUI that looked like this:
Now say you want to change this and add another button, an "exit" JButton to the right of the send JButton. If you used null layout, you'd have to resize your GUI, you'd have to move the send button over to the left and make sure that your math was without error, etc. If you used layout managers, you'd need just two new lines of code (to change the display, not the functionality of course):
JTextField inputField = new JTextField(40);
JButton sendBtn = new JButton("Send");
JButton exitBtn = new JButton("Exit"); // ***** added
JPanel inputPanel = new JPanel();
inputPanel.setLayout(new BoxLayout(inputPanel, BoxLayout.LINE_AXIS));
inputPanel.add(inputField);
inputPanel.add(sendBtn);
inputPanel.add(exitBtn); // ***** added
That's it, and this would display: