I've been working with Java Swing recently and when I try to add 3 JTextFields beneath each other they fill out the whole JFrame. But I want them to have a fixed height and width. What can I do?
Since I'm new to this topic I wasn't able to try out many things. I haven't found anything in other forums either.
My goal was to make a simple GUI for Users to fill in their credentials. Those credentials should be filled into an array but I haven't got there yet.
import javax.swing.*;
import java.awt.*;
import java.awt.event.*;
public class PeopleGUI extends JFrame{
JPanel jp = new JPanel();
JLabel jl = new JLabel();
JTextField jt = new JTextField(30);
JTextField jt1 = new JTextField(30);
JTextField jt2 = new JTextField(30);
JButton jb = new JButton("Enter");
public PeopleGUI(){
setTitle("PeopleGUI");
setVisible(true);
setSize(400,200);
setDefaultCloseOperation(EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
jp.setLayout(new BoxLayout(jp, BoxLayout.Y_AXIS));
jp.add(jt);
jp.add(jt1);
jp.add(jt2);
jt.addActionListener(new ActionListener(){
public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e){
String input = jt.getText();
jl.setText(input);
}
});
jp.add(jb);
jb.addActionListener(new ActionListener(){
public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e){
String input = jt.getText();
jl.setText(input);
}
});
jp.add(jl);
add(jp);
}
public static void main(String[] args) {
PeopleGUI p = new PeopleGUI();
}
}
I expect JTextFields that don't adjust to the size of the window.
Currently, it is looking like this:
.
But it should rather look like:
.
That layout is easily reproduced by putting 3 panels, each with a centered FlowLayout, into a single column GridLayout.
The important part is the FlowLayout, which will respect the preferred size of the components it is displaying.
Combinations of different layouts are often used when making a GUI. The idea is for each to handle a small part of the layout needs of the entire user interface. Here is a screenshot from that answer which lists the layouts used, by way of titled borders for each one.
But I think it would be better if the RHS of the label and the LHS of the fields are aligned vertically. To do that, use a single GridBagLayout.
You have to use a Layout e.g. BoxLayout. You will find some documentation here
Related
I'm using the NetBeans GUI builder to handle my layout (I'm terrible with LayoutManagers) and am trying to place a simple JLabel so that it is always centered (horizontally) inside its parent JPanel. Ideally, this would maintain true even if the JPanel was resized, but if that's a crazy amount of coding than it is sufficient to just be centered when the JPanel is first created.
I'm bad enough trying to handle layouts myself, but since the NetBeans GUI Builder autogenerates immutable code, it's been impossible for me to figure out how to do this centering, and I haven't been able to find anything online to help me.
Thanks to anybody who can steer me in the right direction!
Here are four ways to center a component:
import java.awt.*;
import javax.swing.*;
import javax.swing.border.*;
class CenterComponent {
public static JLabel getLabel(String text) {
return getLabel(text, SwingConstants.LEFT);
}
public static JLabel getLabel(String text, int alignment) {
JLabel l = new JLabel(text, alignment);
l.setBorder(new LineBorder(Color.RED, 2));
return l;
}
public static void main(String[] args) {
SwingUtilities.invokeLater(new Runnable() {
public void run() {
JPanel p = new JPanel(new GridLayout(2,2,4,4));
p.setBackground(Color.black);
p.setBorder(new EmptyBorder(4,4,4,4));
JPanel border = new JPanel(new BorderLayout());
border.add(getLabel(
"Border", SwingConstants.CENTER), BorderLayout.CENTER);
p.add(border);
JPanel gridbag = new JPanel(new GridBagLayout());
gridbag.add(getLabel("GridBag"));
p.add(gridbag);
JPanel grid = new JPanel(new GridLayout());
grid.add(getLabel("Grid", SwingConstants.CENTER));
p.add(grid);
// from #0verbose
JPanel box = new JPanel();
box.setLayout(new BoxLayout(box, BoxLayout.X_AXIS ));
box.add(Box.createHorizontalGlue());
box.add(getLabel("Box"));
box.add(Box.createHorizontalGlue());
p.add(box);
JFrame f = new JFrame("Streeeetch me..");
f.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
f.setContentPane(p);
f.pack();
f.setLocationByPlatform(true);
f.setVisible(true);
}
});
}
}
By using Borderlayout, you can put any of JComponents to the CENTER area. For an example, see an answer to Stack Overflow question Get rid of the gap between JPanels. This should work.
Even with BoxLayout you can achieve that:
JPanel listPane = new JPanel();
listPane.setLayout(new BoxLayout(listPane, BoxLayout.X_AXIS ));
JLabel label = new JLabel();
listPane.add(Box.createHorizontalGlue());
listPane.add(label);
listPane.add(Box.createHorizontalGlue());
mKorbel's solution is perfect for your goal. Anyway I always like to suggest BoxLayout because it's very flexible.
Mara: "thanks for your response, however the NetBeans GUI Build uses GroupLayout and this is not overridable."
Not true! Right click anywhere inside JFrame (or any other GUI container) in NetBeans GUI builder and select "Set Layout". By default is selected "Free Design", which is Group layout, but you can select any other layout including Border layout as advised by mKorbel.
There's many ways to do this, depending on the layout manager(s) you use. I suggest you read the Laying Out Components Within a Container tutorial.
I believe the following will work, regardless of layout manager:
JLabel.setHorizontalAlignment(SwingConstants.CENTER)
I'm fairly new to JFrame and I want to know why my items are not showing up on the window. I know i dont have a ActionHandler but I just want my textfield's to show up on my window. Here's my code:
import java.awt.Font;
import javax.swing.JFrame;
import javax.swing.JLabel;
import javax.swing.JPasswordField;
import javax.swing.JTextField;
public class FirstGUI extends JFrame{
public void GUI(){
setTitle("Welcome");
setResizable(false);
setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
setVisible(true);
setSize(600,600);
JLabel title = new JLabel();
title.setText("Apple Inc. Member Login Port");
title.setFont(new Font("Arial", Font.PLAIN, 24));
JTextField login = new JTextField("Login",10);
JPasswordField pass = new JPasswordField("Password");
add(title);
add(login);
add(pass);
}
public static void main(String[] args){
FirstGUI a = new FirstGUI();
a.GUI();
}
}
but when i run it i get this:
but when i run it i get this:
You get an empty screen because you add the components to the frame after the frame is visible.
As has already been suggested you need to use an appropriate layout manager. FlowLayout is the easiest to start with.
invoke setVisible(true) AFTER adding the components to the frame.
So the code should be more like:
panel.add(...);
panel.add(...);
add(panel);
pack();
setVisible(true);
I agree to MadProgrammer's suggestions (+1)
Well, lets take a look at your program though
You actually have created a JFrame with components in it. Its working fine as well, but your question of "why are my items not showing up in the JFrame" is not because you did something wrong but because missed out something i.e. revalidate()
Try:
public static void main(String[] args){
FirstGUI a = new FirstGUI();
a.GUI();
a.revalidate();
}
I'm not saying this will give you perfect UI.. what I'm trying to say is this will help you understand the Swing better. Learn about Swing Layout managers and then work on your UI to have better results
revalidate(): This component and all parents above it are marked as needing to be laid out. This means the Layout Manager will try to realign the components. Often used after removing components. It is possible that some really sharp swing people may miss this. I would think that you will only know this if you are actually using Swing.
The default layout manager for JFrame is BorderLayout.
This means that your components are essentially all been added ontop of each other.
Try changing the layout manager to something like FlowLayout (for example)...
Take a look at A Visual Guide to Layout Managers and Using Layout Managers for more details.
Also, avoid setSize where possible, use Window#pack instead
Update
I'd also like to introduce you to Initial Threads which should be used to launch your UI code...
The only one reason :
setVisible(True); method for the frame should be put on the end of the code.
if you give this line on the top of the code that is when you create a frame. This will cause that problem.
Don't add the components directly to your frame. Instead add to the content pane, which is where a JFrame stores all of the components that it draws. Usually this is a JPanel.
Here is an example:
public class GUI
{
private JPanel content;
public void GUI
{
/*Other code*/
content = new JPanel();
add(content); //make content the content pane
content.add(title);
content.add(login);
content.add(pass);
}
If that fails, call setVisible(true) and setEnabled(true) on all of your components.
On a side note you may want to make your GUI function a constructor.
import javax.swing.*;
import java.awt.*;
class Myframec extends JFrame
{
Myframec()
{
Container c = this.getContentPane();
c.setLayout(null);
this.setBounds(10,10,700,500);
this.setTitle("Welcome");
this.setDefaultCloseOperation(this.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
JPanel panel = new JPanel();
panel.setBounds(0,0,700,500);
panel.setBackground(Color.gray);
panel.setLayout(null);
c.add(panel);
Font f = new Font("Arial",Font.BOLD,25);
Font f1 = new Font("Arial",Font.BOLD,20);
JLabel lable = new JLabel();
lable.setBounds(130,10,400,100);
lable.setText("Apple Inc. Member Login Port");
lable.setFont(f);
panel.add(lable);
JTextField login = new JTextField("Login",10);
login.setBounds(120,150,400,30);
login.setFont(f1);
panel.add(login);
JPasswordField pass =new JPasswordField("Password");
pass.setBounds(120,200,400,30);
pass.setFont(f1);
lable.setFont(f);
panel.add(pass);
c.setVisible(true);
this.setVisible(true);
}
public static void main(String[] argm)
{
Myframec frame = new Myframec();
frame.setVisible(true);
}
}
I'm fairly new to JFrame and I want to know why my items are not showing up on the window. I know i dont have a ActionHandler but I just want my textfield's to show up on my window. Here's my code:
import java.awt.Font;
import javax.swing.JFrame;
import javax.swing.JLabel;
import javax.swing.JPasswordField;
import javax.swing.JTextField;
public class FirstGUI extends JFrame{
public void GUI(){
setTitle("Welcome");
setResizable(false);
setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
setVisible(true);
setSize(600,600);
JLabel title = new JLabel();
title.setText("Apple Inc. Member Login Port");
title.setFont(new Font("Arial", Font.PLAIN, 24));
JTextField login = new JTextField("Login",10);
JPasswordField pass = new JPasswordField("Password");
add(title);
add(login);
add(pass);
}
public static void main(String[] args){
FirstGUI a = new FirstGUI();
a.GUI();
}
}
but when i run it i get this:
but when i run it i get this:
You get an empty screen because you add the components to the frame after the frame is visible.
As has already been suggested you need to use an appropriate layout manager. FlowLayout is the easiest to start with.
invoke setVisible(true) AFTER adding the components to the frame.
So the code should be more like:
panel.add(...);
panel.add(...);
add(panel);
pack();
setVisible(true);
I agree to MadProgrammer's suggestions (+1)
Well, lets take a look at your program though
You actually have created a JFrame with components in it. Its working fine as well, but your question of "why are my items not showing up in the JFrame" is not because you did something wrong but because missed out something i.e. revalidate()
Try:
public static void main(String[] args){
FirstGUI a = new FirstGUI();
a.GUI();
a.revalidate();
}
I'm not saying this will give you perfect UI.. what I'm trying to say is this will help you understand the Swing better. Learn about Swing Layout managers and then work on your UI to have better results
revalidate(): This component and all parents above it are marked as needing to be laid out. This means the Layout Manager will try to realign the components. Often used after removing components. It is possible that some really sharp swing people may miss this. I would think that you will only know this if you are actually using Swing.
The default layout manager for JFrame is BorderLayout.
This means that your components are essentially all been added ontop of each other.
Try changing the layout manager to something like FlowLayout (for example)...
Take a look at A Visual Guide to Layout Managers and Using Layout Managers for more details.
Also, avoid setSize where possible, use Window#pack instead
Update
I'd also like to introduce you to Initial Threads which should be used to launch your UI code...
The only one reason :
setVisible(True); method for the frame should be put on the end of the code.
if you give this line on the top of the code that is when you create a frame. This will cause that problem.
Don't add the components directly to your frame. Instead add to the content pane, which is where a JFrame stores all of the components that it draws. Usually this is a JPanel.
Here is an example:
public class GUI
{
private JPanel content;
public void GUI
{
/*Other code*/
content = new JPanel();
add(content); //make content the content pane
content.add(title);
content.add(login);
content.add(pass);
}
If that fails, call setVisible(true) and setEnabled(true) on all of your components.
On a side note you may want to make your GUI function a constructor.
import javax.swing.*;
import java.awt.*;
class Myframec extends JFrame
{
Myframec()
{
Container c = this.getContentPane();
c.setLayout(null);
this.setBounds(10,10,700,500);
this.setTitle("Welcome");
this.setDefaultCloseOperation(this.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
JPanel panel = new JPanel();
panel.setBounds(0,0,700,500);
panel.setBackground(Color.gray);
panel.setLayout(null);
c.add(panel);
Font f = new Font("Arial",Font.BOLD,25);
Font f1 = new Font("Arial",Font.BOLD,20);
JLabel lable = new JLabel();
lable.setBounds(130,10,400,100);
lable.setText("Apple Inc. Member Login Port");
lable.setFont(f);
panel.add(lable);
JTextField login = new JTextField("Login",10);
login.setBounds(120,150,400,30);
login.setFont(f1);
panel.add(login);
JPasswordField pass =new JPasswordField("Password");
pass.setBounds(120,200,400,30);
pass.setFont(f1);
lable.setFont(f);
panel.add(pass);
c.setVisible(true);
this.setVisible(true);
}
public static void main(String[] argm)
{
Myframec frame = new Myframec();
frame.setVisible(true);
}
}
I am trying to achieve the following effect in Java:
However, I am not sure what layout to use and how. FlowLayout obviously doesn't work. GridLayout won't work either because the first 4 rows are supposed to be 1 column rows, but the 5th row needs to have 2 columns.
This is my code so far:
public class DepositPanel extends JPanel
{
private JLabel cashL, checksL;
private JTextField cashTF, checksTF;
private JButton ok, cancel;
DepositPanel()
{
JPanel depositP = new JPanel();
depositP.setLayout(new FlowLayout(FlowLayout.LEFT, 2, 2));
depositP.setPreferredSize(new Dimension(250, 85));
JTextField cashTF = new JTextField(22);
JTextField checksTF = new JTextField(22);
JLabel cashL = new JLabel("Cash:");
JLabel checksL = new JLabel("Checks:");
ok = new JButton("OK");
cancel = new JButton("CANCEL");
depositP.add(cashL);
depositP.add(cashTF);
depositP.add(checksL);
depositP.add(checksTF);
depositP.add(ok);
depositP.add(cancel):
}
}
You could try with combinations of Layouts, 2 JPanels, 1 for buttons and 1 for fields, button panel with FlowLayout and fields panel with BoxLayout. And adding them to the frame. (I did a JFrame for testing, but you can change it to a JPanel and add that panel to your JFrame). Just be sure to have only 1 JFrame, see The use of multiple JFrames, Good / Bad Practice.
For example:
import java.awt.*;
import java.awt.event.*;
import javax.swing.*;
import java.util.*;
public class DepositExample {
JFrame frame;
JPanel buttonPane, fieldsPanel;
JLabel cash, checks;
JTextField cashField, checksField;
JButton ok, cancel;
DepositExample() {
frame = new JFrame("Deposit");
buttonPane = new JPanel();
fieldsPanel = new JPanel();
cash = new JLabel("Cash");
checks = new JLabel("Checks");
cashField = new JTextField("");
checksField = new JTextField("");
ok = new JButton("OK");
cancel = new JButton("Cancel");
fieldsPanel.setLayout(new BoxLayout(fieldsPanel, BoxLayout.PAGE_AXIS));
buttonPane.setLayout(new FlowLayout());
fieldsPanel.add(cash);
fieldsPanel.add(cashField);
fieldsPanel.add(checks);
fieldsPanel.add(checksField);
buttonPane.add(ok);
buttonPane.add(cancel);
frame.add(fieldsPanel, BorderLayout.PAGE_START);
frame.add(buttonPane, BorderLayout.PAGE_END);
frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
frame.pack();
frame.setVisible(true);
}
public static void main(String args[]) {
new DepositExample();
}
}
To get some more spacing between components you can add EmptyBorders as recommended by #LuxxMiner in his comment below.
In this case you can use a JOptionPane to build a simple panel for you:
JTextField firstName = new JTextField(10);
JTextField lastName = new JTextField(10);
Object[] msg = {"First Name:", firstName, "Last Name:", lastName};
result = JOptionPane.showConfirmDialog(
frame,
msg,
"Use default layout",
JOptionPane.OK_CANCEL_OPTION,
JOptionPane.PLAIN_MESSAGE);
if (result == JOptionPane.YES_OPTION)
{
System.out.println(firstName.getText() + " : " + lastName.getText());
}
else
{
System.out.println("Canceled");
}
The only problem with this approach is that the focus will be on a button, not the first name text field.
So to solve this problem you can check out the RequestFocusListener found in Dialog Focus which will cause focus to be placed on the first name text field once the dialog is displayed.
JTextField firstName = new JTextField(10);
firstName.addAncestorListener( new RequestFocusListener() );
Although for more complex layouts it is better to create one or more panels each using an appropriate layout manager for the requirement.
There are many ways to achieve a layout like this. The first thing you need to get used to, is that its often simpler to split up different requirements into different containers using different layout managers.
If you separate the two buttons into their own panel and treat that panel with the buttons as "just another line" in the window, you can basically just use a GridLayout with a single column. The panel with the buttons could then use a FlowLayout to place the buttons side by side.
Try this:
public class Window extends JFrame{
....
}
JLabel example;
//Constructor
public Window(){
example = new JLabel("Sample text");
example.setBounds(x,y,width,height)
//JComponent...
setLayout(null);
setSize(width,height);
setVisible(true);
}
Without the JPanel you can specify the x and y coordinates
Trying to change the look of a JOptionPane while its open, depending on which radiobutton the user clicks. What am I doing wrong? It works perfect if I for example add a button and move a JLabel from side to side of the window.
import java.awt.BorderLayout;
import java.awt.event.*;
import javax.swing.*;
import static javax.swing.JOptionPane.*;
public class ChangePanel extends JFrame{
private JButton click = new JButton("CLICK ME!");
ChangePanel(){
add(click, BorderLayout.SOUTH);
click.addActionListener(new ButtonListen());
setVisible(true);
setSize(300,100);
setDefaultCloseOperation(EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
setLocationRelativeTo(null);
}
public class ButtonListen implements ActionListener{
public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e){
PopUpPanel pop = new PopUpPanel();
showConfirmDialog(ChangePanel.this, pop, "Changeable", OK_CANCEL_OPTION);
}
}
//Send this as Parameter to the ConfirmDialog
public class PopUpPanel extends JPanel implements ActionListener{
JRadioButton jewelry = new JRadioButton("Jewelry");
JRadioButton shares = new JRadioButton("Shares");
JRadioButton machine = new JRadioButton("Machine");
PopUpPanel(){
setLayout(new BoxLayout(this, BoxLayout.Y_AXIS));
ButtonGroup bg = new ButtonGroup();
JPanel north = new JPanel();
bg.add(jewelry);
jewelry.addActionListener(this);
bg.add(shares);
shares.addActionListener(this);
bg.add(machine);
machine.addActionListener(this);
north.add(jewelry);
north.add(shares);
north.add(machine);
add(north);
}
//Listener for RadioButtons
public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e){
JTextField info1Txt = new JTextField(12);
JTextField info2Txt = new JTextField(12);
JTextField info3Txt = new JTextField(3);;
JRadioButton b = (JRadioButton)e.getSource();
if(b.getText().equals("Jewelry")){
//Dummy test text
System.out.println("Jewelry");
JPanel info1 = new JPanel();
info1.add(new JLabel("info1:"));
info1.add(info1Txt);
add(info1);
JPanel info2 = new JPanel();
info2.add(new JLabel("info2:"));
info2.add(info2Txt);
add(info2);
JPanel info3 = new JPanel();
info3.add(new JLabel("info3:"));
info3.add(info3Txt);
add(info3);
validate();
repaint();
}else if(b.getText().equals("Shares")){
//Dummy test text
System.out.println("Shares");
}else
//Dummy test text
System.out.println("Machine");
}
}
public static void main(String[] args){
new ChangePanel();
}
}
As you are working with BoxLayout, you should provide size hints to the PopUpPanel panel, which you haven't given.
When a BoxLayout lays out components from top to bottom, it tries to size each component at the component's preferred height. If the vertical space of the layout does not match the sum of the preferred heights, then BoxLayout tries to resize the components to fill the space. The components either grow or shrink to fill the space, with BoxLayout honoring the minimum and maximum sizes of each of the components.
check out the official tutorial page discussion: BoxLayout Feature
Call revalidate() and repaint() on the container after removing or adding components to it. So if you change the following lines:
validate();
repaint();
to:
revalidate();
repaint();
The content should appear. Though, it will not fit the original size of the JOptionPane. You can override PopUpPanel.getPreferredSize() to return desired size so that JOptionPane is packed properly, ie:
#Override
public Dimension getPreferredSize() {
return new Dimension(300, 300);
}
You can also use JDialog instead of JOptionPane.
Also, consider using CardLayout instead of swapping components manually. Check How to Use CardLayout for examples.
Why not just use setPreferredSize(new Dimension(300, 300)) in PopUpPanel constructor? Works fine for me. Good eye on revalidate and repaint.