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How to setup this GUI with Java Swing?

I got a GUI to make and I've tried so many ways, but I can't seem to build it correctly, I always get the layouts wrong and my application gets all messed up. I just want some help on how to build something close to the GUI in the image, except the image part, that isn't necessary. Doesn't need to be exactly like it, I just need some ideas of what layouts to use and how. Thanks

As with all problems, start by breaking it down into manageable chunks.
Associate the various UI elements together into groups of "functionality" and separate them into separate components - this way you can focus on the individual layout requirements for each section
From this, I would then focus on breaking down each group into individual components and focus on there core functionality
So this is pretty basic, I'd use a GridBagLayout because it would allow me to anchor the components to the top position of the container. You could also use the VerticalLayout from SwingX
So, there are a number of possibilities, but, because it would be simple to do, I'd use a GridBagLayout, as it would allow me to provide more space for the two lists
A little more complicated, but still, GridBagLayout, as it allows more control over providing space to individual components
And, GridBagLayout for all the reasons highlighted above.
Finally...
Bringing it all together...
I'd probably start by placing the green, blue and yellow sections into a separate container (using, surprise, a GridBaglayout, as it allows for components to expand cells) and then combine it with the purple section onto a container using a BorderLayout
I would recommend that you take the time to look at Laying Out Components Within a Container and try somethings and see what does and doesn't work.

GUI Layouts - How do I place labels,textfields,buttons exactly where I want them?

So, I'm trying to design my first GUI app, and i'm stuck on putting elements exactly where I want them. I'm not trying to let anyone do my job for me, but some starters would be great.
For example:

The basic answer is, you don't. Pixel perfect positioning is an illusion in modern user interfaces. Why? Because no two platforms are equal (unless they are exact copies). Each computer will have different requirements when it comes to how information is rendered on the screen, most notably, fonts.
Font metrics will change between platforms, meaning that the way a font is rendered on your screen won't be the same as it is rendered on someone elses. This causes no end of issues not only of an individual component, but how the surrounding components should react.
The best choice is to use layout managers, which provide "guides" on how components should be laid out and how they effect surrounding components.
Based on your example above, I would suggest you would actually need (at least) three layout managers.
At the base, you would use a BorderLayout, this would separate the form from the buttons.
You would need a fields panel and a buttons panel.
The fields panel would contain the actual fields and probably use a GridBagLayout. The buttons panel would contain the buttons and probably use a FlowLayout
The form panel would be added to the CENTER position of the base panel and the buttons to the SOUTH position.
Take a look at Laying Out Components Within a Container for more details

What you want to look at is various layouts in Java (Given that you are asking a basic question I am assuming you are using Swing).
See this link for more info: http://docs.oracle.com/javase/tutorial/uiswing/layout/visual.html
It will show you the various layouts available in Java and how to use them. You will need to use different Components along with different layouts to render your GUI exactly the way you want it.

how to keep GUIs from overlapping in Java

I am trying to create a Java 7 address book using Eclipse and when I test run the JFrame, JLabels aren't visible and JButtons overlap. (Buttons will take up the whole JFrame)
For example
add(saveButton);
add(cancelButton);
add(headingLabel);
headingLabel.setVisible(true);
cancelButton.setLocation(200,200);
saveButton.setLocation(400,200);
cancelButton.setSize(200,50);
saveButton.setSize(200,50);
What am I doing wrong?

You should use a LayoutManager instead of absolute coordinates. Using Layout managers, you don't have to care so much about the exact positions of your GUI elements. The layout is done for you.
Check out the Visual Guide to Layout Managers. It explains the most common layout types with visual and code examples.

Java Swing: Choosing the correct LayoutManager

I'm building a PropertyPanel. Currently I'm using a GridLayout to manage the JLabels and their corresponding fields where I can specify the value. But the problem is that the GridLayout automatically manages the size of the columns: it makes them the same width.
This means when I'm having a big value field, the colum, is getting bigger (which is good), but the other column (with all my JLabels) is getting bigger as well. Here is a screenshot:
< BAD
As you can see, the image property has a huge value, which makes both columns bigger, and I'm having a lot of space after the JLabels.
So, I'm searching for a LayoutManager which makes each column as big as necessary.
I want a layout like this (it's edited with Gimp):
< GOOD
Thanks

You can use SpringLayout for this. See How to Use SpringLayout.
Example layout:
Remember that you also can nest layouts.

SpringLayout is what I typically use for forms like this. Although I think GridBagLayout would also work nicely.

I tend to try to hack everything by mixing GridLayout and BorderLayout, so maybe it's not the best solution but...
Create two GridLayouts, both have a single column. One for the labels the other for the controls.
Now create a BorderLayout to be the parent.
Add the left grid to the BorderLayout.WEST and the right grid to the BorderLayout.CENTER.

While this was answered 11 hours ago, I just thought I'd pop in & make a suggestion. I suggest GroupLayout.
I was looking to break from nested layouts for a name/value dialog recently and looked at both GroupLayout & SpringLayout. It seemed the only advantage offered by SpringLayout was that it could achieve the right aligned text of the labels (there may be a way to do it using GL, but I couldn't figure out how). On the downside, the Java Tutorial examples for SpringLayout used a whopping 'helper class' to define layout constraints.
In the end (it was only a very short 'study') I chose to use GroupLayout.

Consider using MigLayout. If constrained within the current JDK, GridBagLayout.

Here's an overview of the standard LayoutManagers:
http://download.oracle.com/javase/tutorial/uiswing/layout/visual.html
You could e.g. use GridBagLayout or the non-standard MigLayout, if you want to code the GUI by hand.
If you want to use a GUI builder (e.g. the one in NetBeans) you could use the GroupLayout.

Java - Layout Manager Selection

Is there a simply layout manager I can use in a JPanel to create something akin to a bar chart? FlowLayout almost meets this need. The added component orientation needs to be left to right (default for FlowLayout), but they need to "rest" on the bottom of the panel with excess space at the top (not available in FlowLayout). Also, the components will all the be the same height and width.
Thanks.

A BoxLayout will do the trick as demonstrated in this posting

If you are going to do something like a bar chart, you might want to consider not using Components at all. Just have a single JComponent that overrides (IIRC) paintComponent. It'll be easier to do the calculations in a manner appropriate to a bar chart rather than trying to use an inappropriate layout manager abstraction.
FWIW, I default to GridBagLayout, even if a simpler layout manager will do, on this basis that the code can be more consistent.

You can do exactly what you want in GridBagLayout. Yes, I know everyone hates GBL; yes, I know I'll get down-voted. But it really is not difficult to understand and you can use it for almost any layout goal.
The trick to get a component to "stick" to the bottom is to use the anchor and fill properties of the GridBagConstraints object properly (i.e. SOUTH and NONE)

A BoxLayout might work for you. It lets you layout components left-to-right or top-to-bottom, with the tightly coupled Box class to force spacing constraints.

I actually prefer the FormLayout, since it is very flexible but you have to write a lot of code though. And in the beginning its a little bit confusing with its percentage and pixel parameters.
But you can for example tell a control that it is 5 pixels left of another control (thats the main part...it layouts controls in relation to neighbors), then it takes 100% of the lasting space availabel including a border space of 5 pixels (you need to use -5 then).
I think it looks somewhat similar to this
FormData data = new FormData();
data.left = new FormAttachement(neighborControl, 5);
data.right = new FormAttachement(100, -5);
...
button.setLayoutData(data);
This example is for JFace, but there are Swing implementations as well.
I will look up my old code later this day to check if the code I wrote is right :)
Here´s a additional link