Java choose layout

, JPanels, BorderLayout. , .

, GridBagLayout , . , . , .

// Example code showing the flexibility of GridBagLayout.

// Source code generated by WindowBuilder 1.0.0r37 in Eclipse (Indigo Release) on Mac OS X 10.6.7.

// © 2011 Basil Bourque.   http://www.GridsGoneWild.com/
// This source code may be used freely forever by anyone taking full responsibility for doing so.

// Each layout manager bundled in Java is quite different from the others. They all have strengths and weaknesses,
// each designed for different purposes and effects.

// GridBagLayout is the most powerful and flexible, but takes some patient practice to understand.
// Funny animated video commentary by a GridBagLayout programmer: http://madbean.com/anim/totallygridbag/
// Hand-coding GridBagLayout is certainly tedious, and nearly impossible for complex forms. So I recommend the use of
// a visual GUI builder such as WindowBuilder in Eclipse, JFormDesigner from FormDev.com, or Matisse in NetBeans.

// Key ideas, "grow" & "fill":
// • In WindowBuilder Design View, select a widget, then use the "Horizontal grow" and "Vertical grow" icons found in the upper right tool bar.
// • Use the widget (label's, button's) "Constraints" > "fill" property in the property sheet of WindowBuilder.

// Further ideas:
// • To contain multiple widgets in each area, use JPanel objects where I have used single JLabel and JButton objects. 
//   Nesting JPanels inside JPanels (or in the JFrame contentPane) is considered normal in Swing. Each JPanel has its own layout manager.
// • If need be, you can set the Minimum, Maximum, and/or Preferred size of a widget or JPanel.
// • If you want certain widgets or JPanels to get disproportionately more or less of the space gained or lost when a window is resized, 
//   use "weightx" and "weighty" properties.

// WindowBuilder Tips:
// • If it your first time: Open the .java file, then click the "Design" button at bottom to see visual editor.
// • Click the "Show Advanced properties" icon at top of a widget property sheet to see many hidden properties.

// package com.your.package.goes.here;  // Uncomment this line, and modify to suit your own package.

import java.awt.EventQueue;

import javax.swing.JFrame;
import javax.swing.JPanel;
import javax.swing.border.EmptyBorder;
import java.awt.GridBagLayout;
import javax.swing.JLabel;
import java.awt.GridBagConstraints;
import java.awt.Color;
import java.awt.Insets;
import javax.swing.JButton;
import java.awt.event.ActionListener;
import java.awt.event.ActionEvent;

public class GridBagLayout_Example extends JFrame {
    private JPanel contentPane;
    private JLabel lblVariableXVariableY;
    private JButton btnVariableXFixedY;
    private JLabel lblFixedXVariableY;

    /**
     * Launch the application.
     */
    public static void main(String[] args) {
    EventQueue.invokeLater(new Runnable() {
        public void run() {
        try {
            GridBagLayout_Example frame = new GridBagLayout_Example();
            frame.setVisible(true);
        } catch (Exception e) {
            e.printStackTrace();
        }
        }
    });
    }

    /**
     * Constructor
     */
    public GridBagLayout_Example() {
    setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
    setBounds(100, 100, 450, 300);
    this.contentPane = new JPanel();
    this.contentPane.setBorder(new EmptyBorder(5, 5, 5, 5));
    setContentPane(this.contentPane);
    GridBagLayout gbl_contentPane = new GridBagLayout();
    gbl_contentPane.columnWidths = new int[]{0, 0, 0};
    gbl_contentPane.rowHeights = new int[]{0, 0, 0};
    gbl_contentPane.columnWeights = new double[]{0.0, 1.0, Double.MIN_VALUE};
    gbl_contentPane.rowWeights = new double[]{1.0, 0.0, Double.MIN_VALUE};
    this.contentPane.setLayout(gbl_contentPane);

    this.lblFixedXVariableY = new JLabel("Fixed x, Variable y");
    this.lblFixedXVariableY.setOpaque(true);
    this.lblFixedXVariableY.setBackground(new Color(233, 150, 122));
    GridBagConstraints gbc_lblFixedXVariableY = new GridBagConstraints();
    gbc_lblFixedXVariableY.fill = GridBagConstraints.VERTICAL;
    gbc_lblFixedXVariableY.gridheight = 2;
    gbc_lblFixedXVariableY.insets = new Insets(0, 0, 5, 5);
    gbc_lblFixedXVariableY.gridx = 0;
    gbc_lblFixedXVariableY.gridy = 0;
    this.contentPane.add(this.lblFixedXVariableY, gbc_lblFixedXVariableY);

    this.lblVariableXVariableY = new JLabel("Variable x & y");
    this.lblVariableXVariableY.setBackground(new Color(147, 112, 219));
    this.lblVariableXVariableY.setOpaque(true);
    GridBagConstraints gbc_lblVariableXVariableY = new GridBagConstraints();
    gbc_lblVariableXVariableY.fill = GridBagConstraints.BOTH;
    gbc_lblVariableXVariableY.insets = new Insets(0, 0, 5, 0);
    gbc_lblVariableXVariableY.gridx = 1;
    gbc_lblVariableXVariableY.gridy = 0;
    this.contentPane.add(this.lblVariableXVariableY, gbc_lblVariableXVariableY);

    this.btnVariableXFixedY = new JButton("Variable x, Fixed y");
    this.btnVariableXFixedY.addActionListener(new ActionListener() {
        public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent arg0) { 
        }
    });
    this.btnVariableXFixedY.setOpaque(true);
    GridBagConstraints gbc_btnVariableXFixedY = new GridBagConstraints();
    gbc_btnVariableXFixedY.fill = GridBagConstraints.HORIZONTAL;
    gbc_btnVariableXFixedY.gridx = 1;
    gbc_btnVariableXFixedY.gridy = 1;
    this.contentPane.add(this.btnVariableXFixedY, gbc_btnVariableXFixedY);
    }

}