Question

I have a border layout, and a JPanel on the right. The JPanel has absolute layout, and it doesn’t contain anything because I’m using it to draw graphics (overriding paintComponent(Graphics g))

The problem is that the panel doesn’t show (it’s there but like 1 pixel wide). I tried to setSize on the panel.. but that doesn’t work..

How do I do it?

frame = new JFrame();
frame.setBounds(100, 100, 450, 300);
JPanel panelCenter = new JPanel();
panelRight = new ActorDrawer();
frame.getContentPane().add(panelRight, BorderLayout.EAST);
panelRight.setSize(200, 400);
panelRight.setLayout(null);
frame.getContentPane().add(panelCenter, BorderLayout.CENTER);
frame.getContentPane().add(panelBottom, BorderLayout.SOUTH);
table = new JTable(new MyTableModel());
JScrollPane scrollPane = new JScrollPane(table);
table.setFillsViewportHeight(true);
panelCenter.add(scrollPane);

Answer 1

Look into the JPanel.setPreferredSize() method. Also, I think the JFrame.setBounds() call is not what you are looking for. Here’s an example:

import javax.swing.JFrame;
import javax.swing.JPanel;
import javax.swing.JScrollPane;
import javax.swing.JTable;

import java.awt.Color;
import java.awt.Graphics;
import java.awt.Dimension;
import java.awt.BorderLayout;

public class Sandbox extends JFrame
{
    class MyPanel extends JPanel
    {
        public void paintComponent(Graphics g)
        {
            g.setColor(Color.RED);
            g.fillRect(0, 0, this.getWidth(), this.getHeight());
        }
    }

    public static void main(String[] args)
    {
        Sandbox s = new Sandbox();
    }

    public Sandbox()
    {
        this.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
        this.setLayout(new BorderLayout());

        MyPanel panelRight = new MyPanel();
        panelRight.setPreferredSize(new Dimension(150, 300));
        this.getContentPane().add(panelRight, BorderLayout.EAST);

        JPanel panelCenter = new JPanel();
        this.getContentPane().add(panelCenter, BorderLayout.CENTER);

        JScrollPane scrollPane = new JScrollPane(new JTable());
        panelCenter.add(scrollPane);

        JPanel panelBottom = new JPanel();
        this.getContentPane().add(panelBottom, BorderLayout.SOUTH);

        this.setSize(400, 400);
        this.setVisible(true);
    }
}