Question

I have a Java program that has a BorderLayout and so far is working fine.
I want to add a JTextArea below that to display out put after I hit the run button.

Can some one show me an example of the BEST way to accomplish what I want to do?
Should I define a GridLayout of 2X1 with my BorderLayout up top and then my JTextArea underneath that?

I am open to suggestions…

here is an image of what I have so far:

below this — I want to have a text area that will capture the out put once I click the run button.

Answer 1

As I stated in my comment…what about something like this:

import java.awt.Color;
import java.awt.Dimension;

import javax.swing.JFrame;
import javax.swing.JPanel;
import javax.swing.JScrollPane;
import javax.swing.JSplitPane;
import javax.swing.JTextArea;
import javax.swing.SwingUtilities;
import javax.swing.UIManager;
import javax.swing.UnsupportedLookAndFeelException;



public class Ironmantis extends JFrame{
    JTextArea textArea = new JTextArea();
    JPanel upperPanel = new JPanel();
    JSplitPane splitPane = new JSplitPane(JSplitPane.VERTICAL_SPLIT,upperPanel,new JScrollPane(textArea));

    public Ironmantis(){
        textArea.setEditable(false);
        textArea.append("Operating system: "+System.getProperty("os.name")+"\n");
        textArea.append("Operating System version: " +System.getProperty("os.version")+"\n");
        textArea.append("Operating system architecture: "+ System.getProperty("os.arch")+"\n");
        textArea.append("Java version: "+ System.getProperty("java.version")+"\n");
        textArea.append("Java vendor: "+ System.getProperty("java.vendor")+"\n");
        textArea.append("Java vendor URL: "+ System.getProperty("java.vendor.url")+"\n");
        upperPanel.setPreferredSize(new Dimension(800,400));
        upperPanel.setBackground(Color.CYAN);
        splitPane.setPreferredSize(new Dimension(800,600));
        add(splitPane);
    }

    public static void main(String[] args) {
        try {
            UIManager.setLookAndFeel(UIManager.getSystemLookAndFeelClassName());
        } catch (ClassNotFoundException e) {
            e.printStackTrace();
        } catch (InstantiationException e) {
            e.printStackTrace();
        } catch (IllegalAccessException e) {
            e.printStackTrace();
        } catch (UnsupportedLookAndFeelException e) {
            e.printStackTrace();
        }

        SwingUtilities.invokeLater(new Runnable(){
            public void run(){
                Ironmantis i = new Ironmantis();
                i.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.DISPOSE_ON_CLOSE);
                i.pack();
                i.setVisible(true);
            }
        });

    }

}

By adding your JPanel and JTextArea on JSplitPane, your JTextArea will be in role of some kind of console, which is, if I understood correctly, goal of your question.