Question

I have been having a some issues with Swing lately. I’m trying to make something like in the image below on the fly, to illustrate the data structures for algorithms.

_{(source: ius.edu)}

All that I was trying to do in the following class is draw out some rectangles with numbers on them. and translate them, however the last rectangle draws at 0,0. I’m stumped.

If you add the JPanel (commented out) after the loop then it draws as expected.

import java.awt.BorderLayout;
import java.awt.Color;
import java.awt.Dimension;
import java.awt.Font;
import java.awt.Graphics;
import java.awt.Graphics2D;
import java.awt.RenderingHints;

import javax.swing.JComponent;
import javax.swing.JFrame;
import javax.swing.JPanel;

public class DrawingRect {

    public static void main(String[] args) {
        DrawingRect d = new DrawingRect();
    }

    public DrawingRect() {

        JFrame frame = new JFrame("Drawing a rect");
        frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);

        JPanel swingPanel = new JPanel();
        swingPanel.setPreferredSize(new Dimension(500, 500));

        swingPanel.setVisible(true);

        swingPanel.setLayout(new BorderLayout(0, 0));

        int base = 15;
        for (int i = 1; i <= 25; i++) {
            Graphic re = new Graphic(i);

            //translating the graphic
            re.setBounds(base + 30 * i, base + 20 * i, 110, 110);


            swingPanel.add(re);
        }


        // if say I add a JPanel in here as the last element
        // then the boxes will draw correctly.
        //swingPanel.add(new JPanel());

        swingPanel.setPreferredSize(new Dimension(800, 600));

        frame.getContentPane().add(swingPanel);

        frame.pack();
        frame.setVisible(true);
    }

    public class Graphic extends JComponent {

        private static final long serialVersionUID = 1L;
        private static final int PREF_W = 100;
        private static final int PREF_H = 100;
        int id;

        public Graphic(int id) {
            this.id = id;
        }

        @Override
        protected void paintComponent(Graphics g) {
            super.paintComponent(g);

            Graphics2D g2 = (Graphics2D) g;
            g2.setColor(Color.black);

            g2.setColor(Color.black);
            g2.drawRoundRect(0, 0, 30, 30, 20, 20);

            g2.setRenderingHint(RenderingHints.KEY_ANTIALIASING,
                RenderingHints.VALUE_ANTIALIAS_ON);

            Font font = new Font("", Font.PLAIN, 13);
            g2.setFont(font);

            g2.drawString("" + id, 15, 20);
        }

        @Override
        public Dimension getPreferredSize() {
            return new Dimension(PREF_W, PREF_H);
        }
    }
}   

Answer 1

The default layout of JPanel is FlowLayout, but you’re positioning components as if the layout were null. Moreover, you’re drawing content that a nested component could do automatically.

Instead, add several JPanels containing JLabel‘s to a containing panel having GridLayout. Use empty panels as required. Override paintComponent() in the outer panel to draw connecting lines.

Addendum: Anytime one is tempted to use Absolute Positioning, JInternalFrame may be an alternative. Related examples may be found here and here.

Addendum: If the project grows beyond the prototype stage, also consider a Custom Layout Manager.