Question

I would like to layout components as shown in the picture only using the GridBagLayout.
I have tried several constraints but it never end up with the expected result so I come to wonder if it is truly possible with only the GridBagLayout. The difficulty is for the C1, C2 and C3 components.
C1 and C2 are JComponent that will hold other components inside like JPanel. I have set their minimum and preferred size. C3 is a JButton.
C1 should not take extra space so i set its weightx to 0 and gridwidth to 1 (tried also with 2 as it span on C2 and C3).
C2 takes all extra space, i set its weightx to 1 and gridwidth to 3.
The GUI is not resizable.
I have use this LayoutManager several times but still don’t master it, thank you for a little help.

Answer 1

• I’ll talking only about GridBagLayout, even this could be job exactly for MigLayout (MigLayout has additional parameter for fills numbers of Columns & Rows, resize, e.i.), and/or TableLayout(???)

• GridBagLayout required only filling all desired numbers of columns in first row(only), then matrix is created and you can to define whatever GBC weightx, weighty, gridx, gridy and/or with Anchor too

• example talking about

import java.awt.Color;
import java.awt.ComponentOrientation;
import java.awt.Font;
import java.awt.GridBagConstraints;
import java.awt.GridBagLayout;
import java.awt.Insets;
import javax.swing.BorderFactory;
import javax.swing.JFrame;
import javax.swing.JLabel;
import javax.swing.JPanel;
import javax.swing.JTextField;
import javax.swing.SwingConstants;
import javax.swing.SwingUtilities;

public class GbcLayout {

    private JFrame frame = new JFrame("GbcLayoutGbcLayout");
    private JPanel panel = new JPanel();
    private JLabel hidelLabel;
    private JLabel firstLabel;
    private JTextField firstText;

    public GbcLayout() {
        panel.setLayout(new GridBagLayout());
        GridBagConstraints gbc = new GridBagConstraints();
        panel.setComponentOrientation(ComponentOrientation.LEFT_TO_RIGHT);
        for (int k = 0; k < 50; k++) {
            hidelLabel = new JLabel("     ");
            hidelLabel.setOpaque(true);
            hidelLabel.setBackground(Color.orange);
            hidelLabel.setBorder(BorderFactory.createLineBorder(Color.BLACK, 1));
            gbc.fill = GridBagConstraints.HORIZONTAL;
            gbc.weightx = 0.5;
            gbc.weighty = 0.5;
            gbc.gridx = k;
            gbc.gridy = 0;
            panel.add(hidelLabel, gbc);
        }
        for (int k = 0; k < 5; k++) {
            firstLabel = new JLabel("Testing Label : ", SwingConstants.RIGHT);
            firstLabel.setFont(new Font("Serif", Font.BOLD, 20));
            firstLabel.setBorder(BorderFactory.createLineBorder(Color.BLACK, 1));
            gbc.fill = GridBagConstraints.HORIZONTAL;
            gbc.insets = new Insets(0, 0, 5, 0);
            gbc.gridx = 0;
            gbc.gridwidth = 8;
            gbc.gridy = k + 1;
            panel.add(firstLabel, gbc);
        }
        for (int k = 0; k < 5; k++) {
            firstText = new JTextField("Testing TextField");
            firstText.setFont(new Font("Serif", Font.BOLD, 20));
            firstText.setBorder(BorderFactory.createLineBorder(Color.BLACK, 1));
            gbc.fill = GridBagConstraints.HORIZONTAL;
            gbc.insets = new Insets(0, 0, 5, 0);
            gbc.gridx = 9;
            gbc.gridwidth = k + 8;
            gbc.gridy = k + 1;
            panel.add(firstText, gbc);
        }
        for (int k = 0; k < 5; k++) {
            firstLabel = new JLabel("Testing Label : ", SwingConstants.RIGHT);
            firstLabel.setFont(new Font("Serif", Font.BOLD, 20));
            firstLabel.setBorder(BorderFactory.createLineBorder(Color.BLACK, 1));
            gbc.fill = GridBagConstraints.HORIZONTAL;
            gbc.insets = new Insets(0, 0, 5, 0);
            gbc.gridx = 20 + k;
            gbc.gridwidth = 8;
            gbc.gridy = k + 1;
            panel.add(firstLabel, gbc);
        }
        for (int k = 0; k < 5; k++) {
            firstText = new JTextField("Testing TextField");
            firstText.setFont(new Font("Serif", Font.BOLD, 20));
            firstText.setBorder(BorderFactory.createLineBorder(Color.BLACK, 1));
            gbc.fill = GridBagConstraints.HORIZONTAL;
            gbc.insets = new Insets(0, 0, 5, 0);
            gbc.gridx = 29 + k;
            gbc.gridwidth = 21 - k;
            gbc.gridy = k + 1;
            panel.add(firstText, gbc);
        }
        frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
        frame.add(panel);
        frame.pack();
        frame.setVisible(true);
    }

    public static void main(String[] args) {

        SwingUtilities.invokeLater(new Runnable() {

            @Override
            public void run() {
                GbcLayout gbcl = new GbcLayout();
            }
        });
    }
}