Question

I’m using GridBagLayout to make a StatusBar which looks like in the picture. I have 4 areas, so I have a button in the first one, then info messages in the second one, and then I want two more (and i also have a fifth one to make the corner).

The button area fits perfectly, because the content is always a button with the same width. Same with the corner area. The info area must get all the space available. 3rd and 4th areas must have a fixed value, independent from the screen size.

How can I do that?

My current code is:

public MyStatusBar() {
        setLayout(new GridBagLayout());
        setPreferredSize(new Dimension(getWidth(), 23));
        GridBagConstraints c = new GridBagConstraints();

        botonDispositivo = new JButton("");
        this.setText(0, "Disconnected");
        URL imageUrl = getClass().getResource("resources/22x22/dispositivo01.png");
        this.setButtonImg(imageUrl);
        this.setButtonEnabled(false);


        c.gridx = 0;
        c.gridy = 0;
        c.fill = GridBagConstraints.BOTH;
        c.anchor = GridBagConstraints.WEST;
        c.gridwidth = 1;
        c.gridheight = 1;
        this.add(botonDispositivo, c);

        c.insets= new Insets(0,10,0,0);
        c.gridx ++;
        c.gridy = 0;
        c.weightx = 0.7;
        c.fill = GridBagConstraints.HORIZONTAL;
        msgLabel = new JLabel("");
        msgLabel.setPreferredSize(new Dimension(500, msgLabel.getHeight()));
        this.add(msgLabel, c);
        this.setText(1, "Waiting for potentiostat conection");

        c.gridx ++;
        c.gridy = 0;
        c.weightx = 0.0;
        c.fill = GridBagConstraints.NONE;
        this.add(new SeparatorPanel(Color.GRAY, Color.WHITE), c);

        c.gridx ++;
        c.gridy = 0;
        c.fill = GridBagConstraints.NONE;
        c.weightx = 0.0;
        overErrorLabel = new JLabel("");
        overErrorLabel.setSize(new Dimension(150, overErrorLabel.getHeight()));
        this.add(overErrorLabel, c);
        //this.setText(2, "");

        c.gridx ++;
        c.gridy = 0;
        c.weightx = 0.0;
        c.fill = GridBagConstraints.NONE;
        this.add(new SeparatorPanel(Color.GRAY, Color.WHITE), c);

        c.gridx ++;
        c.gridy = 0;
        c.weightx = 0.0;
        c.fill = GridBagConstraints.NONE;
        c.anchor = GridBagConstraints.EAST;
        timeLabel = new JLabel("");
        timeLabel.setMinimumSize(new Dimension(150, timeLabel.getHeight()));
        //timeLabel.setMaximumSize(new Dimension(150, timeLabel.getHeight()));
        this.add(timeLabel, c);
        //this.setText(3, "");


        JPanel rightPanel = new JPanel(new GridBagLayout());
        c.gridx ++;
        c.gridy = 0;
        c.weightx = 0.0;
        c.fill = GridBagConstraints.BOTH;
        rightPanel.add(new JLabel(new AngledLinesWindowsCornerIcon()), c);
        rightPanel.setOpaque(false);

        c.gridx ++;
        c.gridy = 0;
        c.fill = GridBagConstraints.BOTH;
        this.add(rightPanel, c);

        setBackground(SystemColor.control);
      }

Answer 1

for better and easiest output to the GUI is better look for Borderlayout,

JPanel#setPrefferedSize(200, 30); for JButton with Icon and JLabel put to the WEST area

JPanel#setPrefferedSize(200, 30); (rightPanel) to the EAST area

put another JPanel to CENTER area