Question

This is making me very angry, I have worked on this for 2 days, have 2 books open and have looked through them, and STILL can’t get this program to run the way I want it run. I’m getting to the point where if this doesn’t help, I quit.

I want a SIMPLE Frame application.
It has a JComboBox centered at the top.
Next to it is a text field big enough to show numeric digits such as “$49.99”
Below it is a spot for a Text area showing terms of service
Below that is the checkbox agreeing to the terms of service
Below that is 2 buttons “Accept” and “Decline”

I Have worked on this for 2 days, here is the coding:

public class Bar extends JFrame implements ActionListener
{
    public Bar(final JFrame frame)
    {
        String[] tests = { "A+ Certification", "Network+ Certification", "Security+ Certification", "CIT Full Test Package" };
        JButton button = new JButton("Click Meh");
        add(new JLabel("Welcome to the CIT Test Program "));
        add(new JLabel("Please select which Test Package from the list below."));
        frame.setVisible(true);
        frame.setSize(250,250);
        JPanel pane1 = new JPanel(new FlowLayout());
        JPanel pane2 = new JPanel(new FlowLayout());

        JMenuBar menuBar = new JMenuBar();
        JMenu fileMenu = new JMenu("File");
        JMenu editMenu = new JMenu("Edit");
        JMenu helpMenu = new JMenu("Help");
        menuBar.add(fileMenu);
        menuBar.add(editMenu);
        menuBar.add(helpMenu);
        JMenuItem newMenu = new JMenuItem("New  (Ctrl+N)");
        JMenuItem openMenu = new JMenuItem("Open  (Ctrl+O)");
        JMenuItem saveMenu = new JMenuItem("Save  (Ctrl+S)");
        saveMenu.addActionListener(this);
        JMenuItem exitMenu = new JMenuItem("Exit  (Ctrl+W)");
        JMenuItem cutMenu = new JMenuItem("Cut  (Ctrl+X)");
        JMenuItem copyMenu = new JMenuItem("Copy  (Ctrl+C)");
        JMenuItem pasteMenu = new JMenuItem("Paste  (Ctrl+V)");
        JMenuItem infoMenu = new JMenuItem("Help  (Ctrl+H)");
        fileMenu.add(newMenu);
        fileMenu.add(openMenu);
        fileMenu.add(saveMenu);
        fileMenu.add(exitMenu);
        editMenu.add(cutMenu);
        editMenu.add(copyMenu);
        editMenu.add(pasteMenu);
        helpMenu.add(infoMenu);
        frame.setJMenuBar(menuBar);
        JComboBox packageChoice =  new JComboBox(tests);
        frame.add(packageChoice);


    }

     public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e)
  {
  Object source = e.getSource();
  {
  }

}

EDIT:
Forgot to add the second program

public class JFrameWithPanel
{
    public static void main(String[] args)
    {
         JPanel panel = new Bar(new JFrame("CIT Test Program"));
    }
}

How do I get this to have everything where I want it and show up? I’m very confused because of this and now barely even get how Frames work.

Answer 1

Components in Swing have to be laid out in a certain order.

You start with a JFrame. The only components that are placed in the JFrame are a JMenuBar and a JPanel. You do not add any other components in a JFrame. You add components in a JPanel.

Here’s Nick’s code, reorganized to define the components in the correct order. I used GridLayout because it was quicker. You should use GridBagLayout, as Nivas said.

public class Bar {

    private static final long serialVersionUID = 1L;

    public Bar(final JFrame frame) {
        JMenuBar menuBar = buildMenuBar();
        frame.setJMenuBar(menuBar);

        JPanel masterPanel = new JPanel(new GridLayout(2, 1));

        JPanel pane1 = new JPanel(new GridLayout(3, 1));
        pane1.add(new JLabel("Welcome to the CIT Test Program "));
        pane1.add(new JLabel("Please select which Test Package from the list below."));
        JButton button = new JButton("Click Me");
        pane1.add(button);

        JPanel pane2 = new JPanel(new GridLayout(1, 1));
        String[] tests = { "A+ Certification", "Network+ Certification",
                "Security+ Certification", "CIT Full Test Package" };
        JComboBox packageChoice = new JComboBox(tests);
        pane2.add(packageChoice);

        masterPanel.add(pane1);
        masterPanel.add(pane2);

        frame.add(masterPanel);
        frame.pack();

        frame.setVisible(true);
//      frame.setSize(250, 250);

    }

    public JMenuBar buildMenuBar() {
        JMenuBar menuBar = new JMenuBar();
        JMenu fileMenu = new JMenu("File");
        JMenu editMenu = new JMenu("Edit");
        JMenu helpMenu = new JMenu("Help");
        menuBar.add(fileMenu);
        menuBar.add(editMenu);
        menuBar.add(helpMenu);
        JMenuItem newMenu = new JMenuItem("New  (Ctrl+N)");
        JMenuItem openMenu = new JMenuItem("Open  (Ctrl+O)");
        JMenuItem saveMenu = new JMenuItem("Save  (Ctrl+S)");
        saveMenu.addActionListener(new ActionListener() {
            public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {
                // TODO Auto-generated method stub

            }
        });
        JMenuItem exitMenu = new JMenuItem("Exit  (Ctrl+W)");
        JMenuItem cutMenu = new JMenuItem("Cut  (Ctrl+X)");
        JMenuItem copyMenu = new JMenuItem("Copy  (Ctrl+C)");
        JMenuItem pasteMenu = new JMenuItem("Paste  (Ctrl+V)");
        JMenuItem infoMenu = new JMenuItem("Help  (Ctrl+H)");
        fileMenu.add(newMenu);
        fileMenu.add(openMenu);
        fileMenu.add(saveMenu);
        fileMenu.add(exitMenu);
        editMenu.add(cutMenu);
        editMenu.add(copyMenu);
        editMenu.add(pasteMenu);
        helpMenu.add(infoMenu);
        return menuBar;
    }
}

I moved the JMenuBar code into its own method so, hopefully, the rest of the code is easier to understand.

I have a master JPanel, that all of the other components are added to.

I used another JPanel to hold the two JLabels and the JButton.

I used a third JPanel to hold the JComboBox.

The basic pattern is as follows:

• Define the JPanel.
• Define the components.
• Add the components to the JPanel.
• Add the JPanel to the master JPanel
• Add the master JPanel to the JFrame.