You can get the desired results using the correct combinations of LayoutManagers. Don't limit yourself to one. Take advantage of the power than comes with combining/nesting layouts.
Here's the technique I used
- A
BoxLayout
for the center buttons - A
GridLayout(1, 5)
for a panel the consists of everything but the buttom-left button which is in its own FlowLayout
with aLEADING
alignment- All wrapped in the
JFrame
defaultBorderLayout
See the program below
import java.awt.*;
import javax.swing.*;
public class BoxLayoutDemo {
JButton button1 = new JButton("Button1");
public BoxLayoutDemo() {
JPanel pane = new JPanel(new GridLayout(1, 5));
Box box = Box.createVerticalBox();
box.add(new JButton("Button 1"));
box.add(Box.createVerticalStrut(20));
box.add(new JButton("Button 2"));
box.add(Box.createVerticalStrut(20));
box.add(new JButton("Button 3"));
box.add(Box.createVerticalStrut(20));
box.add(new JButton("Button 4"));
box.add(Box.createVerticalStrut(20));
box.add(new JButton("Button 5"));
box.add(Box.createVerticalStrut(20));
pane.add(new JPanel());
pane.add(new JPanel());
pane.add(box);
pane.add(new JPanel());
pane.add(new JPanel());
JPanel pane2 = new JPanel(new FlowLayout(FlowLayout.LEADING));
pane2.add(new JButton("ButtonButton"));
JFrame frame = new JFrame("GridBag Box");
frame.add(pane, BorderLayout.CENTER);
frame.add(pane2, BorderLayout.SOUTH);
frame.pack();
frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
frame.setLocationRelativeTo(null);
frame.setVisible(true);
}
public static void main(String[] args) {
SwingUtilities.invokeLater(new Runnable(){
public void run(){
new BoxLayoutDemo();
}
});
}
}
Disclaimer : excuse the title of the frame. I was first thinking of combining GridBagLayout
with the Box
, but the way I did it was so much easier. Too lazy to change the title now that I've noticed it.
For those who say what I did above is somewhat hackish (by adding empty panels), which maybe it is, you could also add the top panel and bottom panel to a containing panel with a BorderLayout
and a preferred size, and it will give you similar result
public BoxLayoutDemo() {
JPanel pane = new JPanel();
Box box = Box.createVerticalBox();
box.add(new JButton("Button 1"));
box.add(Box.createVerticalStrut(20));
box.add(new JButton("Button 2"));
box.add(Box.createVerticalStrut(20));
box.add(new JButton("Button 3"));
box.add(Box.createVerticalStrut(20));
box.add(new JButton("Button 4"));
box.add(Box.createVerticalStrut(20));
box.add(new JButton("Button 5"));
box.add(Box.createVerticalStrut(20));
pane.add(box);
JPanel pane2 = new JPanel(new FlowLayout(FlowLayout.LEADING));
pane2.add(new JButton("ButtonButton"));
JPanel panel = new JPanel(new BorderLayout()){
public Dimension getPreferredSize() {
return new Dimension(400, 260);
}
};
panel.add(pane, BorderLayout.CENTER);
panel.add(pane2, BorderLayout.SOUTH);
JFrame frame = new JFrame("Slitting using different layouts");
frame.add(panel);
frame.pack();
frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
frame.setLocationRelativeTo(null);
frame.setVisible(true);
}