Unable to set BoxLayout(JPanel) correctly in GridLayout/FlowLayout

Question

I have a panel with the below code

public class PhotoBox extends JPanel {


    private JLabel photoIcon;
    private JLabel photoName;
    private JLabel print;
    private ImageHelper imageHelper;


    public PhotoBox(File file, JLabel print) throws IOException {

        imageHelper = new ImageHelper();
        this.photoIcon =  new JLabel();
        this.photoIcon.setIcon(imageHelper.createThumbnails(file));
        this.photoIcon.setMaximumSize(new Dimension(200, 150));
        this.photoIcon.setAlignmentX(Component.CENTER_ALIGNMENT);

        this.photoName = new JLabel();
        photoName.setText((file.getName().length()) > 20 ? file.getName().substring(0,10)+".." : file.getName());
        this.photoName.setAlignmentX(Component.CENTER_ALIGNMENT);


        this.print = new JLabel();
        this.print.setText(print.getText());
        this.print.setAlignmentX(Component.CENTER_ALIGNMENT);

        setLayout(new BoxLayout(this , BoxLayout.Y_AXIS));
        setBorder(BorderFactory.createLineBorder(Color.black));
        //setPreferredSize(new Dimension(200,150));

        add(this.photoIcon);
        add(this.photoName);
        add(this.print);
    }
}

Now I am adding a list of such panel into another JPanel with has GridLayout

JPanel tile = new JPanel();
GridLayout layout = new GridLayout(0,4);
tile.setLayout(layout);
PhotoBox vBox = new PhotoBox(file,filePrints.get(file.getName()));
tile.add(vBox);

But what I finally get is something like this

I don't understand why is that extra space being taken by all my PhotoBox objects. I want the images to be close together. Not to forget, I have already tried PrefSize() and it doesn't work.

Using WrapLayout/FlowLayout

Edit :

Now What I feel the problem is with the BoxLayout of the PhotoBox.

Answer 1

Please check the image's height because the layout is correct AFAICS, there is nothing else. :D

Answer 2

This is the nature of GridLayout. It takes the available space and divides it equally amongst all the components. Take a look at How to Use GridLayout.

How to fix will come down to eaxctly what you want. You could use a GridBagLayout, but you'll become responsible for supplying the constraints that determine the locations of each component.

You could also take a look at Wrap Layout by Rob Camick. This is a FlowLayout as it probably should have a done, as it provides line wrapping for the components.

You should take a look at A Visual Guide to Layout Managers for more ideas.

You may also consider taking a look at MigLayout

Answer 3

GridLayout is going to fill the available space it is placed in. So the container that title is added to must actually have that height available and Gridlayout is filling it.

Three options exist for a fix:

• Use a different layout manager for your titles
• Use a different layout for the container you are adding it to.
• Put your titles in a new JPanel that has a FlowLayout, then add this "middle man" JPanel to your top container instead of 'title'