Tip for BoxLayout

BoxLayout enable we arrange components into two direction. Firstly is horizontal and secondly is vertical.

Example source code for set layout using BoxLayout

Set JPanel layout using BoxLayout

Complete source code below will show you how to set JPanel layout using BoxLayout

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COMPLETE SOURCE CODE FOR : SetJPanelLayoutUsingBoxLayout.java
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import javax.swing.*;

import java.awt.*;

public class SetJPanelLayoutUsingBoxLayout
{
public static void main(String[]args)
{
 //Create a window using JFrame with title ( Set JPanel layout using BoxLayout )
 JFrame frame=new JFrame("Set JPanel layout using BoxLayout");

 //Create a panel using JPanel
 JPanel panel=new JPanel();

 //Set JPanel layout using BoxLayout with vertical lay out
 //You can try change to BoxLayout.X_AXIS to make components lay out in horizontal
 panel.setLayout(new BoxLayout(panel,BoxLayout.Y_AXIS));

 //Create a button with text ( First button )
 JButton button=new JButton("First button");

 //Create a button with text ( Second button )
 JButton button2=new JButton("Second button");

 //Create a button with text ( Third button )
 JButton button3=new JButton("Third button");

 //Create a dimension with :
 //Width : 10 pixels
 //Height : 10 pixels
 Dimension dim=new Dimension(10,10);

 //Create an invisible box with dimension size and add into created panel
 //You can try eliminate this and see what happen
 panel.add(Box.createRigidArea(dim));

 //Add button into panel
 panel.add(button);

 //Create an invisible box with dimension size and add into created panel
 //You can try eliminate this and see what happen
 panel.add(Box.createRigidArea(dim));

 //Add button2 into panel
 panel.add(button2);

 //Create an invisible box with dimension size and add into created panel
 //You can try eliminate this and see what happen
 panel.add(Box.createRigidArea(dim));

 //Add button3 into panel
 panel.add(button3);

 //Create an invisible box with dimension size and add into created panel
 //You can try eliminate this and see what happen
 panel.add(Box.createRigidArea(dim));

 //add panel into created JFrame
 frame.add(panel);

 //Set default close operation for JFrame
 frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);

 //Set JFrame size
 frame.setSize(500,200);

 //Make JFrame locate at center of screen
 frame.setLocationRelativeTo(null);

 //Make JFrame visible
 frame.setVisible(true);
}
}

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JUST COMPILE AND EXECUTE IT
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Set JPanel layout using GridBagLayout

Source code below will show you, how to set JPanel layout using GridBagLayout.

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COMPLETE SOURCE CODE FOR : SetJPanelLayoutToGridBagLayout.java
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import javax.swing.*;
import java.awt.*;

public class SetJPanelLayoutToGridBagLayout extends JPanel
{
/**Note**
 *When it say, "It will take 4 grid for it's width"
 *it mean it will use 4 box in grid and it's direction is to right
 *
 *When it say, "It will take 4 grid for it's height"
 *it mean it will use 4 box in grid and it's direction is to bottom
 */

//Create GridBigLayout object
GridBagLayout gbl=new GridBagLayout();

//Create GridBagConstraints object
GridBagConstraints gbc=new GridBagConstraints();

//Create a label using JLabel with text ( Name : )
JLabel label=new JLabel("Name :");

//Create a label using JLabel with text ( Age : )
JLabel label2=new JLabel("Age :");

//Create a text field using JTextField with numbers of column equal to 12
JTextField textField=new JTextField(12);

//Create a text field using JTextField with numbers of column equal to 3
JTextField textField2=new JTextField(3);

//Create a button with text ( OK )
JButton button=new JButton("OK");

//Create a button with text ( Cancel )
JButton button2=new JButton("Cancel");

//Create a box with vertical layout
Box box1=new Box(BoxLayout.Y_AXIS);

//Create a box with horizontal layout
Box box2=new Box(BoxLayout.X_AXIS);

//Create a box with horizontal layout
Box box3=new Box(BoxLayout.X_AXIS);

//Create a box with vertical layout
Box box4=new Box(BoxLayout.Y_AXIS);

//Create a window using JFrame with title ( Set JPanel layout using GridBagLayout )
JFrame frame=new JFrame("Set JPanel layout using GridBagLayout");

//Constructor
public SetJPanelLayoutToGridBagLayout()
{
 //Make text in label allign to right
 label.setHorizontalAlignment(SwingConstants.RIGHT);
 label2.setHorizontalAlignment(SwingConstants.RIGHT);

 //Set panel layout to GridBagLayout
 setLayout(gbl);

 //Field that will be use when display area is larger than component size.
 //It mean when it has some space between component, component will
 //enlarge to horizontal direction
 gbc.fill=GridBagConstraints.HORIZONTAL;

 /*
  *Add label into panel with top left corner of the label at crossing between
  *first horizontal and first vertical line.
  *It will take 4 grid for it's width
  *It will take 1 grid for it's height
  */
 addComponent(label,1,1,4,1);

 /*
  *Add label2 into panel with top left corner of the
  *label at crossing between
  *third horizontal and first vertical line.
  *It will take 4 grid for it's width
  *It will take 1 grid for it's height
  */
 addComponent(label2,3,1,4,1);

 /*
  *Add textField into panel with top left corner of the text field at
  *crossing between first horizontal and sixth vertical line
  *It will take 12 grid for it's width
  *It will take 1 grid for it's height
  */
 addComponent(textField,1,6,12,1);

 /*
  *Add textField2 into panel with top left corner of the text field at
  *crossing between third horizontal and sixth vertical line
  *It will take 3 grid for it's width
  *It will take 1 grid for it's height
  */
 addComponent(textField2,3,6,3,1);

 /*
  *Add button into panel with top left corner of the button at
  *crossing between fifth horizontal and fifth vertical line
  *It will take 5 grid for it's width
  *It will take 2 grid for it's height
  */
 addComponent(button,5,5,5,2);

 /*
  *Add button2 into panel with top left corner of the button at
  *crossing between fifth horizontal and eleventh vertical line
  *It will take 5 grid for it's width
  *It will take 2 grid for it's height
  */
 addComponent(button2,5,11,5,2);

 /*
  *Add a component that is invisible with 10 pixels width
  *and 10 pixels height into box1
  */
 box1.add(Box.createRigidArea(new Dimension(10,10)));

 /*
  *Add box1 into panel with top left corner of the box at
  *crossing between first horizontal and fifth vertical line
  *It will take 1 grid for it's width
  *It will take 3 grid for it's height
  */
 addComponent(box1,1,5,1,3);

 /*
  *Add a component that is invisible with 30 pixels width
  *and 10 pixels height into box2
  */
 box2.add(Box.createRigidArea(new Dimension(30,10)));

 /*
  *Add box2 into panel with top left corner of the box at
  *crossing between second horizontal and first vertical line
  *It will take 17 grid for it's width
  *It will take 1 grid for it's height
  */
 addComponent(box2,2,1,17,1);

 /*
  *Add a component that is invisible with 30 pixels width
  *and 10 pixels height into box3
  */
 box3.add(Box.createRigidArea(new Dimension(30,10)));

 /*
  *Add box3 into panel with top left corner of the box at
  *crossing between fourth horizontal and first vertical line
  *It will take 17 grid for it's width
  *It will take 1 grid for it's height
  */
 addComponent(box3,4,1,17,1);

 /*
  *Add a component that is invisible with 10 pixels width
  *and 10 pixels height into box4
  */
 box4.add(Box.createRigidArea(new Dimension(10,10)));

 /*
  *Add box4 into panel with top left corner of the box at
  *crossing between fifth horizontal and tenth vertical line
  *It will take 1 grid for it's width
  *It will take 2 grid for it's height
  */
 addComponent(box4,5,10,1,2);

 //Add panel into JFrame
 frame.add(this);

 //Set default close operation for JFrame
 frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);

 //SetJFrame size
 frame.setSize(500,400);

 //Make JFrame center on the screen
 frame.setLocationRelativeTo(null);

 //Disble JFrame from resizable
 frame.setResizable(false);
 frame.setVisible(true);
}

//Method addComponent
public void addComponent(Component component, int row, int column, int width, int height)
{
 gbc.gridx=column;
 gbc.gridy=row;
 gbc.gridwidth=width;
 gbc.gridheight=height;
 gbl.setConstraints(component,gbc);
 add(component);
}

//Main method
public static void main(String[]args)
{
 SetJPanelLayoutToGridBagLayout sjpltgbl=new SetJPanelLayoutToGridBagLayout();
}
}

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JUST COMPILE AND EXECUTE IT
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