Thread: Adding Panels to JFrame

I added a few JPanels to a JFrame. Want I wanted is the JTextFields to be on the top right, the buttons to be on the bottom and the JFileChooser to be on the top right. Lastly I wanted the JTextArea to be in the center. I will attach a picture of what the result was below. Here is the code:

package addItemBtn.Home.DataBase;
 
import java.awt.BorderLayout;
import java.awt.FlowLayout;
import java.awt.GridLayout;
 
import javax.swing.*;
 
public class AddItemView extends JFrame
{
 
	private static final long serialVersionUID = 1L;
	JFrame frame;
	JPanel btnPanel,descriptionPanel,picturePanel,textPanel;
	JTextField nameBox,priceBox,locationBox;
	JLabel nameLbl,descriptionLbl,priceLbl,locationLbl,pictureLbl;
	JTextArea descriptionBox;
	JButton submitBtn,cancelBtn,previewBtn,browseBtn;
 
	JFileChooser fileopen;
 
	public AddItemView()
	{
		//set up frame
		frame = new JFrame("Add Item");
		frame.setSize(750,500);
		frame.setLayout(new BorderLayout());
		frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
 
		//create text boxes and labels
		nameLbl = new JLabel("Name:");
		nameBox = new JTextField(15);
 
		priceLbl = new JLabel("Price:");
		priceBox = new JTextField(15);
 
		locationLbl = new JLabel("Location:");
		locationBox = new JTextField(15);
 
		//add text fields to textPanel
		textPanel = new JPanel();
		textPanel.setLayout(new GridLayout(6,4));
		textPanel.setSize(100,75);
 
		textPanel.add(nameLbl);
		textPanel.add(nameBox);
		textPanel.add(priceLbl);
		textPanel.add(nameBox);
		textPanel.add(locationLbl);
		textPanel.add(locationBox);
		textPanel.setVisible(true);
 
		//create file chooser upload a picture
		fileopen = new JFileChooser();
		browseBtn = new JButton("Browse");
 
		//create and add file chooser to panel
		picturePanel = new JPanel();
		picturePanel.add(fileopen);
		picturePanel.add(browseBtn);
 
		//create buttons
		btnPanel = new JPanel();
		btnPanel.setLayout(new FlowLayout());
		btnPanel.setSize(getPreferredSize());
		submitBtn = new JButton("Submit");
		cancelBtn = new JButton("Cancel");
		previewBtn = new JButton("Preview");
 
		//add buttons to panel
		btnPanel.add(submitBtn);
		btnPanel.add(cancelBtn);
		btnPanel.add(previewBtn);
		btnPanel.setVisible(true);
 
		//create description text area
		descriptionLbl = new JLabel("Description:");
		descriptionBox = new JTextArea();
 
		//add to description text area to panel
		descriptionPanel = new JPanel();
		descriptionPanel.setLayout(new FlowLayout());
		descriptionPanel.setSize(150,100);
		descriptionPanel.add(descriptionLbl);
		descriptionPanel.add(descriptionBox);
 
		//place textFields to top left of frame
		frame.add(textPanel,BorderLayout.NORTH);
		//place picture panel into top right of frame
		frame.add(picturePanel,BorderLayout.NORTH);
		//place descriptionPanel to the center of the frame
		frame.add(descriptionPanel,BorderLayout.CENTER);
		//place buttons on bottom of frame
		frame.add(btnPanel,BorderLayout.SOUTH);
 
		frame.setVisible(true);
	}
 
}

Database.jpg

The JFileChooser is huge, for some reason nameBox (its a JTextField) is not even displaying. Any advice?

The class you've created extends JFrame and the constructor creates another JFrame, frame, which is actually the preferred approach. I believe you can remove 'extends JFrame' and have the same result as you do now.

As for your layout concerns. All containers have a default layout which can be changed to a desired layout if the default does not meet your needs. Refer to the Oracle documentation to learn about the various layout managers and how to use them, and read the API for each of the containers you use to learn which is their default layout manager, something you should have memorized for the containers you use often.

I was reading an found I could use setBounds. This is doing some WACKY things, is there that are doing something similar to what I am doing. Here is my updated code, but I will tell you what I changed, I stopped used BorderLayout and set the frame layout to null, then used setBounds some of the panels to see what it would do.

package addItemBtn.Home.DataBase;
 
import java.awt.BorderLayout;
import java.awt.FlowLayout;
import java.awt.GridLayout;
 
import javax.swing.*;
 
public class AddItemView
{
 
	JFrame frame;
	JPanel btnPanel,descriptionPanel,picturePanel,textPanel;
	JTextField nameBox,priceBox,locationBox;
	JLabel nameLbl,descriptionLbl,priceLbl,locationLbl,pictureLbl;
	JTextArea descriptionBox;
	JButton submitBtn,cancelBtn,previewBtn,browseBtn;
 
	JFileChooser fileopen;
 
	public AddItemView()
	{
		//set up frame
		frame = new JFrame("Add Item");
		frame.setSize(750,500);
		frame.setLayout(null);
		frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
 
		//create text boxes and labels
		nameLbl = new JLabel("Name:");
		nameBox = new JTextField(15);
 
		priceLbl = new JLabel("Price:");
		priceBox = new JTextField(15);
 
		locationLbl = new JLabel("Location:");
		locationBox = new JTextField(15);
 
		//add text fields to textPanel
		textPanel = new JPanel();
		textPanel.setLayout(new GridLayout(6,4));
		textPanel.setSize(100,75);
		textPanel.setVisible(true);
 
		textPanel.add(nameLbl);
		textPanel.add(nameBox);
		textPanel.add(priceLbl);
		textPanel.add(nameBox);
		textPanel.add(locationLbl);
		textPanel.add(locationBox);
		textPanel.setBounds(0,50,100,100);
		textPanel.setVisible(true);
 
		//create file chooser upload a picture
		fileopen = new JFileChooser();
		browseBtn = new JButton("Browse");
 
		//create and add file chooser to panel
		picturePanel = new JPanel();
		picturePanel.add(fileopen);
		picturePanel.add(browseBtn);
		picturePanel.setSize(75,75);
		picturePanel.setBounds(120,10,100,100);
 
		//create buttons
		btnPanel = new JPanel();
		btnPanel.setLayout(new FlowLayout());
		//btnPanel.setSize(getPreferredSize());
		submitBtn = new JButton("Submit");
		cancelBtn = new JButton("Cancel");
		previewBtn = new JButton("Preview");
 
		//add buttons to panel
		btnPanel.add(submitBtn);
		btnPanel.add(cancelBtn);
		btnPanel.add(previewBtn);
		btnPanel.setBounds(50,98,25,25);
		btnPanel.setVisible(true);
 
		//create description text area
		descriptionLbl = new JLabel("Description:");
		descriptionBox = new JTextArea();
 
		//add to description text area to panel
		descriptionPanel = new JPanel();
		descriptionPanel.setLayout(new FlowLayout());
		descriptionPanel.setSize(150,100);
		descriptionPanel.add(descriptionLbl);
		descriptionPanel.add(descriptionBox);
 
		//place textFields to top left of frame
		frame.add(textPanel);
		//place picture panel into top right of frame
		frame.add(picturePanel);
		//place descriptionPanel to the center of the frame
		frame.add(descriptionPanel);
		//place buttons on bottom of frame
		frame.add(btnPanel);
 
		frame.setVisible(true);
	}
 
}

Defining your UIs using null layouts and the setBounds() method is unnecessarily complicated and will eventually (if not immediately) result in the programmer going to bed with a bad headache. The reason you chose not to use the available layout managers is . . . ?

I might have been over thinking it. I am thinking I need GroupLayout() for the JFrame and for each panel I will use different layout managers... Am I on the right track now?

Definitely better. GroupLayout may be more complicated than you need, but I don't know. Give it a whirl and see.

I am trying a new approach, putting a panel inside a panel then adding then adding that panel to the JFrame using GridBagConstraints which I named c.

//add buttons to panel
		btnPanel.add(submitBtn);
		btnPanel.add(cancelBtn);
		btnPanel.add(previewBtn);
		//panel within a panel to position it in correct area on JFrame
		btnPanelBox = new JPanel();
		c.gridx = 5;
		c.gridy = 500;
		btnPanelBox.add(btnPanel,c);

	//place buttons on bottom of frame
		frame.add(btnPanelBox);

Not doing what I want, am I at least getting warmer, any advice?

My advice usually is to look into the MigLayout because its very flexible and can easily get you great results.
The BorderLayout is also useful, but not as often. Never fear to use several panels each with different layouts to get exactly what you want.

MigLayout? I will look more into it. I started to use GredBagConstraints and it is not doing what I want either, this is that I have:

package addItemBtn.Home.DataBase;
 
import java.awt.BorderLayout;
import java.awt.FlowLayout;
import java.awt.GridBagConstraints;
import java.awt.GridLayout;
 
import javax.swing.*;
 
public class AddItemView
{
 
	JFrame frame;
	JPanel btnPanel,descriptionPanel,picturePanel,textPanel;
	JPanel btnPanelBox,textPanelBox,descriptionPanelBox,picturePanelBox;
	JTextField nameBox,priceBox,locationBox;
	JLabel nameLbl,descriptionLbl,priceLbl,locationLbl,pictureLbl;
	JTextArea descriptionBox;
	JButton submitBtn,cancelBtn,previewBtn,browseBtn;
 
	JFileChooser fileopen;
 
	public AddItemView()
	{
		//set up frame
		frame = new JFrame("Add Item");
		frame.setSize(750,500);
		//frame.setLayout(null);
		frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
 
		//to position panels in correct positions
		GridBagConstraints c = new GridBagConstraints();
 
		//create text boxes and labels
		nameLbl = new JLabel("Name:");
		nameBox = new JTextField(15);
 
		priceLbl = new JLabel("Price:");
		priceBox = new JTextField(15);
 
		locationLbl = new JLabel("Location:");
		locationBox = new JTextField(15);
 
		//add text fields to textPanel
		textPanel = new JPanel();
		textPanel.setLayout(new GridLayout(6,4));
		textPanel.setSize(100,75);
		//panel within a panel to position it in correct area on JFrame
		textPanelBox = new JPanel(); 
 
 
		textPanel.add(nameLbl);
		textPanel.add(nameBox);
		textPanel.add(priceLbl);
		textPanel.add(nameBox);
		textPanel.add(locationLbl);
		textPanel.add(locationBox);
		c.gridx = 1;
		c.gridy = 1;
		textPanelBox.add(textPanel,c);
 
		//create file chooser upload a picture
		fileopen = new JFileChooser();
		browseBtn = new JButton("Browse");
 
		//create and add file chooser to panel
		picturePanel = new JPanel();
		picturePanel.add(fileopen);
		picturePanel.add(browseBtn);
		//adding a panel to a panel so that it position right on the JFrame
		picturePanelBox = new JPanel();
		c.gridx = 100;
		c.gridy = 3;
		picturePanelBox.add(picturePanel);
 
		//create buttons
		btnPanel = new JPanel();
		btnPanel.setLayout(new FlowLayout());
		//btnPanel.setSize(getPreferredSize());
		submitBtn = new JButton("Submit");
		cancelBtn = new JButton("Cancel");
		previewBtn = new JButton("Preview");
 
		//add buttons to panel
		btnPanel.add(submitBtn);
		btnPanel.add(cancelBtn);
		btnPanel.add(previewBtn);
		//panel within a panel to position it in correct area on JFrame
		btnPanelBox = new JPanel();
		c.gridx = 5;
		c.gridy = 500;
		btnPanelBox.add(btnPanel,c);
 
		//create description text area
		descriptionLbl = new JLabel("Description:");
		descriptionBox = new JTextArea();
 
		//add to description text area to panel
		descriptionPanel = new JPanel();
		descriptionPanel.setLayout(new FlowLayout());
		descriptionPanel.setSize(150,100);
		descriptionPanel.add(descriptionLbl);
		descriptionPanel.add(descriptionBox);
 
		descriptionPanelBox = new JPanel();
		c.gridx = 5;
		c.gridy = 50;
		descriptionPanelBox.add(descriptionPanel);
 
		//place textFields to top left of frame
		frame.getContentPane().add(textPanelBox,BorderLayout.NORTH);
		//place picture panel into top right of frame
		frame.getContentPane().add(picturePanelBox,BorderLayout.NORTH);
		//place descriptionPanel to the center of the frame
		frame.getContentPane().add(descriptionPanelBox,BorderLayout.CENTER);
		//place buttons on bottom of frame
		frame.getContentPane().add(btnPanelBox,BorderLayout.SOUTH);
 
		frame.setVisible(true);
	}
 
}

I looked into MigLayout and got pretty excited. However I am getting some funny errors.

There was an error java.awt.event.ActionEvent[ACTION_PERFORMED,cmd=Add Item,when=1411410455116,modifiers=Button1] on javax.swing.JButton[,0,29,200x29,alignmentX=0.0,alignmentY=0.5,border=com.apple.laf.AquaButtonBorder$Dynamic@10bc5c9,flags=288,maximumSize=,minimumSize=,preferredSize=,defaultIcon=,disabledIcon=,disabledSelectedIcon=,margin=javax.swing.plaf.InsetsUIResource[top=0,left=2,bottom=0,right=2],paintBorder=true,paintFocus=true,pressedIcon=,rolloverEnabled=false,rolloverIcon=,rolloverSelectedIcon=,selectedIcon=,text=Add Item,defaultCapable=true]

Here is my code

package addItemBtn.Home.DataBase;
 
import java.awt.FlowLayout;
import java.awt.GridLayout;
import java.awt.ScrollPane;
 
import javax.swing.*;
 
import net.miginfocom.swing.MigLayout;
 
public class AddItemView
{
 
	JFrame frame;
	JPanel btnPanel,descriptionPanel,picturePanel,textPanel;
	JTextField nameBox,priceBox,locationBox;
	JLabel nameLbl,descriptionLbl,priceLbl,locationLbl,pictureLbl;
	JTextArea descriptionBox;
	JButton submitBtn,cancelBtn,previewBtn,browseBtn;
 
	JFileChooser fileopen;
 
	public AddItemView()
	{
		//set up frame
		frame = new JFrame("Add Item");
		frame.setSize(750,500);
		frame.setLayout(new MigLayout());
		frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
 
		//create text boxes and labels
		nameLbl = new JLabel("Name:");
		nameBox = new JTextField(15);
 
		priceLbl = new JLabel("Price:");
		priceBox = new JTextField(15);
 
		locationLbl = new JLabel("Location:");
		locationBox = new JTextField(15);
 
		//add text fields to textPanel
		textPanel = new JPanel();
		textPanel.setLayout(new MigLayout());
		textPanel.setSize(100,75);
 
		textPanel.add(nameLbl);
		textPanel.add(nameBox);
		textPanel.add(priceLbl);
		textPanel.add(nameBox);
		textPanel.add(locationLbl);
		textPanel.add(locationBox,"Wrap");
 
 
		//create file chooser upload a picture
		fileopen = new JFileChooser();
		//browseBtn = new JButton("Browse");
 
		//create and add file chooser to panel
		picturePanel = new JPanel();
		picturePanel.add(fileopen);
		//picturePanel.add(browseBtn);
 
 
		//create buttons
		btnPanel = new JPanel();
		btnPanel.setLayout(new MigLayout());
		submitBtn = new JButton("Submit");
		cancelBtn = new JButton("Cancel");
		previewBtn = new JButton("Preview");
 
		//add buttons to panel
		btnPanel.add(submitBtn);
		btnPanel.add(cancelBtn);
		btnPanel.add(previewBtn,"Wrap");
 
		//create description text area
		descriptionLbl = new JLabel("Description:");
 
		//add to description text area to panel
		descriptionPanel = new JPanel();
		descriptionPanel.setSize(150,100);
		descriptionPanel.add(descriptionLbl);
 
		//place textFields to top left of frame
		frame.add(textPanel,"cell 0 1");
		//place picture panel into top right of frame
		frame.add(picturePanel,"cell 7,1");
		//place descriptionPanel to the center of the frame
		frame.add(descriptionPanel,"cell 5,7");
		//place buttons on bottom of frame
		frame.add(btnPanel,"dock north");
 
		frame.setVisible(true);
	}
 
}

Also is it smart to put everything in the constructor like this? I seen some examples where a guy made each panel its own method and just returned the panel.

also posted at MigLayout not working

Ok I got it working and greatly improved my code style. I will make a new thread because I have a different issue.

Here in your main method, you're adding an instance of the Customer class to a JTabbedPane and then adding that JTabbedPane to the JFrame:

Java Code:

public static void main(String[] args)
{
Customer cust = new Customer(); // create Customer instance
JTabbedPane tab = new JTabbedPane();
JFrame frame = new JFrame("Airline");
tab.add("Customer", cust); // add Customer instance to JTabbedPane
tab.add("Flight", null);
tab.add("Reservations", null);
frame.add(tab, BorderLayout.CENTER); // add the JTabbedPane to the JFrame
So therefore your components must be somehow added to the Customer JPanel itself. It's fine to add them to a JPanel called panel from within Customer if you eventually add that JPanel to customer via:

Java Code:
public Customer()
{
// Instantiate labels
label1 = new JLabel("First Name");
label2 = new JLabel("Last Name");
label3 = new JLabel("Customer Status");
label4 = new JLabel("Dependendt Age");
label5 = new JLabel("Customer ID");

// Instantiate text boxes
text1 = new JTextField(10);
text2 = new JTextField(10);

// Set the Grid Layout
setLayout( new GridLayout(5,2));

// Add items to grid
panel.add(label1);
panel.add(text1);

add(panel); // ****** here ***** add panel to Customer
}