Gui Help

[shahkhan]

Hi guys

Im designing a GUI for my java and what I have done is added the buttons to the EAST side and a pic to the Centre. I like a border to split the button. Something in between to splits them apart so it looks much nicer. Can anyone suggest something to me and give me a example coding of how it shud be done.

Thanx

[sjalle]

This is one way. The mainPanel can be substistuted
w. a JFrame (just remember to use the
getContentPane().add() instead of add()): The gridlayout
in the eastPanel is set up w. 0 rows and 1 column, this
makes the components line up in a column like big fat buttons.

  // declare components
  JPanel mainPanel = new JPanel();
  JPanel eastPanel = new JPanel();
  JPanel jPanel2 = new JPanel();
  JPanel jPanel3 = new JPanel();
  JPanel jPanel4 = new JPanel();
  BorderLayout borderLayout1 = new BorderLayout();
  GridLayout gridLayout1 = new GridLayout();
  GridLayout gridLayout2 = new GridLayout();
  GridLayout gridLayout3 = new GridLayout();
  GridLayout gridLayout4 = new GridLayout();
  JButton jButton1 = new JButton();
  JButton jButton2 = new JButton();
  JButton jButton3 = new JButton();

  // set up gui
  private void jbInit() throws Exception {
    mainPanel.setLayout(borderLayout1);
    eastPanel.setBorder(BorderFactory.createEtchedBorder());
    eastPanel.setPreferredSize(new Dimension(90, 10));
    eastPanel.setLayout(gridLayout1);
    gridLayout1.setColumns(1);
    gridLayout1.setRows(0);
    jPanel4.setBorder(BorderFactory.createEtchedBorder());
    jPanel4.setLayout(gridLayout2);
    jPanel3.setBorder(BorderFactory.createEtchedBorder());
    jPanel3.setLayout(gridLayout3);
    jPanel2.setBorder(BorderFactory.createEtchedBorder());
    jPanel2.setLayout(gridLayout4);
    jButton1.setText("jButton1");
    jButton2.setText("jButton2");
    jButton3.setText("jButton3");
    mainPanel.add(eastPanel, BorderLayout.WEST);
    eastPanel.add(jPanel4, null);
    jPanel4.add(jButton1, null);
    eastPanel.add(jPanel3, null);
    jPanel3.add(jButton2, null);
    eastPanel.add(jPanel2, null);
    jPanel2.add(jButton3, null);
  }

[shahkhan]

Hiyeahh

That code for me was too complexed loll

Heres what I have done at the moment.

I have added the buttons to the west putting the labels inbetween the buttons to give them space in the centre I have added a picture in the centre ..Now thought about button b being used for the border between the buttons and the pic but I tried and I cant do it..I left you my code at the moment which u can mess around with to produce what I what…..

Thank you a lot


public SalesControlFrame() {



setLayout(new BorderLayout());
setBackground(Color.blue);
setTitle("Sales Control & Stock");
setSize(new Dimension(600, 500));


leftPanel = new Panel(new GridLayout(9,2 ));
add(leftPanel, BorderLayout.WEST);

topPanel = new Panel(new GridLayout(2,1 ));
add(topPanel, BorderLayout.NORTH);


//Image Setting

pic = new ImageIcon("G:/img/vz.jpg");
picture1 = new JLabel(pic);
rightPanel = new Panel();

//Setting the image on the right

rightPanel = new Panel(new GridLayout(1,1));
add(rightPanel, BorderLayout.CENTER);

centerPanel = new Panel(new GridLayout(1,1));
add(centerPanel, BorderLayout.EAST);



//Adding New Buttons
viewButton= new Button("Moniter Material");
cuButton= new Button("Customer Order");
spButton = new Button("Reorder From Suppliers");
Exit = new Button("Exit");
b = new Button("");


//Adding labels for space on the buttons
JLabel A = new JLabel("");
JLabel B = new JLabel("");
JLabel C = new JLabel("");
JLabel D = new JLabel("");
JLabel cpLabel = new JLabel("Company Address");
JLabel uslabel = new JLabel( "User Details");

cpLabel.setFont(new Font("Arial", Font.BOLD, 28));
uslabel.setFont(new Font("Arial", Font.BOLD, 28));

leftPanel.add(D);
leftPanel.add(cuButton);
leftPanel.add(A);
leftPanel.add(spButton);
leftPanel.add(B);
leftPanel.add(viewButton);
leftPanel.add(C);
leftPanel.add(Exit);
leftPanel.add(b);
rightPanel.add(picture1);


topPanel.add(cpLabel);
topPanel.add(uslabel);

[sjalle]

Too complicated, hmm ?
You are using labels as 'bricks' , also you are using a mixture of swing and awt components (JLabel, Panel) ??

Your solution ends up w. buttons that resize as you
resize the frame (and so does my last solution )
and that's not entirely kosher, in fact its a nono in gui
construction.

Try this;

Set the preferred size of the buttonspanel to say 120,10 (the height has no effect as it is stretched by
the borderlayout). Set the buttonspanel layout to:
FlowLayout(FlowLayout.LEFT). Set a fixed width for your
buttons so only one fits on each row. This will make the
buttons align left, stacked above each other and give
some right-space between the buttons and the picture.
And dont use labels for spacing here, use this:

FlowLayout leftPanFlow=new FlowLayout(FlowLayout.LEFT);
leftPanFlow.setVgap(30); //<- gives 30 pixels vertical gap.
leftPanel=new JPanel(leftPanFlow);
this.getContentPane().add(leftPanel,BorderLayout.WEST);
leftPanel.setPreferredSize(new Dimension(120,10));
// add the buttons
leftPanel.add(someButton);
.
.
this.validate();

The buttons should not change position or size as you
resize the frame, and this solution prevents that.