How can I create a single background image for a BorderLayout?

Question

I can create a background with an image file for the individual panel (North, West, Center, East and South) in a BorderLayout, but I've been spinning my wheel for a long while now trying to figure out how to create just one background with a single image file for all of these panels?
In my application, a panel may contain various buttons, a listbox, a group of checkboxes, a combo box, or a canvas. Even if I used the same image file, when the panels are finally put together, one can clearly see that the end product is the result of a lot of patch works.
Hope someone has an answer for this. BTW, I'm using AWT because it works with existing browsers without the need for a separate Java plug-in.
Regards,
V.V.

Answer 1

Look at this :
import java.awt.*;
import java.awt.event.*;
import java.util.*;
import java.awt.image.BufferedImage;
public class PanI extends Frame
     Image map;
     Panel pan;
     myPan p8,p4,p6,p2,p5;
     BufferedImage I;
public PanI() 
     addWindowListener(new WindowAdapter()
    {     public void windowClosing(WindowEvent ev)
          {     dispose();
               System.exit(0);}});
     map = getToolkit().getImage("map2.gif");
     MediaTracker tracker = new MediaTracker(this);
     tracker.addImage(map,0);
     try   {tracker.waitForID(0);}
     catch (InterruptedException e){}
     I = new BufferedImage(1,1,BufferedImage.TYPE_INT_ARGB);
     setBounds(10,10,map.getWidth(null)+8,map.getHeight(null)+27);
     setLayout(new BorderLayout());
     pan = new Panel();
     add(pan,BorderLayout.CENTER);
     pan.setLayout(new BorderLayout());
     pan.setSize(map.getWidth(null),map.getHeight(null));
     p5 = new myPan(5);
     p5.setBackground(Color.red);
     pan.add(p5,BorderLayout.CENTER);
     p8 = new myPan(8);
     p8.setBackground(Color.orange);
     pan.add(p8,BorderLayout.NORTH);
     p4 = new myPan(4);
     p4.setBackground(Color.blue);
     pan.add(p4,BorderLayout.WEST);
     p6 = new myPan(6);
     p6.setBackground(Color.green);
     pan.add(p6,BorderLayout.EAST);
     p2 = new myPan(2);
     p2.setBackground(Color.pink);
     pan.add(p2,BorderLayout.SOUTH);
     setVisible(true);
public class myPan extends Panel
     int where;
public myPan(int i)
     super();
     where = i;
public void paint(Graphics g)
     if (I.getWidth(null) != pan.getWidth() || I.getHeight(null) != pan.getHeight())
          I = new BufferedImage(pan.getWidth(),pan.getHeight(),BufferedImage.TYPE_INT_ARGB);
          Graphics      G = I.getGraphics();
          G.drawImage(map,0,0,pan.getWidth(),pan.getHeight(),null);     
          G.dispose();
     int x1=0;
     int x2=getWidth();
     int y1=0;
     int y2=getHeight();
     if (where == 8)
     if (where == 2)
          y1 =  p8.getHeight()+p5.getHeight();
          y2 =  getHeight()+y1;
     if (where == 4)
          y1 =  p8.getHeight();
          y2 =  y1+getHeight();
     if (where == 5)
          x1 =  p4.getWidth();
          x2 =  x1+getWidth();
          y1 =  p8.getHeight();
          y2 =  y1+getHeight();
     if (where == 6)
          x1 =  p4.getWidth()+p5.getWidth();;
          x2 =  x1+getWidth();
          y1 =  p8.getHeight();
          y2 =  y1+getHeight();
     g.drawImage(I,0,0,getWidth(),getHeight(),x1,y1,x2,y2,null);
public void update(Graphics g)
     paint(g);
public static void main (String[] args) 
     new PanI();
Noah