Align JLabels and JTextFields vertically in different areas

Question

I like to have 3 TitledBorders for 3 different areas of my frame.
Each area has its own components - JLabels, JTextField, etc.
How to align JLabels and JTextFields vertically in different areas?
e.g. for the following test program, how to configure label1, label2, label3 so that their right sides all align vertically and
tf1, tf2, tf3 so that their left sides all align vertically?
import java.awt.GridBagConstraints;
import java.awt.GridBagLayout;
import java.awt.GridLayout;
import java.awt.Insets;
import javax.swing.JFrame;
import javax.swing.JLabel;
import javax.swing.JPanel;
import javax.swing.JTextField;
import javax.swing.border.TitledBorder;
public class TitledBorderDemo extends JFrame {
  public TitledBorderDemo() {
    super("TitledBorderDemo");
    JTextField tf1 = new JTextField("hello", 6);
    JTextField tf2 = new JTextField("hello", 12);
    JTextField tf3 = new JTextField("test");
    JTextField tf4 = new JTextField("test2");
    JLabel label1 = new JLabel("1234567890ertyuiyup label");
    JLabel label2 = new JLabel("zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz long label");
    JLabel label3 = new JLabel("short label");
    JLabel label4 = new JLabel("test");
    JPanel panel_tf = new JPanel(new GridBagLayout());
    JPanel panel_pf = new JPanel(new GridBagLayout());
    JPanel panel_ftf = new JPanel(new GridBagLayout());
    GridBagConstraints constraints = new GridBagConstraints(0, 0, 3, 3,
            0.0, 0.0, GridBagConstraints.WEST, GridBagConstraints.NONE,
            new Insets(10, 10, 10, 10), 0, 0);
    constraints.gridx = 0;
    constraints.gridy = 0;
    constraints.gridwidth = 2;
    constraints.anchor = GridBagConstraints.WEST;
    panel_tf.add(label1, constraints);
    constraints.gridx = 2;
    constraints.gridwidth = 1;
    constraints.anchor = GridBagConstraints.EAST;
    panel_tf.add(tf1, constraints);
    constraints.gridx = 0;
    constraints.gridy = 1;
    constraints.gridwidth = 2;
    constraints.anchor = GridBagConstraints.WEST;
    panel_pf.add(label2, constraints);
    constraints.gridx = 2;
    constraints.gridwidth = 1;
    constraints.anchor = GridBagConstraints.EAST;
    panel_pf.add(tf2, constraints);
    constraints.gridx = 0;
    constraints.gridy = 2;
    constraints.gridwidth = 2;
    constraints.anchor = GridBagConstraints.WEST;
    panel_ftf.add(label3, constraints);
    constraints.gridx = 2;
    constraints.gridwidth = 1;
    constraints.anchor = GridBagConstraints.EAST;
    panel_ftf.add(tf3, constraints);
    constraints.gridx = 3;
    constraints.gridwidth = 1;
    constraints.anchor = GridBagConstraints.WEST;
    panel_ftf.add(label4, constraints);
    constraints.gridx = 4;
    constraints.anchor = GridBagConstraints.EAST;
    panel_ftf.add(tf4, constraints);
    panel_tf.setBorder(new TitledBorder("JTextField1"));
    panel_pf.setBorder(new TitledBorder("JTextField2"));
    panel_ftf.setBorder(new TitledBorder("JTextField3"));
    JPanel pan = new JPanel(new GridLayout(3, 1, 10, 10));
    pan.add(panel_tf);
    pan.add(panel_pf);
    pan.add(panel_ftf);
    this.add(pan);
  public static void main(String args[]) {
    JFrame frame = new TitledBorderDemo();
    frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
    frame.setSize(600, 450);
    frame.setVisible(true);
}

Answer 1

Thank you! It works!
I add some labels & components to your demo program.
Most of the components align vertically.
How to align the "Country", "Test2" & "Extension" labels on the right sides?
How to align their corresponding components so that their left sides all align vertically?
How to make the Cancel button stick to the Save button
(i.e. eliminate the gap between the Cancel and the Save button)?
import java.awt.*;
import javax.swing.*;
import javax.swing.border.*;
public class TitledBorderDemoNew extends JFrame {
  public TitledBorderDemoNew() {
    super("TitledBorderDemoNew");
    JLabel nameLabel = new JLabel("Name");
    JTextField nameText = new JTextField(20);
    JLabel addressLabel = new JLabel("Address (City & State)");
    JTextField addressText = new JTextField(40);
    JLabel countryLabel = new JLabel("Country");
    JTextField countryText = new JTextField(30);
    JLabel testLabel = new JLabel("Test");
    JTextField testText = new JTextField(20);   
    JLabel test2Label = new JLabel("Test2");
    JTextField test2Text = new JTextField(20);   
    JLabel phoneLabel = new JLabel("Phone");
    JTextField phoneText = new JTextField(20);
    JLabel extensionLabel = new JLabel("Extension");
    JTextField extensionText = new JTextField(5);
    JLabel postalCodeLabel = new JLabel("Postal Code");
    JTextField postalCodeText = new JTextField(6);
    JButton saveButton = new JButton("Save");
    JButton cancelButton = new JButton("Cancel");
    JButton commentButton = new JButton("Comment");
    int longWidth = addressLabel.getPreferredSize().width;
    GridBagConstraints constraints = new GridBagConstraints();
    JPanel p1 = new JPanel(new GridBagLayout());
    p1.setBorder(createBorder("Name"));
    constraints.gridx = 0;
    constraints.gridy = 0;
    constraints.anchor = GridBagConstraints.EAST;
    constraints.insets = new Insets(4,6,4,6);
    p1.add(nameLabel, constraints);
    constraints.gridx = 1;
    constraints.anchor = GridBagConstraints.WEST;
    p1.add(nameText, constraints);
    constraints.gridx = 2;
    constraints.anchor = GridBagConstraints.WEST;
    constraints.fill = GridBagConstraints.HORIZONTAL;
    constraints.weightx = 1.0;
    p1.add(Box.createHorizontalGlue(), constraints);
    constraints.gridx = 0;
    constraints.gridy = 1;
    constraints.fill = GridBagConstraints.NONE;
    constraints.weightx = 0.0;
    p1.add(Box.createHorizontalStrut(longWidth), constraints);
    JPanel p2 = new JPanel(new GridBagLayout());
    p2.setBorder(createBorder("Address"));
    constraints.gridx = 0;
    constraints.gridy = 0;
    constraints.anchor = GridBagConstraints.EAST;
    constraints.insets = new Insets(4,6,4,6);
    p2.add(addressLabel, constraints);
    constraints.gridx = 1;
    constraints.anchor = GridBagConstraints.WEST;
    p2.add(addressText, constraints);
    // extra label & component
    constraints.gridx = 2;
    constraints.anchor = GridBagConstraints.EAST;
    constraints.insets = new Insets(4,36,4,6);
    p2.add(countryLabel, constraints);
    constraints.gridx = 3;
    constraints.anchor = GridBagConstraints.WEST;
    constraints.insets = new Insets(4,6,4,6);
    p2.add(countryText, constraints);
    constraints.gridx = 0;
    constraints.gridy = 1;
    constraints.anchor = GridBagConstraints.EAST;
    constraints.insets = new Insets(4,6,4,6);
    p2.add(testLabel, constraints);
    constraints.gridx = 1;
    constraints.anchor = GridBagConstraints.WEST;
    p2.add(testText, constraints);
    // extra label & component
    constraints.gridx = 2;
    constraints.anchor = GridBagConstraints.EAST;
    constraints.insets = new Insets(4,36,4,6);
    p2.add(test2Label, constraints);
    constraints.gridx = 3;
    constraints.anchor = GridBagConstraints.WEST;
    constraints.insets = new Insets(4,6,4,6);
    p2.add(test2Text, constraints);
    constraints.gridx = 4;
    constraints.anchor = GridBagConstraints.WEST;
    constraints.fill = GridBagConstraints.HORIZONTAL;
    constraints.weightx = 1.0;
    p2.add(Box.createHorizontalGlue(), constraints);
    constraints.gridx = 0;
    constraints.gridy = 2;
    constraints.fill = GridBagConstraints.NONE;
    constraints.weightx = 0.0;
    p2.add(Box.createHorizontalStrut(longWidth), constraints);
    JPanel p3 = new JPanel(new GridBagLayout());
    p3.setBorder(createBorder("Phone"));
    constraints.gridx = 0;
    constraints.gridy = 0;
    constraints.anchor = GridBagConstraints.EAST;
    constraints.insets = new Insets(4,6,4,6);
    p3.add(phoneLabel, constraints);
    constraints.gridx = 1;
    constraints.anchor = GridBagConstraints.WEST;
    p3.add(phoneText, constraints);
    constraints.gridx = 2;
    constraints.anchor = GridBagConstraints.EAST;
    constraints.insets = new Insets(4,6,4,6);
    p3.add(extensionLabel, constraints);
    constraints.gridx = 3;
    constraints.anchor = GridBagConstraints.WEST;
    p3.add(extensionText, constraints);
    constraints.gridx = 2;
    constraints.anchor = GridBagConstraints.WEST;
    constraints.fill = GridBagConstraints.HORIZONTAL;
    constraints.weightx = 1.0;
    p3.add(Box.createHorizontalGlue(), constraints);
    constraints.gridx = 0;
    constraints.gridy = 1;
    constraints.fill = GridBagConstraints.NONE;
    constraints.weightx = 0.0;
    p3.add(Box.createHorizontalStrut(longWidth), constraints);
    JPanel p4 = new JPanel(new GridBagLayout());
    p4.setBorder(createBorder("Postal Code"));
    constraints.gridx = 0;
    constraints.gridy = 0;
    constraints.anchor = GridBagConstraints.EAST;
    constraints.insets = new Insets(4,6,4,6);
    p4.add(postalCodeLabel, constraints);
    constraints.gridx = 1;
    constraints.anchor = GridBagConstraints.WEST;
    p4.add(postalCodeText, constraints);
    constraints.gridx = 2;
    constraints.anchor = GridBagConstraints.WEST;
    constraints.fill = GridBagConstraints.HORIZONTAL;
    constraints.weightx = 1.0;
    p4.add(Box.createHorizontalGlue(), constraints);
    constraints.gridx = 0;
    constraints.gridy = 1;
    constraints.fill = GridBagConstraints.NONE;
    constraints.weightx = 0.0;
    p4.add(Box.createHorizontalStrut(longWidth), constraints);
    JPanel p5 = new JPanel(new GridBagLayout());
    constraints.gridx = 0;
    constraints.gridy = 0;
    constraints.anchor = GridBagConstraints.WEST;
    constraints.insets = new Insets(4,6,4,6);
    p5.add(commentButton, constraints);
    constraints.gridx = 1;
    constraints.anchor = GridBagConstraints.WEST;
    constraints.fill = GridBagConstraints.HORIZONTAL;
    constraints.weightx = 1.0;
    p5.add(Box.createHorizontalGlue(), constraints);
    constraints.gridx = 2;
    constraints.gridwidth = GridBagConstraints.RELATIVE;
    constraints.fill = GridBagConstraints.NONE;
    constraints.anchor = GridBagConstraints.EAST;
    p5.add(cancelButton, constraints);
    constraints.gridx = 3;
    constraints.gridwidth = GridBagConstraints.REMAINDER;
    constraints.anchor = GridBagConstraints.EAST;
    p5.add(saveButton, constraints);
    JPanel panel = new JPanel(new GridBagLayout());
    constraints.gridx = 0;
    constraints.gridy = 0;
    constraints.fill = GridBagConstraints.HORIZONTAL;
    constraints.weightx = 1.0;
    panel.add(p1, constraints);
    constraints.gridy = 1;
    panel.add(p2, constraints);
    constraints.gridy = 2;
    panel.add(p3, constraints);
    constraints.gridy = 3;
    panel.add(p4, constraints);
    constraints.gridy = 4;
    panel.add(p5, constraints);
    this.add(new JScrollPane(panel));
  private Border createBorder(String title)
    TitledBorder b = new TitledBorder(title);
    b.setTitleColor(Color.RED.darker());
    return b;
  public static void main(String args[]) {
    JFrame frame = new TitledBorderDemoNew();
    frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
    frame.pack();
    frame.setVisible(true);
}Edited by: 833768 on 26-Apr-2011 10:32 AM