Help! How can I lay out forms?

Question

Hi:
I've tried everything and I just can't get Java to lay out a form for me.
I'm currently using TableLayout:
http://www.clearthought.info/software/TableLayout/
I expect the buttons to be in the bottom right hand corner of the form.
Only one shows up and it's apparantly over top the other one. They're at the top of the form.
What am I doing wrong?
public static void main(String[] args)
        btnOne = new JButton(" One ");
        btnOne.setPreferredSize(new Dimension(80, 25));
        btnTwo = new JButton(" Two ");
        btnTwo.setPreferredSize(new Dimension(80, 25));
        lbOne = new JLabel("Top Label");
        lbTwo=  new JLabel("Second Label");
       double size[][] =
            {{TableLayout.FILL, 200},
             {0.05, TableLayout.FILL, 25}};
        pnExt = new JPanel(new TableLayout(size));
        pnExt.setPreferredSize(new Dimension(775, 575));
        double sizeLbl[][] =
            {{250},
             {0.05, TableLayout.FILL, 25}};
        pnLabel = new JPanel(new TableLayout(sizeLbl));
        pnLabel.add(lbOne, "0, 0, l, t");
        pnLabel.add(lbTwo, "0, 0, l, t");
         double sizeBtn[][] =
            {{150},
             {TableLayout.FILL, 25, 25}};
        pnButtons = new JPanel(new TableLayout(sizeBtn));
        pnButtons.setPreferredSize(new Dimension(125, 550));
        pnButtons.add(btnOne, "0, 1, r, b");
        pnButtons.add(btnTwo, "0, 2, r, b");
        pnExt.add(lbOne, "0, 0, l, t");
        pnExt.add(pnLabel, "0, 1, l, t");
        pnExt.add(pnButtons, "1, 0");
        fme = new JFrame("My Test");
        fme.setSize(800, 600);
        fme.getContentPane().add(pnExt, BorderLayout.WEST);    
        fme.show();
    }

Answer 1

I've never used TableLayout, but here is some code for a common situation. Suppose you want components arranged like this:
label component (say text field or button)
label component
label component
import java.awt.*;
import javax.swing.*;
public class LayoutExample {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        JPanel p = new JPanel(new GridBagLayout());
        GridBagConstraints gbc = new GridBagConstraints();
        gbc.fill = GridBagConstraints.HORIZONTAL;
        gbc.anchor = GridBagConstraints.NORTH;
        gbc.insets = new Insets(0,5,0,0);
        //row 0
        gbc.gridy = 0;
        gbc.gridx = 0;
        p.add(new JLabel("label 0", JLabel.RIGHT), gbc);
        gbc.gridx = 1;
        p.add(new JTextField("field row 0", 20), gbc);
        //row 1
        gbc.gridy = 1;
        gbc.gridx = 0;
        p.add(new JLabel("label 1", JLabel.RIGHT), gbc);
        gbc.gridx = 1;
        p.add(new JTextField("field row 1", 20), gbc);
        //row 2
        gbc.gridy = 2;
        gbc.gridx = 0;
        p.add(new JLabel("longer label 2", JLabel.RIGHT), gbc);
        gbc.gridx = 1;
        p.add(new JButton("row 2"), gbc);
        //row 3
        gbc.gridy = 3;
        gbc.weighty = 100;
        gbc.gridx = 0;
        p.add(new JLabel("label 3", JLabel.RIGHT), gbc);
        gbc.gridx = 1;
        p.add(new JButton("row 3"), gbc);
        display("LayoutExample", p);
    static void display(String title, Component c) {
        JFrame f = new JFrame(title);
        f.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
        f.getContentPane().add(c);
        f.pack();
        f.setLocationRelativeTo(null);
        f.show();
}Resize the frame. the components remain centred horizontally but anchored to the north (that's the effect of weighty).
Of course, your mileage may vary, but don't give up on GridBagLayout. It reminds me of that 60's song, "If you want to be happy for the rest of your life (get yourself and ugly wife)"...