Need help displaying layouts

Question

I'm new to Java swing but have read the tutorials.. maybe I'm just not very fast learner. However I need to display some things, but having problems doing so in JavaSwing.
Basically my display needs to be like this
Name: <textfield>
Address: <textfield>
Are you married? <yes option> <no Option>
My problem is the yes and no options. If I make the Grid 3 columns then the textfields are displayed in the 2nd column rather than spreading across the 2nd and 3rd columns. The other thing is I want all the Labels (name, address, are you married) to be on one left column while the other items are in another column. I guess this is kinda like a nest panel or something? I'm not really sure. Are there examples of how to do something like this? I learn best by examples.

Answer 1

Swinging :) is kinda like a top-down * bottom-up approach (mix of both). So you gotta think from the top and implement from the bottom. (We can call this design-down, implement-up neh? :)
1. Essentially, you need three rows, with two columns.
2. First column contains three rows of the same size.
3. Second column contains three rows too.
a. First and second rows of second column span the entire row.
c. Last row is split into two.
Make a label panel for holding the labels such as "Name" and "Address". Make this a grid panel of 3 rows and 1 column. Call this LPANEL
Now make another panel, this also with three rows and one column using a grid layout. Call this the FPANEL.
Now, add a textfield to the first two rows.
For the last, create a new panel with a grid layout with size 1x2 (1 row, 2 columns). Call this the OPANEL. Add it to the FPANEL last. So, now you have two panels. How do you ensure they line up?
Set the same margin sizes (and insets) for all components/grid layouts.
Finally, make a MPANEL (main panel) which uses grid bag layout. You want your FPANEL to expand to fill the MPANEL but the LPANEL should be constant no? So we use gridbaglayout and add LPANEL with normal constraints (read up on the constrainst and how to use gridbaglayout :). Add FPANEL with gridbagconstraints that cause it to fill the remainder of the space ("remainder" is the key here).
Voila!
Your are done :)
Now, I would make your life easier by recommending you use netBeans for desiging UI's or Eclipse. But, a year of swinging by hand will give u enuf expertise that when u do start using netBeans etc, you will have be able to get the maximum out of them.
tell me if u got it right!
-vijai.