SplitPane divider position change doesnot render both the components

Question

Hello
I am trying to use a splitpane that has two panels. By default i want only one of the panels to be seen(initially). But I want the second panel to be visible when I click on the divider.I have done it as follows as a mouse event performed on divider.
splitPane.setSize(800,800);
splitPane.setDividerLocation(.5);/splitPane.setDividerLocation(400);
splitPane.resetToPreferredSizes();
splitPane.paint();
I can change the size but the second component is not seen initially.On debugging I see the divider position being set(to 400/.5).The panel is seen only when the divider crosses its intial position.(probably after 2/3 clicks).Have tried by inspecting the minimum and preferred sizes of all.The second panel width is overriden with a value 0 on first click inspite of initialising it.
Have been stuck with it for 3 days.
Hope to get some help.

Answer 1

This is just compliant to Swing rules but not stated in docs:
0) Configure splitter to be "one touch expandable" and more as necessary.
1) Play with individual dimensions of both panels, not with split panel.
2) Declare minimum size for both panels as ZERO to hide one at time.
3) Declare preferred size for some arbitrary panel and the complement size to other.
It is better, if possible, to declare preferred size to the "less" important panel and attempt to Look&Feel disregarding the size of other (the most important).
Let us know about result in near future.
Best regards (from a guy in Brasil)!