Swing layout + awt paintcomponent issue

Question

Hi guys
I have a small issue while creating my very first application, or better, creating its GUI.
i would like to insert in a jpanel three JTextFields on top of the panel where the user could eventually enter data, once the data are entered, a paintComponent displays the results beneath it using graphics, with simple drawLine from the paintComponent method.
The problem is that i dont succeed to design a "good looking" panel where i can combine the organized layout of the fields and the space left for the lines of the paintcomponent method
i can enter the fields and the lines like this:
//contstructor definition
add(field10);
add(field2);
add(field3);
//eof constructor definition
public void paintComponent(Graphics g){
g.drawString("ciao"20,20);
}but i cannot do this...
//contructor definition
setLayout(new GridLayout(3,2));
add(field10);
add(field2);
add(field3);
//eof constructor definition
public void paintComponent(Graphics g){
g.drawString("ciao"20,20);
}because the GridLayout will occupy the whole panel and the size of the fields will be huge, so that there will be no space left for the paintComponents.
What i would like to do is to let the GridLayout to occupy only the upper part of the JPanel so that the part below could be left to graphic content.
I hope it sounds clear.
Thank you
Take care
Edited by: classboy on Sep 8, 2009 9:28 PM

Answer 1

One of the keys to understanding use of layout managers with Java is that they can be nested. More accurately, you can next Components and have each one use its own layout manager. One solution to your problem is to have a main JPanel use a BorderLayout, then add another JPanel, say called textFieldPanel that uses GridLayout and holds the three JTextFields. This panel can be added to the main panel BorderLayout.SOUTH or .NORTH, depending on your preference, and then have a third JPanel a drawingPanel that overrides paintComponent and displays the graphics, and add this to the main JPanel BorderLayout.CENTER.
The iterations possible here are close to endless.
Much luck.