Using a GUI container

Question

I have 3 JPanels and i need the middle one too hold some buttons and Labels. I need there to be a title label and then underneath the buttons related to this title, as shown.
SWIMMING
JButton JButton JButton
TRACK AND FIELD
JButton JButton JButton
I have used flow layout but i am not sure this is the correct choice for what i want to do. I have declared and set all my labels and buttons and when i go to display them, i am trying:
     pnlCenter.setLayout(new FlowLayout(FlowLayout.CENTER, 22, 25));
     pnlCenter.add(lbSwimming,  0);  //JLabel
     pnlCenter.add(eveSwim50M,  1); //JButton
     pnlCenter.add(eveSwim100M, 2); //JButton
     pnlCenter.add(lbTrack,     4);  //JLabel
     pnlCenter.add(eveRun100M,  5);  //JButton
     pnlCenter.add(eveRun400M,  6); //JButton
     pnlCenter.add(eveRun800M,  7); //JButton
     pnlCenter.add(eveRun1500M, 8); //JButton
     pnlCenter.add(eveDecathlon,9); //JButtonThis does not give them a very good order though. Is there any way in flow layout i can use somthing simular to '/n'. Or what would be the best container for what i need to do?
cheers

Answer 1

I was thinking maybe gridbag layout? don't 'think' about it - do it.
read the GridBagLayout tutorial from the earlier link,
put together a program and see how it looks.
Might not be the easiest layout to use, and possibly overkill
for what you want, but if you experiment now, the time you do
need a GridBagLayout will be easier for you.
one possible way:
panel(GridLayout(4,1))
panel.add(swimmingLabel,JLabel.CENTER)//assumes you want the label centered over the middle button
panel.add(anotherPanel(GridLayout(1,3)-->anotherPanel has the 3 buttons
ditto for other label
ditto for other row of buttons
another possibility is BoxLayout - try 'em all, see how they look