A Beginner's Guide to Java Swing

For those looking for a quick introduction to laying out Graphical User Interface components using Java’s Swing technology, this guide may prove helpful. (But probably not.)

Swing Components all have a few common properties that affect how they are laid out on the GUI. These are:

• alignmentX and alignmentY do nothing whatsoever.

• maximumSize sets the largest size the component can be when rendered, unless the Layout Manager feels like messing with you.

• minimumSize sets the smallest size the component can be, although this only holds when Venus is in Capricorn.

• preferredSize sets the exact size that a component will try to be, provided you have entered the secret unlock codes which are known only to Larry Ellison and the Illuminati.

Swing components are arranged inside their parent panels by Layout Managers. Many layout managers are available to achieve certain common layouts. They include:

• FlowLayout arranges components in a straight horizontal line, hiding any that it can’t be bothered to display because your box was too small for them.

• BoxLayout places all components in either a horizontal or vertical line, expanding to fit them all, but resizing the child components for the lulz.

• BorderLayout places components on the top, left, bottom or right-hand side of the panel. If you place two on the same side, they duel to the death until only one survives.

• GridLayout arranges components in a grid with fixed size cells. If the component in one of the cells happens to be huge for some reason (e.g. you did not enter the Illuminati secret unlock code), your entire parent panel expands until it consumes the universe.

• GridBagLayout represents the eternal influence of the Outer Gods in the affairs of man. Ï̷̫̥̣͈ͯ̌a̱̮̼̣̞͇̬͚ͧ́̉̆ͭͭ͜I̻̝̰̟͕̖͎ͦ̏ͫ̀͗̋͢ã̶̧̭͚͖ͤ͑́̎ͩͅ!̙͉͙̫̋̋͠ ̹͓̝̹͙͉̲͉̰́̽̐̈ͭ͆̎!̛̘̖̺̺̦̙ͦ͗̂͗̈͊͝ f̦̬̲͇̥̗̙̬͆ͦͦ̀̒̕G̸̩̹̞̫̈ͨ͒͆͞r̶̤͆̋i̴̮͖̦̙̤͈̗͍̎͛ḑ̗̰̘̔ͥ͆͢B̻͇͎̣̰͓̀̇͒ͬ̈́͂ͣ̚͠͠ä̲̮̰͚̬͑̎́g̷̲͔̬͓̙̙̑̂ͧ͢L̶̛͍͎̝̲͐̃a̴͈̤̖͚̠̼̳̺̬͊ͥ̕͡ẏ̶̹̃̌͛̀ǒ̴̙̜̭͖̆͆ͮ̀ͫ͌ͤ͠u̶̥͈̝̱̺͖̔̿͗̊ͦ̒̋ͩ́t͖̤̻̥̟̻̻̹̞̻̎͒̅͂͗͑̽̎ͩ̇̇̔̉̌̃ ̵͕̘̬̳͆̒̈́ͭͦ̚͠’̷̘̔͋ͦ͂͝t͍͉͒̄ͨ̓ͧ̋̀h̲̣̜̱̳̝ͣ̓ą̶̸̜͎̝̹̭̹͒̐̄͊ͯ̐g̯̹̔̍ͦ͡n̩͚̞͆͌ͬ̐!̞̪͎͙̼͇͌͊̌

I hope that helps.