How to make large components not to blow up the layout when using JGoodies FormLayout?

Question

I'm using JGoodies Forms 1.8.0

I've been having a problem when a single oversized label causes the entire layout to no longer fit in a window. I would like that text to be visually trimmed, so it's obvious for the user that the text doesn't fit, but the rest of the GUI should still keep fitting.

I prepared a simplified example that exhibits the same behaviour. Here everything works fine because the window is large enough:

And here the same window, but resized:

enter image description here

Notice that the rightmost columns are no longer visible.

The desired effect is as following:

if the text fits, it should be displayed in its entirety
if the text doesn't fit, then the end of it should be cut off
text should be left-aligned
all buttons should be visible, all the time
button 100 should be in the very corner of the window

Here is the code for the screenshots:

import com.jgoodies.forms.layout.CellConstraints;
import com.jgoodies.forms.layout.FormLayout;

import java.awt.*;
import javax.swing.*;

public class Test extends JFrame {

    Test() {
        setDefaultCloseOperation(EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
        setSize(900, 600);

        JPanel left = new JPanel();
        left.setBackground(Color.BLUE);

        JPanel right = new JPanel();

        JLabel fox = new JLabel("The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.");
        fox.setFont(new Font(null, 0, 50));

        JPanel rightBottom = new JPanel();
        rightBottom.setLayout(new GridLayout(10, 10));
        for (int i = 1; i <= 100; i++) {
            rightBottom.add(new JButton("butt" + i));
        }

        CellConstraints cc = new CellConstraints();
        this.setLayout(new FormLayout("100dlu,p:g", "f:p:g"));
        this.add(left, cc.xy(1, 1));
        this.add(right, cc.xy(2, 1));
        right.setLayout(new FormLayout("f:p:g", "p,5dlu,f:p:g"));
        right.add(fox, cc.xy(1, 1));
        right.add(rightBottom, cc.xy(1, 3));

    }

    public static void main(String[] args) {
        new Test().setVisible(true);
    }
}

Use a different layout manager. For example a BorderLayout. You can add the label to the NORTH and then create a second panel containing all your buttons that uses a GridLayout that you add to the CENTER. Otherwise if you still want to use FormLayout then I would suggest you need to create a TopRight (for the label) and BottomRight (for the buttons) panel and each panel would use different contraints. — camickr, Aug 16 '14 at 21:36
Both `BorderLayout` and wrapping `fox` in its own panel with another `FormLayout` didn't help. — Karol S, Aug 16 '14 at 22:15

score 2 · Answer 1 · answered Aug 16 '14 at 23:25

BorderLayout ... didn't help

Works fine for me:

import java.awt.*;
import javax.swing.*;

public class Test8 extends JFrame {

    Test8() {
        setDefaultCloseOperation(EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
        setSize(900, 600);

        JPanel left = new JPanel();
        left.setBackground(Color.BLUE);

        JPanel right = new JPanel(new BorderLayout());

        JLabel fox = new JLabel("The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.");
        fox.setFont(new Font(null, 0, 50));

        JPanel rightBottom = new JPanel();
        rightBottom.setLayout(new GridLayout(10, 10));
        for (int i = 1; i <= 100; i++) {
            rightBottom.add(new JButton("butt" + i));
        }

        right.add(fox, BorderLayout.NORTH);
        right.add(rightBottom, BorderLayout.CENTER);
        add(right);

    }

    public static void main(String[] args) {
        new Test8().setVisible(true);
    }
}

If you don't like the dots showing in the label, then try a non-editable text field.

When something doesn't work, then post the code you tried. A verbal explanation doesn't help.

The code in question was only a Short, Self Contained, Compilable, Example; in the actual code it didn't work. After Aqua's answer I figured out the issue was with another FormLayout containing everything; it also had to be fixed. — Karol S, Aug 16 '14 at 23:50
@KarolS, well a SSCCE should show the problem so we don't guess what you may or may not be doing. If we don't have all the information how can we give a complete answer. We don't have time to spend on guesses. — camickr, Aug 17 '14 at 00:05

score 2 · Accepted Answer · answered Aug 16 '14 at 23:25

The specification of preferred size makes the layout to display buttons at their preferred size. As a result some of the buttons do not fit. Try specifying a different constraint. For example, use a constant size with a combination of grow and fill. For example try these:

this.setLayout(new FormLayout("100dlu,1dlu:g", "f:1dlu:g"));

right.setLayout(new FormLayout("f:1dlu:g", "p,5dlu,f:1dlu:g"));

At certain sizes button titles will not fit though.

Here is a result:

enter image description here

How to make large components not to blow up the layout when using JGoodies FormLayout?

2 Answers2