How can I add a gap around the edge of a Jbutton?

Question

I want to leave the default border on my JButtons, but put empty space around them as well. I'm using a vertical BoxLayout.

I originally said nothing about the borders, and got single pixel LineBorders, which I want, but the buttons all butted up against each other.
I then tried button[i].setBorder(BorderFactory.createEmptyBorder(5, 5, 5, 5)). Rather than adding blank space around the button, it made the buttons' areas expand. It also removed the LineBorder.
I then tried: button[i].setBorder(BorderFactory.createCompoundBorder( BorderFactory.createEmptyBorder(5, 5, 5, 5), button.getBorder()))

This gave me back the LineBorder, but rather than adding blank space outside the line, it just extended the buttons' areas beyond the line!

I realise I can add blank boxes to space my buttons out, but I want space on the sides of them as well, which is why I want to add an EmptyBorder. I'm new to Swing, so maybe there's an entirely better way of doing this that I don't know about :)

I'm using Jython, but the API should be the same as from Java.

Grodriguez · Accepted Answer · 2011-07-29T06:37:20.643

5

Conceptually, the "empty borders" you want to add are not really part of the button (for example, they should not be clickable).

This is actually a matter of layout, so you should probably check the documentation of the layout manager you are using. For example:

Some layout managers, such as FlowLayout, BorderLayout, or GridLayout, have hgap and vgap properties to specify the horizontal and vertical gaps between components.
With GridBagLayout you would set the insets of a GridBagConstraints object.
With BoxLayout you would add "rigid areas", "glue", and "fillers" (see the Box class).

And so on.

edited Jul 29 '11 at 06:37

answered Jul 29 '11 at 06:25

Grodriguez

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Hmmm. When I click the button outside of the line border, it still works? FlowLayout doesn't let you arrange things vertically does it? – Cam Jackson Jul 29 '11 at 06:28
@CamJackson: FlowLayout does not let you arrange things vertically, but BoxLayout does. – Grodriguez Jul 29 '11 at 06:37
Thanks, looks like the answer is basically 'Find a better layout!' :P – Cam Jackson Jul 29 '11 at 06:49
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Almost :) Actually the answer is: 1/ Do this in the layout manager + 2/ Use the right layout manager. – Grodriguez Jul 29 '11 at 07:15

score 3 · Answer 2 · answered Jul 29 '11 at 06:37

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I think it's simpler to add the button to a panel and set the empty border to the panel.

answered Jul 29 '11 at 06:37

StanislavL

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This could work too. The border on the panel would then be an empty inside an etched, inside a title, inside an empty (space on the outside of the panel). Am I 'Doing It Wrong' if I have four layers of nesting on my borders? – Cam Jackson Jul 29 '11 at 06:52
Multiple layers is ok. I would even create a custom component MyBorderedButton extends JPanel and use it instead of button where it's necessary. – StanislavL Jul 29 '11 at 06:55
@StanislavL: I find it confusing to have a XXXButton subclass which is actually a JPanel (and not a subclass of Button). For example, would attach an action listener to your MyBorderedButton, or to the Button inside? – Grodriguez Jul 29 '11 at 07:15
You can add such a method and call delegate button's method. – StanislavL Jul 29 '11 at 07:39
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Of course -- but this was just an example. If you use other JButton functions and features you might end up replicating a large part of the JButton API in the MyBorderedButton class. – Grodriguez Jul 29 '11 at 08:34
+1 The [`setBorder()`](http://download.oracle.com/javase/6/docs/api/javax/swing/JComponent.html#setBorder%28javax.swing.border.Border%29) API suggests just this approach. – trashgod Jul 29 '11 at 10:42

How can I add a gap around the edge of a Jbutton?

2 Answers2