null
layout and, in JBuilder Professional and Enterprise, XYLayout
which make the intitial design work easier.
layout
property in the Inspector says <default layout
>. This means the UI designer will automatically use the default layout for that container. However, you should immediately change the layout
property to the layout manager you want to use so it is visible in the component tree and its constraints can be modified in the Inspector. You cannot edit layout properties for <default layout
>. For more information on layout constraints, see "Layouts provided by JBuilder" in Building Applications with JBuilder.
To control the layout of your components during prototyping, switch each container to XYLayout
or null
layout as soon as you drop it into your design. These layouts use pixel coordinates to position the components. This means the components you add to an container will stay at the location you drop them and at the size you specify with the mouse.
XYLayout
or null
layout exclusively. Once the design is right, work systematically from the inner regions outward, converting the panels to more portable layouts such as FlowLayout
, BorderLayout
, or GridLayout
, making minor adjustments if necessary.
Usually, you place a container in your design first, then add components to it. However, you can also draw a new container around existing components, although these components won't automatically nest into the new panel. After drawing the container, you must explicitly move each component in the container. You may even need to move it out of the container, then back in. Watch the component tree to see when it nests properly. Each component inside a container is indented in the component tree under its container. If the component is at the same level of indentation with a panel, it is not inside it yet.
XYLayout
or null
layout. Be sure to save your file before experimenting with a layout change. Then if it doesn't work, you can go back.
Even when you plan your UI first, you may discover that a particular layout you planned to use just doesn't work as you expected. This might mean reworking the design and using a different configuration of containers, components, and layouts. For this reason, you might want to copy the container file (for example Frame1.java
) to a different name and location at critical times during the design process, so you won't have to start over.
One thing that will speed up your UI design work in the future is to create separate JavaBean components, such as toolbars, status bars, check box groups, or dialogs, that you can add to the component palette and reuse with little or no modifications.