I had the same problems beginning with SWING. The questions was how to experience with the Layout Managers. The idea has a result in a product called JEasy at
www.jeasy.de (no cost).
It's a designer for SWING applications and
applets. With the help of the JEasyRepository you define all SWING components like frames, panels, menues, labes and textfields .... Then you build relations like a label and a textfield are members of a panel. If you have done this, what is very quick and easy, you are able to see the
panel and what the LayoutManager has done with the members inside.
You may build and see the complete GUI without writing one line of code.
I think for beginners it is the best way to learn building GUIs with SWING.
Source code is included to show how to act on events.
SWING is great, keep on.
Harry