grid bag panels overlap : please HELP if you can

[achana chan]

Hi.
I have been working this grid bag panels the last 3 days. Keep overlapping won't budge move or anything - nothing I do will stop it from overlapping. I am missing something here, I cannot se the wood for the trees. Can some HELP ?
must be some minor thing ???

import java.applet.*;
import java.awt.*;
import java.awt.event.*;
import java.net.*;
public class demoApplet
  extends Applet
  implements ActionListener
{
  private ClientInfo PanelCliInfo;
  private ClientPic  PanelCliPic;
  private ClientTrd  PanelCliTrd;
  private TextArea queryArea;
  private QueryCollection currentQueries;
  private QueryCollection nextQueries;
  private boolean isRunning = false;
  private URL currentPage;
  //
  demoInterface demo;
  //
  public void init()
  {
    //setLayout(new GridBagLayout(2,2));
    GridBagLayout gridbag = new GridBagLayout(2,2);
    GridBagConstraints c = new GridBagConstraints();
    //
    c.gridx=0;
    c.gridy=0;
    c.gridwidth=1;
    c.weightx = 1.0;
    c.anchor=c.WEST;
    c.fill = GridBagConstraints.HORIZONTAL; 
    PanelCliInfo = new ClientInfo();
    gridbag.setConstraints(PanelCliInfo, c);
    add(PanelCliInfo);
    PanelCliInfo.search.addActionListener(this);
    //
    c.gridx=1;
    c.gridy=0;
    c.gridwidth=1;
    PanelCliPic = new ClientPic();
    gridbag.setConstraints(PanelCliPic, c);
    add(PanelCliPic);
    //
    c.gridx=0; 
    c.gridy=1;
    c.gridwidth=2; // ...use both rows as display area
    PanelCliTrd = new ClientTrd();
    add(PanelCliTrd);
    PanelCliTrd.startButton.addActionListener(this);
    PanelCliTrd.stopButton.addActionListener(this);
    PanelCliTrd.clearButton.addActionListener(this);
    currentPage = getCodeBase();
    currentQueries = new QueryCollection(address, currentPage);
    nextQueries = new QueryCollection(address, currentPage);
    //
    try
    {
      demo = new RemotedemoClient(getCodeBase().toString()); // then this one
      boolean rc = demo.connect();
      if (!rc)
      {
        System.out.println("=> Connection "+ demo+ " has NOT initialized !");
        demo = null;
      }
      else
      { System.out.println("=> Connection "+ demo+ " has initialized.");
      }
    } //end of try-block
    catch (Exception ex) { ex.printStackTrace();}
  }// end of init();
  //
  public class ClientInfo extends Panel
  {
    TextField EmpNo = new TextField(15);
    TextField EmpName = new TextField(15);
    TextField FName = new TextField(15);
    TextField Job = new TextField(15);
    TextField Mgr = new TextField(15);
    TextField HireDate = new TextField(15);
    TextField Sal = new TextField(15);
    TextField Comm = new TextField(15);
    TextField atrdid = new TextField(15);
    Button search = new Button("Search");
    //
    Label lbl01, lbl02, lbl03, lbl04, lbl05, lbl06; 
    Label lbl07, lbl08, lbl09, lbl10, lbl99;
    //
    public ClientInfo()
    {
      // try using another grid-bag layout...
      GridBagLayout gridbag = new GridBagLayout();
      GridBagConstraints gbcon = new GridBagConstraints();
      setFont(new  Font("SansSerif",  Font.PLAIN,  10)); //try Helvetica, Serif & SansSerif
      //setLayout(gridbag);
      // Set up reuseable constraints
      //gbcon.gridwidth = 1;
      //gbcon.gridx=0;
      //gbcon.gridy=0;
      gbcon.weightx = 1.0;
      gbcon.weighty = 0.0;
      gbcon.anchor = gbcon.WEST;
      gbcon.fill = gbcon.NONE;
      //gbcon.gridwidth = gbcon.REMAINDER; // last one in each row...
      //
      //gbcon.gridx=0;
      //gbcon.gridy=0;
      gbcon.gridwidth = gbcon.RELATIVE;
      lbl01 = new Label("Enter Client ID :", Label.LEFT);
      add(lbl01);
      //gbcon.gridx=1;
      //gbcon.gridy=0;
      gbcon.gridwidth = gbcon.REMAINDER;
      gridbag.setConstraints(EmpNo, gbcon);
      add(EmpNo);
      //
      //gbcon.gridx=0;
      //gbcon.gridy=1;
      gbcon.gridwidth = gbcon.RELATIVE;
      lbl02 = new Label("    Client Name :", Label.LEFT);
      add(lbl02);
      //gbcon.gridx=1;
      //gbcon.gridy=1;
      gbcon.gridwidth = gbcon.REMAINDER;
      gridbag.setConstraints(EmpName, gbcon);
      add(EmpName);
      //
      //gbcon.gridx=0;
      //gbcon.gridy=2;
      gbcon.gridwidth = gbcon.RELATIVE;
      lbl03 = new Label("     First Name :", Label.LEFT);
      add(lbl03);
      //gbcon.gridx=1;
      //gbcon.gridy=2;
      gbcon.gridwidth = gbcon.REMAINDER;
      gridbag.setConstraints(FName, gbcon);
      add(FName);
      //
      //gbcon.gridx=0;
      //gbcon.gridy=3;
      gbcon.gridwidth = gbcon.RELATIVE;
      lbl04 = new Label("     Salutation :", Label.LEFT);
      add(lbl04);
      //gbcon.gridx=1;
      //gbcon.gridy=3;
      gbcon.gridwidth = gbcon.REMAINDER;
      gridbag.setConstraints(Job, gbcon);
      add(Job);
        
      //gbcon.gridx=0;
      //gbcon.gridy=4;
      //gbcon.gridwidth = gbcon.RELATIVE;
      lbl05 = new Label("      Reference :", Label.LEFT);
      add(lbl05);
      //gbcon.gridx=1;
      //gbcon.gridy=4;
      gbcon.gridwidth = gbcon.REMAINDER;
      gridbag.setConstraints(Mgr, gbcon);
      add(Mgr);
       
      //gbcon.gridx=0;
      //gbcon.gridy=5;
      //gbcon.gridwidth = gbcon.RELATIVE;
      lbl06 = new Label("    Acct Opened :", Label.LEFT);
      add(lbl06);
      //gbcon.gridx=1;
      //gbcon.gridy=5;
      gbcon.gridwidth = gbcon.REMAINDER;
      gridbag.setConstraints(HireDate, gbcon);
      add(HireDate);
      
      //gbcon.gridx=0;
      //gbcon.gridy=6;
      //gbcon.gridwidth = gbcon.RELATIVE;
      lbl07 = new Label("        Balance :", Label.LEFT);
      add(lbl07);
      //gbcon.gridx=1;
      //gbcon.gridy=6;
      gbcon.gridwidth = gbcon.REMAINDER;
      gridbag.setConstraints(Sal, gbcon);
      add(Sal);
         
      //gbcon.gridx=0;
      //gbcon.gridy=7;
      gbcon.gridwidth = gbcon.RELATIVE;
      lbl08 = new Label("     Commission :", Label.LEFT);
      add(lbl08);
      //gbcon.gridx=1;
      //gbcon.gridy=7;
      gbcon.gridwidth = gbcon.REMAINDER;
      gridbag.setConstraints(Comm, gbcon);
      add(Comm);
      //gbcon.gridx=0;
      //gbcon.gridy=8;
      gbcon.gridwidth = gbcon.RELATIVE;
      lbl09 = new Label("  Last Trade ID :", Label.LEFT);
      add(lbl09);
      //gbcon.gridx=1;
      //gbcon.gridy=8;
      gbcon.gridwidth = gbcon.REMAINDER;
      gridbag.setConstraints(atrdid, gbcon);
      add(atrdid);
      //gbcon.gridx=0;
      //gbcon.gridy=9;
      gbcon.gridwidth = gbcon.REMAINDER;
      lbl99 = new Label("Press to search :", Label.LEFT);
      add(lbl99);
      gridbag.setConstraints(search, gbcon);
      add(search);
      //
      // None of the results may be edited !
      EmpName.setEditable(false);
      FName.setEditable(false);
      Job.setEditable(false);
      Mgr.setEditable(false);
      HireDate.setEditable(false);
      Sal.setEditable(false);
      Comm.setEditable(false);
      atrdid.setEditable(false);
      //
      return;
    } //end of ClientInfo()-method
  } // end of CliInfo Class
//
// -----------------
//
  public class ClientPic extends Panel
  {
    Image thisCliPic=null;
    public ClientPic()
    {
      repaint();
      return;
    } // end of ClientPic()-method 
  } // end of ClientPic class   
//
// -----------------
//
  public class ClientTrd extends Panel
  {
    // text area
    private Button startButton, stopButton, clearButton;
    //
    public ClientTrd()
    {
      setLayout(new BorderLayout());
      queryArea = new TextArea(); 
      queryArea.setFont(new Font("SansSerif", Font.PLAIN, 10));
      add(queryArea, BorderLayout.CENTER);
      //
      Panel buttonPanel = new Panel();
      Font buttonFont = new Font("SansSerif", Font.PLAIN, 10);
      //
      startButton = new Button("Start");
      startButton.setFont(buttonFont);
      buttonPanel.add(startButton);
      stopButton = new Button("Stop");
      stopButton.setFont(buttonFont);
      buttonPanel.add(stopButton);
      clearButton = new Button("Clear");
      clearButton.setFont(buttonFont);
      buttonPanel.add(clearButton);
      add(buttonPanel, BorderLayout.SOUTH);
      return;
    }// end of ClientTrd()-method
  } // end of ClientTrd class

[ December 17, 2002: Message edited by: achana chan ]

[Bhagya Tangutur]

I just glanced your code...It looks like you are not using JFC and AWT Components in the same application.If your doing this so this would problem i see.Another one is I see your using BorderLayout .Whea your using BorderLayout,Make sure that you remove OLD component which is been added to Center and add New One.This was one of the problem what i observed very Long back.I don't know whetehr that been fixed or not yet.
I don't know how much i am helpful the above info is.

[Chantal Ackermann]

Have you forgotten to set the constraints here, or I have I missed where you are setting them?

    c.gridx=0; 
    c.gridy=1;
    c.gridwidth=2; // ...use both rows as display area
    PanelCliTrd = new ClientTrd();
    add(PanelCliTrd);

//further down...
      //gbcon.gridx=0;
      //gbcon.gridy=2;
      gbcon.gridwidth = gbcon.RELATIVE;
      lbl03 = new Label("     First Name :", Label.LEFT);
      add(lbl03);
      //gbcon.gridx=0;
      //gbcon.gridy=3;
      gbcon.gridwidth = gbcon.RELATIVE;
      lbl04 = new Label("     Salutation :", Label.LEFT);
      add(lbl04);
// several more on the way down...

Just on the side: you can add components this way as well:

add(PanelCliTrd, c);
// for JLabels:
add(new JLabel("text" [, JLabel.LEFT]), c);

works fine and reduces the lines - which might help you to check the constraint settings.
Why have you commented out the setLayout(gridBag) in the ClientInfo constructor?
You seem to have just missed to add all components together with their GridBagConstraints. The consequence is, that they get added with FlowLayout - which mixes up everything, of course.
Chantal

[Nathan Pruett]

Additional comments in this thread.

[achana chan]

Hi All.
I use j2sdk1.4.0_01 on Linux RedHat7.1 (kernel 2.4.2) and Apache2/Tomcat1.4.0
I have been advised not to use SWING if I can help it because it slows things down.
Thru jiggling around with the <APPLET...width height> tag I managed to put together a half-way workable solution, but very messy and unstable.
I need 2rows x 2columns : a column of data on the NORTHWEST, image in NORTHEAST and the botton row has a text area with GridWidth=2 ie spanning both columns .

/----------------------------------------------------------------\
| Enter Client ID [____]                                         |
| Client Name     [____]      /----------------\                 |
| First Name      [____]      |                |                 |
| Salutation      [____]      |                |                 |
| Reference       [____]      | gif/jpg image  |                 |
| Acct Opened     [____]      |                |                 |
| Balance         [____]      |                |                 |
| Commission      [____]      \________________/                 |
| Last Trade ID   [____]                                         |
| Press to Search [Search]                                       |
|                                                                |
|  /-----------------------------------------------------\       |
|  |                                                     |       |
|  |                                                     |       |
|  |                                                     |       |
|  |                                                     |       |
|  |                                                     |       |
|  |                                                     |       |
|  |                                                     |       |
|  |                                                     |       |
|  \-----------------------------------------------------/       |
|             [Start] [Stop] [Print] [Clear]                     |
|                                                                |
|                                                                |
\________________________________________________________________/

This is the code that goes with it, a tat messy, but getting there...

import java.applet.*;
import java.awt.*;
import java.awt.event.*;
import java.awt.image.MemoryImageSource;
import javax.swing.ImageIcon;
import java.net.*;
public class demoApplet
  extends Applet
  implements ActionListener, Runnable
{
  private ClientInfo PanelCliInfo;
  private ClientPic  PanelCliPic;
  private ClientTrd  PanelCliTrd;
  private TextArea queryArea;
  private QueryCollection currentQueries;
  private QueryCollection nextQueries;
  private boolean isRunning = false;
  private String address = "/saysit/QueryGenerator";
  private URL currentPage;
  //
  demoInterface demo;
  //
  public void init()
  {
    GridBagLayout gridbag = new GridBagLayout();
    GridBagConstraints c = new GridBagConstraints();
    //
    c.gridx=0;
    c.gridy=0;
    c.gridwidth=2;
    c.weightx = 1.0;
    c.anchor=c.WEST;
    //c.fill = GridBagConstraints.HORIZONTAL; 
    PanelCliInfo = new ClientInfo();
    gridbag.setConstraints(PanelCliInfo, c);
    add(PanelCliInfo);
    PanelCliInfo.search.addActionListener(this);
    //
    c.gridx=3;
    c.gridy=0;
    c.gridwidth=1;
    PanelCliPic = new ClientPic();
    gridbag.setConstraints(PanelCliPic, c);
    add(PanelCliPic);
    //
    c.gridx=3; 
    c.gridy=2;
    c.gridwidth=3; // ...use both rows as display area
    PanelCliTrd = new ClientTrd();
    add(PanelCliTrd);
    PanelCliTrd.startButton.addActionListener(this);
    PanelCliTrd.stopButton.addActionListener(this);
    PanelCliTrd.clearButton.addActionListener(this);
    currentPage = getCodeBase();
    currentQueries = new QueryCollection(address, currentPage);
    nextQueries = new QueryCollection(address, currentPage);
    //
    try
    {
      demo = new RemotedemoClient(getCodeBase().toString()); // then this one
      //
      // The URLConnection object to open the database connection
      boolean rc = demo.connect();
      if (!rc)
      {
        System.out.println("=> Connection "+ demo+ " has NOT initialized !");
        demo = null;
      }
      else
      { System.out.println("=> Connection "+ demo+ " has initialized.");
      }
    } //end of try-block
    catch (Exception ex) { ex.printStackTrace();}
  }// end of init();
  //
  public class ClientInfo extends Panel
  {
    TextField EmpNo = new TextField(15);
    TextField EmpName = new TextField(15);
    TextField FName = new TextField(15);
    TextField Job = new TextField(15);
    TextField Mgr = new TextField(15);
    TextField HireDate = new TextField(15);
    TextField Sal = new TextField(15);
    TextField Comm = new TextField(15);
    TextField atrdid = new TextField(15);
    Button search = new Button("Search");
    //
    Label lbl01, lbl02, lbl03, lbl04, lbl05, lbl06; 
    Label lbl07, lbl08, lbl09, lbl10, lbl99;
    //
    public ClientInfo()
    {
      // try using another grid-bag layout...
      GridBagLayout gridbag = new GridBagLayout();
      GridBagConstraints gbcon = new GridBagConstraints();
      setFont(new  Font("SansSerif",  Font.PLAIN,  10)); //try Helvetica, Serif & SansSerif
      setLayout(gridbag);
      // Set up reuseable constraints
      gbcon.gridwidth = 2;
      //gbcon.gridx=0;
      //gbcon.gridy=0;
      gbcon.insets= new Insets(0,0,0,0);
      gbcon.weightx = 1.0;
      gbcon.weighty = 0.0;
      gbcon.anchor = gbcon.WEST;
      gbcon.fill = gbcon.NONE;
      gbcon.gridwidth = gbcon.REMAINDER; // last one in each row...
      //
      gbcon.gridx=0;
      gbcon.gridy=0;
      //gbcon.gridwidth = gbcon.RELATIVE;
      lbl01 = new Label("  Client ID :", Label.LEFT);
      add(lbl01);
      gbcon.gridx=1;
      gbcon.gridy=0;
      //gbcon.gridwidth = gbcon.REMAINDER;
      gridbag.setConstraints(EmpNo, gbcon);
      add(EmpNo);
      //
      gbcon.gridx=0;
      gbcon.gridy=1;
      //gbcon.gridwidth = gbcon.RELATIVE;
      lbl02 = new Label("Client Name :", Label.LEFT);
      add(lbl02);
      gbcon.gridx=1;
      gbcon.gridy=1;
      //gbcon.gridwidth = gbcon.REMAINDER;
      gridbag.setConstraints(EmpName, gbcon);
      add(EmpName);
      //
      gbcon.gridx=0;
      gbcon.gridy=2;
      //gbcon.gridwidth = gbcon.RELATIVE;
      lbl03 = new Label("     First Name :", Label.LEFT);
      add(lbl03);
      gbcon.gridx=1;
      gbcon.gridy=2;
      //gbcon.gridwidth = gbcon.REMAINDER;
      gridbag.setConstraints(FName, gbcon);
      add(FName);
      //
      gbcon.gridx=0;
      gbcon.gridy=3;
      //gbcon.gridwidth = gbcon.RELATIVE;
      lbl04 = new Label("     Salutation :", Label.LEFT);
      add(lbl04);
      gbcon.gridx=1;
      gbcon.gridy=3;
      //gbcon.gridwidth = gbcon.REMAINDER;
      gridbag.setConstraints(Job, gbcon);
      add(Job);
      //  
      gbcon.gridx=0;
      gbcon.gridy=4;
      //gbcon.gridwidth = gbcon.RELATIVE;
      lbl05 = new Label("      Reference :", Label.LEFT);
      add(lbl05);
      gbcon.gridx=1;
      gbcon.gridy=4;
      //gbcon.gridwidth = gbcon.REMAINDER;
      gridbag.setConstraints(Mgr, gbcon);
      add(Mgr);
      // 
      gbcon.gridx=0;
      gbcon.gridy=5;
      //gbcon.gridwidth = gbcon.RELATIVE;
      lbl06 = new Label("    Acct Opened :", Label.LEFT);
      add(lbl06);
      gbcon.gridx=1;
      gbcon.gridy=5;
      //gbcon.gridwidth = gbcon.REMAINDER;
      gridbag.setConstraints(HireDate, gbcon);
      add(HireDate);
      //
      gbcon.gridx=0;
      gbcon.gridy=6;
      //gbcon.gridwidth = gbcon.RELATIVE;
      lbl07 = new Label("        Balance :", Label.LEFT);
      add(lbl07);
      gbcon.gridx=1;
      gbcon.gridy=6;
      //gbcon.gridwidth = gbcon.REMAINDER;
      gridbag.setConstraints(Sal, gbcon);
      add(Sal);
      //   
      gbcon.gridx=0;
      gbcon.gridy=7;
      //gbcon.gridwidth = gbcon.RELATIVE;
      lbl08 = new Label("     Commission :", Label.LEFT);
      add(lbl08);
      gbcon.gridx=1;
      gbcon.gridy=7;
      //gbcon.gridwidth = gbcon.REMAINDER;
      gridbag.setConstraints(Comm, gbcon);
      add(Comm);
      //
      gbcon.gridx=0;
      gbcon.gridy=8;
      //gbcon.gridwidth = gbcon.RELATIVE;
      lbl09 = new Label("  Last Trade ID :", Label.LEFT);
      add(lbl09);
      gbcon.gridx=1;
      gbcon.gridy=8;
      //gbcon.gridwidth = gbcon.REMAINDER;
      gridbag.setConstraints(atrdid, gbcon);
      add(atrdid);
      //
      gbcon.gridx=0;
      gbcon.gridy=9;
      //gbcon.gridwidth = gbcon.RELATIVE;
      lbl99 = new Label("Press to search :", Label.LEFT);
      add(lbl99);
      gbcon.gridx=1;
      gbcon.gridy=9;
      gridbag.setConstraints(search, gbcon);
      add(search);
      //
      // None of the results may be edited !
      EmpName.setEditable(false);
      FName.setEditable(false);
      Job.setEditable(false);
      Mgr.setEditable(false);
      HireDate.setEditable(false);
      Sal.setEditable(false);
      Comm.setEditable(false);
      atrdid.setEditable(false);
      //
      return;
    } //end of ClientInfo()-method
  } // end of CliInfo Class
//
// -----------------
//
  public class ClientPic extends Panel
  {
    Image thisCliPic=null;
    public ClientPic()
    {
      GridBagLayout gridbag = new GridBagLayout();
      GridBagConstraints gbcon = new GridBagConstraints();
      gbcon.gridwidth = gbcon.REMAINDER;
      repaint();
      return;
    } // end of ClientPic()-method 
  } // end of ClientPic class   
//
// -----------------
//
  public class ClientTrd extends Panel
  {
    // text area
    private Button startButton, stopButton, clearButton;
    //
    public ClientTrd()
    {
      setLayout(new BorderLayout());
      queryArea = new TextArea(); 
      queryArea.setFont(new Font("SansSerif", Font.PLAIN, 10));
      add(queryArea, BorderLayout.CENTER);
      //
      Panel buttonPanel = new Panel();
      Font buttonFont = new Font("SansSerif", Font.PLAIN, 10);
      //
      startButton = new Button("Start");
      startButton.setFont(buttonFont);
      buttonPanel.add(startButton);
      stopButton = new Button("Stop");
      stopButton.setFont(buttonFont);
      buttonPanel.add(stopButton);
      clearButton = new Button("Clear");
      clearButton.setFont(buttonFont);
      buttonPanel.add(clearButton);
      add(buttonPanel, BorderLayout.SOUTH);
      return;
    }// end of ClientTrd()-method
  } // end of ClientTrd class
//
// -----------------
//
  /**
  * Called when an applet is being destroyed.
  */
  public void destroy()
  {
    // if the remote object was created close the connection
    if (demo != null)
    {
      demo.close();
      demo = null;
    }   
  } // end of destroy()-method
//
// -----------------
//
  /**
  * Process an action
  */
  public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent event)
  {  
    Object obj = event.getSource();
    // Figure out which component caused the event
    if (obj == PanelCliInfo.search)
    {
      // If no demo object was created, then exit
      // Otherwise clear display field and get empno entered by user
      PanelCliPic.thisCliPic = null;
      repaint();
      //
      if (demo == null)
      {
        return;
      }
      PanelCliInfo.EmpName.setText("");
      PanelCliInfo.FName.setText("");
      PanelCliInfo.Job.setText("");
      PanelCliInfo.Mgr.setText("");
      PanelCliInfo.HireDate.setText("");
      PanelCliInfo.Sal.setText("");
      PanelCliInfo.Comm.setText("");
      PanelCliInfo.atrdid.setText("");
      //
      int thisEmpNo = 0;
      try
      {
        thisEmpNo = Integer.parseInt(PanelCliInfo.EmpNo.getText());
      } //end of try-block
      catch (Exception ex) {ex.printStackTrace();}
      empRecord thisEmpRec = demo.query(thisEmpNo);
      if (thisEmpRec != null)
      {
        PanelCliInfo.EmpName.setText(thisEmpRec.ename);
        PanelCliInfo.FName.setText(thisEmpRec.fname);
        PanelCliInfo.Job.setText(thisEmpRec.job);
        PanelCliInfo.Mgr.setText(String.valueOf(thisEmpRec.mgr));
        //  showHireDate(thisEmpRec.hiredate, HireDate); //.......deprecated!
        String txtDate = toStringDate(thisEmpRec.hiredate, myDateFormat);
        PanelCliInfo.HireDate.setText(txtDate);
        //
        PanelCliInfo.Sal.setText(String.valueOf(thisEmpRec.sal));
        PanelCliInfo.Comm.setText(String.valueOf(thisEmpRec.comm));
        PanelCliInfo.atrdid.setText(String.valueOf(thisEmpRec.atrdid));
        //
        if (thisEmpRec.picture != null )        
        {
          int wotsInIt = (thisEmpRec.picture).length;
          System.out.println("=>demoApplet : picture size is " + wotsInIt);
          PanelCliPic.thisCliPic = new ImageIcon(thisEmpRec.picture).getImage();
          repaint();
        }
      }// end of if-then-else
    }
    else if (obj == PanelCliTrd.startButton)
    {
      if (!isRunning)
      {
        System.out.println("Starting thread...");
        Thread queryDisplayer = new Thread(this);
        isRunning = true;
        queryArea.setText("Starting thread...\n");
        queryDisplayer.start();
        showStatus("Starting display thread...\n");
        System.out.println("you selected startButton");
      }
      else
      {
       showStatus("Display thread is already running...");
      } // end of if-then-else      
    }
    else if (obj == PanelCliTrd.stopButton)
    {
      isRunning = false;
      showStatus("Stopped the display thread...");
      System.out.println("you selected stopButton");
    }
    else if (obj == PanelCliTrd.clearButton)
    {
      queryArea.setText("");
      System.out.println("you selected clearButton");
    }
  }//end of actionPerformed()-method
//
// ---------------
//
  public void run()
  {
    while (isRunning)
    {
      showQueries(currentQueries);
      currentQueries = nextQueries;
      nextQueries = new QueryCollection(address, currentPage);
    }
  } // end of run()-method
//
// ---------------
//
//   If the request has been sent to the server but the result hasn't come back yet
// then poll every 15 seconds.
//
  private void showQueries(QueryCollection queryEntry)
  {
    while (!queryEntry.isDone())
    {
      showStatus("Please wait, I am loading more trades...");
      pause(5);
    } // end of while-loop
    showStatus("Loading completed...");
    String[] queries = queryEntry.getQueries();
    String linefeed = "\n";
    //  put a string into text area every 0.5 or 5 second
    for(int i=0; i<queries.length; i++)
    {
      if(!isRunning)
      {
        return;
      }
      queryArea.append(queries[i]);
      queryArea.append(linefeed);
      pause(5);
    } // end of for-loop
  } // end of showTrdLegs()-method
//
// ---------------
//
  public void pause(double seconds)
  {
    try
    {
      Thread.sleep((long)(seconds*1000));
    } catch(InterruptedException ex) {}
  } // end of pause()-method
} // end of demoApplet-applet

By the way, for all of you who helped me so much in the past : anyone of you living in NY ?
[ December 17, 2002: Message edited by: achana chan ]

[Nathan Pruett]

Why not just do it like this... it's so much more readable :

import java.awt.*;
public class NewLayout extends Panel {
    
    private TextField clientID;
    private TextField clientName;
    private TextField firstName;
    private TextField salutation;
    private TextField reference;
    private TextField acctOpened;
    private TextField balance;
    private TextField commission;
    private TextField lastTradeID;
    private Button search;
    private Component image;
    private TextArea textArea;
    private Button start;
    private Button stop;
    private Button print;
    private Button clear;
    
    public NewLayout(){
        
        setLayout( new GridLayout( 2, 0 ) );
        Panel north = new Panel( new GridLayout( 0, 2 ) );
        Panel south = new Panel( new BorderLayout() );
        Panel northWest = new Panel( new GridLayout( 0, 2 ) );
        Panel northEast = new Panel( new BorderLayout() );
        
        northWest.add( new Label( "Enter Client ID: " ) );
        northWest.add( clientID = new TextField() );
        northWest.add( new Label( "Client Name: " ) );
        northWest.add( clientName = new TextField() );
        northWest.add( new Label( "First Name: " ) );
        northWest.add( firstName = new TextField() );
        northWest.add( new Label( "Salutation: " ) );
        northWest.add( salutation = new TextField() );
        northWest.add( new Label( "Reference: " ) );
        northWest.add( reference = new TextField() );
        northWest.add( new Label( "Acct Opened: " ) );
        northWest.add( acctOpened = new TextField() );
        northWest.add( new Label( "Balance: " ) );
        northWest.add( balance = new TextField() );
        northWest.add( new Label( "Commission: " ) );
        northWest.add( commission = new TextField() );
        northWest.add( new Label( "Last Trade ID: " ) );
        northWest.add( lastTradeID = new TextField() );
        northWest.add( new Label( "Press to Search ->" ) );
        northWest.add( search = new Button( "Search" ) );
        
        northEast.add( new Label( "GIF / JPG Image" ) );
        
        north.add( northWest );
        north.add( northEast );
        
        south.add( textArea = new TextArea(), BorderLayout.CENTER );
        Panel buttonPanel = new Panel( new FlowLayout( FlowLayout.CENTER ) );
        buttonPanel.add( start = new Button( "Start" ) );
        buttonPanel.add( stop = new Button( "Stop" ) );
        buttonPanel.add( print = new Button( "Print" ) );
        buttonPanel.add( clear = new Button( "Clear" ) );
        south.add( buttonPanel, BorderLayout.SOUTH );
        
        add( north );
        add( south );
    }
 
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        Frame f = new Frame( "New Layout Tester" );
        f.add( new NewLayout() );
        f.addWindowListener( new java.awt.event.WindowAdapter() {
            public void windowClosing( java.awt.event.WindowEvent evt ) {
                System.exit( 0 );
            }
        } );
        f.setSize( 400, 400 );
        f.show();
    }
}

And, if you are doing this as an Applet... why not generate the GUI as a HTML form instead? I see nothing in the applet that could not be generated using standard HTML widgets...