Wordwrap in GridLayout

[Sebastiao Fernandes]

Hi all,

(This may seem like an earlier question that I asked but it's not quite).

I need some help with word wrapping.

I am building a DB app in NetBeans v.6.5. I'm using the GUI designer for the most part and coding around it.

Here's what I'm trying to accomplish:

The user submits a school course's id. The DB is queried for the multiple choice test for that course and presents it to the user.
A test is composed of a series of questions (JTextArea) and their choices (JRadioButton). Not all questions have the same amount of questions and, of course, some questions are longer than others. Each question/choices group is in their own JPanel and all of them are in a single JPanel.

The length of the question is where I'm having the trouble. Right now I am placing the question inside a JTextArea. if the question is too long it word wraps (using JTextArea.LineWrap() and JTextArea.setWrapStyleWord()) but, the vertical size of the JTextArea doesn't change to make the subsequent lines visible.

I suspect GridLayout to be the culprit here. Since GridLayout makes all the cells equal in size I can't have the JTextArea displaying larger than the JRadioButtons. Is this correct?

With that in mind I've moved to GridBagLayout. Here I can have the first row (JTextArea) larger than the subsequent ones (JRadioButton) if necessary.

I'm having trouble with that also. Now what is happening is that, within each question/choices JPanel, everything is centered within the JPanel, rather than starting at the very end (left) of the JPanel. I've used GridBagConstraint.gridx to place things at 0, and I've used GridBagConstraint.fill = GridBagConstraint.HORIZONTAL, but that's still centering them.

I've also noticed that, even though the long questions are word-wrapping now, the JTextArea is still not sizing properly to accommodate the entire question.

Here's the relevant code:

            javax.swing.JPanel qPanel = new javax.swing.JPanel(new java.awt.GridBagLayout());
            java.awt.GridBagConstraints gbc = new java.awt.GridBagConstraints();
            qPanel.setBorder(javax.swing.BorderFactory.createLineBorder(new java.awt.Color(0, 0, 0)));

            gbc.fill = java.awt.GridBagConstraints.HORIZONTAL;

            Vector questionChoice = (Vector) iter.next();

            javax.swing.JTextArea qText = new javax.swing.JTextArea();
            qText.setLineWrap(true);
            qText.setWrapStyleWord(true);

            javax.swing.ButtonGroup choiceGroup = new javax.swing.ButtonGroup();

            String question = questionChoice.elementAt(0).toString();
            qText.setText(question);
            gbc.gridx = 0;
            gbc.gridy = 0;
            qPanel.add(qText, gbc);

            ListIterator choices = questionChoice.listIterator(1);
            
            while (choices.hasNext()) {
                javax.swing.JRadioButton button = new javax.swing.JRadioButton(choices.next().toString());
                choiceGroup.add(button);

                gbc.gridy = GridBagConstraints.RELATIVE;
                qPanel.add(button, gbc);
            }

            questionPanel.add(qPanel);

I've been wrestling with this for some time now and I'm hoping I'm nearly there. I could really use some assistance with the JTextArea word-wrapping (either in GridLayout or GridBagLayout). Any help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

[Sebastiao Fernandes]

Nothing like solving it yourself.

The issue I was having with the alignment was GridBagConstraints.weightx

So, now I have all my components (JTextArea and JRadioButton) aligning to the left of JPanel.

I'm still having some trouble with the amount of vertical space that the JTextArea is taking. I'm still having some questions being cut off.

Any suggestions on what needs tweaking?

Thanks!

[pete stein]

For me and many others here, I find it much easier to figure out how to fix if I can work with a small program that compiles, runs and demonstrates the problem. Sometimes when I have the time, I create one of these myself, but it is always much easier if the OP does this part for me.

[Rob Camick]

I suspect GridLayout to be the culprit here. Since GridLayout makes all the cells equal in size I can't have the JTextArea displaying larger than the JRadioButtons. Is this correct?

With that in mind I've moved to GridBagLayout

You are not forced to use a single layout manager. The easiest solution is usually a combination of panels with different layout managers to get the desired layout.

[Sebastiao Fernandes]

Ok.... I've put together a mock-up that demonstrates what's happening:

package guitest;

import java.util.Vector;
import java.util.ListIterator;
import java.awt.GridBagConstraints;

public class Main extends javax.swing.JFrame {

    private Vector mainQ = new Vector();

    public Main() {
        mainQ.add(addChoice( new String[] {"1. What is 1 + 1?", "2", "3", "4", "5"} ));
        mainQ.add(addChoice( new String[] {"2. What is 1 + 2?", "2", "3", "4", "5"} ));
        mainQ.add(addChoice( new String[] {"3. What is 1 + 3?", "2", "3", "4", "5"} ));
        mainQ.add(addChoice( new String[] {"4. What is 1 + 4?", "2", "3", "4", "5"} ));
        mainQ.add(addChoice( new String[] {"5. What is 1 + 5?", "2", "3", "4", "5"} ));
        mainQ.add(addChoice( new String[] {"6. What is 1 + 6?", "2", "3", "4", "5"} ));

        mainQ.add(addChoice( new String[] {"7. A train leaves Chicago going East at 95 mph. At the same time a train leaves New York going West at 50 mph. Where will they meet?", "Baltimore", "Seattle", "Washington", "Cleveland"} ));

        mainQ.add(addChoice( new String[] {"8. A train leaves Chicago going East at 95 mph. At the same time, in London, a submarine (anchored in the Thames) has set off on its maiden voyage towards Japan. Now, assuming that the Panama canal doesn't exist and that North and South America actually float on the ocean" +
                "and that the submarine can attain a depth under the continents, how long will it take the submarine to pass right under the train leaving from Chicago?", "1 hour", "2 hours", "3 hours", "1.5 days", "1.5 dollars"} ));

        mainQ.add(addChoice( new String[] {"9. A train leaves Chicago going East at 95 mph. At the same time, in London, a submarine (anchored in the Thames) has set off on its maiden voyage towards Japan. Now, assuming that the Panama canal doesn't exist and that North and South America actually float on the ocean" +
                "and that the submarine can attain a depth under the continents, how long will it take the submarine to pass right under the train leaving from Chicago?", "1 hour", "2 hours", "3 hours"} ));
        initComponents();
    }

    public Vector addChoice (String[] choice) {
        Vector returnVector = new Vector();

        for (int i = 0; i < choice.length; i++) {
            returnVector.add(choice[i]);
        }

        return returnVector;
    }

    @SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
    private void initComponents() {

        queryPanel = new javax.swing.JPanel();
        jLabel1 = new javax.swing.JLabel();
        patientId = new javax.swing.JTextField();
        jButton1 = new javax.swing.JButton();
        jSeparator1 = new javax.swing.JSeparator();
        titlePanel = new javax.swing.JPanel();
        questionScroll = new javax.swing.JScrollPane();
        questionPanel = new javax.swing.JPanel();

        setDefaultCloseOperation(javax.swing.WindowConstants.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);

        jLabel1.setText("Enter patient ID");

        patientId.addKeyListener(new java.awt.event.KeyAdapter() {
            public void keyReleased(java.awt.event.KeyEvent evt) {
                patientIdKeyReleased(evt);
            }
        });

        jButton1.setText("Submit");
        jButton1.addMouseListener(new java.awt.event.MouseAdapter() {
            public void mouseClicked(java.awt.event.MouseEvent evt) {
                submitMouseClicked(evt);
            }
        });

        org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout queryPanelLayout = new org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout(queryPanel);
        queryPanel.setLayout(queryPanelLayout);
        queryPanelLayout.setHorizontalGroup(
            queryPanelLayout.createParallelGroup(org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.LEADING)
            .add(queryPanelLayout.createSequentialGroup()
                .addContainerGap()
                .add(jLabel1)
                .addPreferredGap(org.jdesktop.layout.LayoutStyle.RELATED)
                .add(patientId, org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE, 59, org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE)
                .addPreferredGap(org.jdesktop.layout.LayoutStyle.RELATED)
                .add(jButton1)
                .addContainerGap(343, Short.MAX_VALUE))
        );
        queryPanelLayout.setVerticalGroup(
            queryPanelLayout.createParallelGroup(org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.LEADING)
            .add(queryPanelLayout.createSequentialGroup()
                .add(42, 42, 42)
                .add(queryPanelLayout.createParallelGroup(org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.BASELINE)
                    .add(jLabel1)
                    .add(patientId, org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE, org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE)
                    .add(jButton1))
                .addContainerGap(46, Short.MAX_VALUE))
        );

        org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout titlePanelLayout = new org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout(titlePanel);
        titlePanel.setLayout(titlePanelLayout);
        titlePanelLayout.setHorizontalGroup(
            titlePanelLayout.createParallelGroup(org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.LEADING)
            .add(0, 234, Short.MAX_VALUE)
        );
        titlePanelLayout.setVerticalGroup(
            titlePanelLayout.createParallelGroup(org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.LEADING)
            .add(0, 24, Short.MAX_VALUE)
        );

        questionScroll.setHorizontalScrollBar(null);
        questionScroll.setPreferredSize(new java.awt.Dimension(574, 612));

        questionPanel.setFocusable(false);
        questionPanel.setMinimumSize(new java.awt.Dimension(508, 612));
        questionPanel.setPreferredSize(new java.awt.Dimension(508, 1000));

        org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout questionPanelLayout = new org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout(questionPanel);
        questionPanel.setLayout(questionPanelLayout);
        questionPanelLayout.setHorizontalGroup(
            questionPanelLayout.createParallelGroup(org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.LEADING)
            .add(0, 555, Short.MAX_VALUE)
        );
        questionPanelLayout.setVerticalGroup(
            questionPanelLayout.createParallelGroup(org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.LEADING)
            .add(0, 1000, Short.MAX_VALUE)
        );

        questionScroll.setViewportView(questionPanel);

        org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout layout = new org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout(getContentPane());
        getContentPane().setLayout(layout);
        layout.setHorizontalGroup(
            layout.createParallelGroup(org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.LEADING)
            .add(layout.createSequentialGroup()
                .addContainerGap(org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, Short.MAX_VALUE)
                .add(jSeparator1, org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE, 594, org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE))
            .add(org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.TRAILING, layout.createSequentialGroup()
                .addContainerGap(148, Short.MAX_VALUE)
                .add(titlePanel, org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE, org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE)
                .add(232, 232, 232))
            .add(layout.createSequentialGroup()
                .addContainerGap()
                .add(questionScroll, org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, 574, Short.MAX_VALUE)
                .addContainerGap())
            .add(queryPanel, org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, Short.MAX_VALUE)
        );
        layout.setVerticalGroup(
            layout.createParallelGroup(org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.LEADING)
            .add(layout.createSequentialGroup()
                .add(queryPanel, org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE, org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE)
                .addPreferredGap(org.jdesktop.layout.LayoutStyle.UNRELATED)
                .add(jSeparator1, org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE, org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE)
                .addPreferredGap(org.jdesktop.layout.LayoutStyle.RELATED)
                .add(titlePanel, org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE, org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE)
                .addPreferredGap(org.jdesktop.layout.LayoutStyle.RELATED)
                .add(questionScroll, org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, 612, Short.MAX_VALUE))
        );

        pack();
    }

    private void submitMouseClicked(java.awt.event.MouseEvent evt) {
        //Query the database for this patient And find out which mainQ is needed
        patientIdSubmitted();
}

    private void patientIdKeyReleased(java.awt.event.KeyEvent evt) {
        int key = evt.getKeyCode();

        if (key == java.awt.event.KeyEvent.VK_ENTER) {
            patientIdSubmitted();
        }
        else {
            //Do nothing
        }
    }

    private void patientIdSubmitted () {
        presentQuestionnaire(mainQ);
    }

    private void presentQuestionnaire(Vector questionnaire) {
        //Add in the mainQ title
        String questionnaireName = "Math test";
        titlePanel.setLayout(new java.awt.FlowLayout());
        javax.swing.JLabel titleLabel = new javax.swing.JLabel(questionnaireName);
        titlePanel.add(titleLabel);
        //Why is the titlePanel visibility dependant upon a border??????
        titlePanel.setBorder(javax.swing.BorderFactory.createBevelBorder(javax.swing.border.BevelBorder.RAISED));

        questionPanel.setLayout(new java.awt.GridLayout(0, 1, 0, 0));

        questionPanel.removeAll();
        questionPanel.setPreferredSize(new java.awt.Dimension(questionPanel.getWidth(), questionnaire.size() * 165)); //165 is a trial-and-error determined number
        questionPanel.revalidate();
        questionPanel.repaint();

        ListIterator iter = questionnaire.listIterator();

        while (iter.hasNext()) {//Each qLabel/choice set gets their own Panel
            javax.swing.JPanel qPanel = new javax.swing.JPanel(new java.awt.GridBagLayout());
            java.awt.GridBagConstraints gbc = new java.awt.GridBagConstraints();
            qPanel.setBorder(javax.swing.BorderFactory.createLineBorder(new java.awt.Color(0, 0, 0)));

            gbc.fill = java.awt.GridBagConstraints.HORIZONTAL;

            Vector questionChoice = (Vector) iter.next();

            javax.swing.JTextArea qText = new javax.swing.JTextArea();
            qText.setLineWrap(true);
            qText.setWrapStyleWord(true);

            javax.swing.ButtonGroup choiceGroup = new javax.swing.ButtonGroup();

            String question = questionChoice.elementAt(0).toString();
            
            qText.setText(question);
            gbc.weightx = 1.0;
            gbc.gridx = 0;
            gbc.gridy = 0;
            qPanel.add(qText, gbc);

            ListIterator choices = questionChoice.listIterator(1);

            while (choices.hasNext()) {
                javax.swing.JRadioButton button = new javax.swing.JRadioButton(choices.next().toString());
                choiceGroup.add(button);

                gbc.weighty = 0.0;
                gbc.gridy = GridBagConstraints.RELATIVE;
                qPanel.add(button, gbc);
            }

            questionPanel.add(qPanel);

        }
        questionPanel.revalidate();
        questionPanel.repaint();
    }

    public static void main(String args[]) {
        java.awt.EventQueue.invokeLater(new Runnable() {
            public void run() {
                new Main().setVisible(true);
            }
        });
    }

    // Variables declaration - do not modify
    private javax.swing.JButton jButton1;
    private javax.swing.JLabel jLabel1;
    private javax.swing.JSeparator jSeparator1;
    private javax.swing.JTextField patientId;
    private javax.swing.JPanel queryPanel;
    private javax.swing.JPanel questionPanel;
    private javax.swing.JScrollPane questionScroll;
    private javax.swing.JPanel titlePanel;
    // End of variables declaration

}

Where the problem is occurring is on question 8. It looks to me like the question is too long and there are too many choices so that things are being obscured. I'm not sure what to set and where to set it.

Thanks!

[Michael Dunn]

> Ok.... I've put together a mock-up that demonstrates what's happening:

just so you understand...

the code you posted:

at the top of the code block, click 'view plain'
when the new window opens, click anywhere in the code and ctrl_a, then ctrl_c

now open another IDE (not netbeans), and paste the code (no package), save.
now try to compile it from the pasted code (40, 60, 80 errors?)

that is what you are presenting to anyone trying to help you.

so, if you really want a solution, it's in your interest to post painless code.

[Sebastiao Fernandes]

Yargh, sorry about that.

I've been trying to correct this. I'm finding two common errors on compilation:

Main.java:146: cannot find symbol
symbol : class GroupLayout
location: package org.jdesktop.layout
.add(titlePanel, org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE, org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE)
^
Main.java:145: cannot find symbol
symbol : class LayoutStyle
location: package org.jdesktop.layout
.addPreferredGap(org.jdesktop.layout.LayoutStyle.RELATED)


Some hunting revealed that GroupLayout and LayoutStyle are a part of javax.swing (I do not know what org.jdesktop.layout is, I assume some NetBeans thing).

At any rate, I got the same error when when I replaced org.jdesktop.layout with javax.swing

Other parts of the code uses javax.swing so I'm sure that it's not a CLASSPATH problem. But I have noticed that these classes are in Java SE 6. I don't know which version I am using and I'm not sure how to find out either.

Any suggestions on how to correct this so that I can back to my original problem?

Thanks for your patience and continued help!

[Rob Camick]

Any suggestions on how to correct this so that I can back to my original problem?

Learn how to use layout managers and write the code yourself so you understand whats going on and are not depenent on the code generated by the IDE.

If you need further help then you need to create a SSCCE (Short, Self Contained, Compilable and Executable, Example Program), that demonstrates the incorrect behaviour.

[Sebastiao Fernandes]

OK,

I did some reading and replaced the NetBeans-generated code with BorderLayout. The code compiles and runs on my command line (Mac, OS 10.4, Tiger) and displays the problem.

To refresh, the problem happening here is seen on question 8. Here, the length of the question and the number of options is causing part of the question to be obscured.

Here's the code:

import java.util.Vector;
import java.util.ListIterator;
import javax.swing.*;
import java.awt.*;

public class Main extends javax.swing.JFrame {
    private Vector mainQ = new Vector();

    public Main() {
        mainQ.add(addChoice( new String[] {"1. What is 1 + 1?", "2", "3", "4", "5"} ));
        mainQ.add(addChoice( new String[] {"2. What is 1 + 2?", "2", "3", "4", "5"} ));
        mainQ.add(addChoice( new String[] {"3. What is 1 + 3?", "2", "3", "4", "5"} ));
        mainQ.add(addChoice( new String[] {"4. What is 1 + 4?", "2", "3", "4", "5"} ));
        mainQ.add(addChoice( new String[] {"5. What is 1 + 5?", "2", "3", "4", "5"} ));
        mainQ.add(addChoice( new String[] {"6. What is 1 + 6?", "2", "3", "4", "5"} ));

        mainQ.add(addChoice( new String[] {"7. A train leaves Chicago going East at 95 mph. At the same time a train leaves New York going West at 50 mph. Where will they meet?", "Baltimore", "Seattle", "Washington", "Cleveland"} ));

        mainQ.add(addChoice( new String[] {"8. A train leaves Chicago going East at 95 mph. At the same time, in London, a submarine (anchored in the Thames) has set off on its maiden voyage towards Japan. Now, assuming that the Panama canal doesn't exist and that North and South America actually float on the ocean" +
                "and that the submarine can attain a depth under the continents, how long will it take the submarine to pass right under the train leaving from Chicago?", "1 hour", "2 hours", "3 hours", "1.5 days", "1.5 dollars", "15 pence"} ));

        mainQ.add(addChoice( new String[] {"9. A train leaves Chicago going East at 95 mph. At the same time, in London, a submarine (anchored in the Thames) has set off on its maiden voyage towards Japan. Now, assuming that the Panama canal doesn't exist and that North and South America actually float on the ocean" +
                "and that the submarine can attain a depth under the continents, how long will it take the submarine to pass right under the train leaving from Chicago?", "1 hour", "2 hours", "3 hours"} ));
        initComponents();
    }

    public Vector addChoice (String[] choice) {
        Vector returnVector = new Vector();

        for (int i = 0; i < choice.length; i++) {
            returnVector.add(choice[i]);
        }

        return returnVector;
    }

    private void initComponents() {
        queryPanel = new javax.swing.JPanel();
        jLabel1 = new javax.swing.JLabel();
        patientId = new javax.swing.JTextField();
        jButton1 = new javax.swing.JButton();
        jSeparator1 = new javax.swing.JSeparator();
        titlePanel = new javax.swing.JPanel();
        questionScroll = new javax.swing.JScrollPane();
        questionPanel = new javax.swing.JPanel();

        setDefaultCloseOperation(javax.swing.WindowConstants.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);

        queryPanel.setPreferredSize(new java.awt.Dimension(618, 37));

        jLabel1.setText("Enter patient ID");
        queryPanel.add(jLabel1);

        patientId.setPreferredSize(new Dimension(50, 20));
        patientId.addKeyListener(new java.awt.event.KeyAdapter() {
            public void keyReleased(java.awt.event.KeyEvent evt) {
                patientIdKeyReleased(evt);
            }
        });
        queryPanel.add(patientId);

        jButton1.setText("Submit");
        jButton1.addMouseListener(new java.awt.event.MouseAdapter() {
            public void mouseClicked(java.awt.event.MouseEvent evt) {
                submitMouseClicked(evt);
            }
        });
        queryPanel.add(jButton1);

        jSeparator1.setPreferredSize(new Dimension(618, 50));
        queryPanel.add(jSeparator1);

        questionScroll.setHorizontalScrollBar(null);
        questionScroll.setPreferredSize(new java.awt.Dimension(618, 612));

        questionPanel.setFocusable(false);
        questionPanel.setMinimumSize(new java.awt.Dimension(618, 612));
        questionPanel.setPreferredSize(new java.awt.Dimension(618, 1000));
        questionScroll.setViewportView(questionPanel);
        
        BorderLayout layout = new BorderLayout();
        getContentPane().setLayout(layout);
        getContentPane().setPreferredSize(new java.awt.Dimension(638,789));

        getContentPane().add(queryPanel, BorderLayout.PAGE_START);
        getContentPane().add(questionScroll, BorderLayout.CENTER);

        pack();
        getContentPane().setVisible(true);
    }

    private void submitMouseClicked(java.awt.event.MouseEvent evt) {
        //Query the database for this patient And find out which mainQ is needed
        patientIdSubmitted();
}

    private void patientIdKeyReleased(java.awt.event.KeyEvent evt) {
        int key = evt.getKeyCode();

        if (key == java.awt.event.KeyEvent.VK_ENTER) {
            patientIdSubmitted();
        }
        else {
            //Do nothing
        }
    }

    private void patientIdSubmitted () {
        presentQuestionnaire(mainQ);
    }

    private void presentQuestionnaire(Vector questionnaire) {
      questionPanel.setLayout(new java.awt.GridLayout(0, 1));

        questionPanel.removeAll();
        questionPanel.setPreferredSize(new java.awt.Dimension(questionPanel.getWidth(), questionnaire.size() * 165)); //165 is a trial-and-error determined number
        questionPanel.revalidate();
        questionPanel.repaint();

        ListIterator iter = questionnaire.listIterator();

        while (iter.hasNext()) {//Each qLabel/choice set gets their own Panel
            javax.swing.JPanel qPanel = new javax.swing.JPanel(new java.awt.GridBagLayout());
            java.awt.GridBagConstraints gbc = new java.awt.GridBagConstraints();
            qPanel.setBorder(javax.swing.BorderFactory.createLineBorder(new java.awt.Color(0, 0, 0)));

            Vector questionChoice = (Vector) iter.next();

            javax.swing.JTextArea qText = new javax.swing.JTextArea();
            qText.setLineWrap(true);
            qText.setWrapStyleWord(true);

            javax.swing.ButtonGroup choiceGroup = new javax.swing.ButtonGroup();

            String question = questionChoice.elementAt(0).toString();
            
            qText.setText(question);
            
            gbc.gridx = 0; //x ix which COLUMN
            gbc.gridy = 0; // y is which ROW
            //gbc.gridwidth = GridBagConstraints.REMAINDER;
            //gbc.gridheight = 1;
            gbc.fill = GridBagConstraints.HORIZONTAL;
            gbc.weightx = 1.0;
            qPanel.add(qText, gbc);

            ListIterator choices = questionChoice.listIterator(1);

            while (choices.hasNext()) {
                javax.swing.JRadioButton button = new javax.swing.JRadioButton(choices.next().toString());
                choiceGroup.add(button);
 
                gbc.gridx = 0;
                gbc.gridy = GridBagConstraints.RELATIVE;
                //gbc.gridwidth = GridBagConstraints.REMAINDER;
                //gbc.gridheight = 1;
                //gbc.fill = GridBagConstraints.HORIZONTAL;
                //gbc.ipady = 0;
                //gbc.weighty = 0.0;
                qPanel.add(button, gbc);
            }

            questionPanel.add(qPanel);

        }
        questionPanel.revalidate();
        questionPanel.repaint();
    }

    public static void main(String args[]) {
        java.awt.EventQueue.invokeLater(new Runnable() {
            public void run() {
                new Main().setVisible(true);
            }
        });
    }
    
    private javax.swing.JButton jButton1;
    private javax.swing.JLabel jLabel1;
    private javax.swing.JSeparator jSeparator1;
    private javax.swing.JTextField patientId;
    private javax.swing.JPanel queryPanel;
    private javax.swing.JPanel questionPanel;
    private javax.swing.JScrollPane questionScroll;
    private javax.swing.JPanel titlePanel;
}

I've tried some fiddling with the constraints in GridBagLayout but haven't had much success. I believe the JPanels need to be re-sized (rather than the JTextAreas)
based on the question length and/or choice count.

Any suggestions?

Thanks!

[pete stein]

I used BorderLayout (amongst others) and it works for me:

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

public class Main2 {
  public static final String[][] QUESTIONS = {
    {"1. What is 1 + 1?", "2", "3", "4", "5"},
    {"2. What is 1 + 2?", "2", "3", "4", "5"},
    {"3. What is 1 + 3?", "2", "3", "4", "5"},
    {"4. What is 1 + 4?", "2", "3", "4", "5"},
    {"5. What is 1 + 5?", "2", "3", "4", "5"},
    {"6. What is 1 + 6?", "2", "3", "4", "5"},
    {
      "7. A train leaves Chicago going East at 95 mph. At the same time a train leaves New York going "
          + "West at 50 mph. Where will they meet?", "Baltimore", "Seattle",
      "Washington", "Cleveland"},

    {
      "8. A train leaves Chicago going East at 95 mph. At the same time, in London, a submarine (anchored "
          + "in the Thames) has set off on its maiden voyage towards Japan. Now, assuming that the Panama canal "
          + "doesn't exist and that North and South America actually float on the ocean"
          + "and that the submarine can attain a depth under the continents, how long will it take the "
          + "submarine to pass right under the train leaving from Chicago?",
      "1 hour", "2 hours", "3 hours", "1.5 days", "1.5 dollars", "15 pence"},

    {
      "9. A train leaves Chicago going East at 95 mph. At the same time, in London, a submarine (anchored "
          + "in the Thames) has set off on its maiden voyage towards Japan. Now, assuming that the Panama canal "
          + "doesn't exist and that North and South America actually float on the ocean"
          + "and that the submarine can attain a depth under the continents, how long will it take the "
          + "submarine to pass right under the train leaving from Chicago?",
      "1 hour", "2 hours", "3 hours"}};

  private static final Dimension MAIN_SIZE = new Dimension(500, 700);
  
  private JPanel mainPanel = new JPanel();
  private JPanel questionsPanel = new JPanel();

  public Main2() {
    questionsPanel.setLayout(new BoxLayout(questionsPanel, BoxLayout.PAGE_AXIS));
    
    JButton submitBtn = new JButton("Submit");
    submitBtn.addActionListener(new SubmitListener());
    JPanel btnPanel = new JPanel();
    btnPanel.add(submitBtn);
    
    mainPanel.setPreferredSize(MAIN_SIZE);
    mainPanel.setLayout(new BorderLayout(10, 10));
    mainPanel.setBorder(BorderFactory.createEmptyBorder(5, 5, 5, 5));
    mainPanel.add(btnPanel, BorderLayout.NORTH);
    mainPanel.add(new JScrollPane(questionsPanel));
  }

  public JComponent getComponent() {
    return mainPanel;
  }
  
  private class SubmitListener implements ActionListener {
    public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {
      questionsPanel.removeAll();
      
      for (String[] question : QUESTIONS) {
        QuestionPanel questionPanel = new QuestionPanel(question);
        questionsPanel.add(questionPanel.getComponent());
        questionsPanel.add(Box.createVerticalStrut(5));
      }
      questionsPanel.revalidate();
      questionsPanel.repaint();
    }
  }

  private static void createAndShowUI() {
    JFrame frame = new JFrame("Main2");
    frame.getContentPane().add(new Main2().getComponent());
    frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
    frame.pack();
    frame.setLocationRelativeTo(null);
    frame.setVisible(true);
  }

  public static void main(String[] args) {
    java.awt.EventQueue.invokeLater(new Runnable() {
      public void run() {
        createAndShowUI();
      }
    });
  }
}

class QuestionPanel {
  private JPanel mainPanel = new JPanel(new BorderLayout(5, 5));
  private String[] question;

  public QuestionPanel(String[] question) {
    this.question = question;
    JTextArea textArea = new JTextArea();
    textArea.setWrapStyleWord(true);
    textArea.setLineWrap(true);
    textArea.setEditable(false);
    textArea.setFocusable(false);
    textArea.setText(question[0]);
    textArea.setOpaque(false);
    
    if (question.length > 1) {
      JPanel radioPanel = new JPanel(new GridLayout(0, 1));
      ButtonGroup grp = new ButtonGroup();
      for (int i = 1; i < question.length; i++) {
        JRadioButton rButton = new JRadioButton(question[i]);
        grp.add(rButton);
        radioPanel.add(rButton);
      }
      mainPanel.add(radioPanel, BorderLayout.CENTER);
    }
    
    mainPanel.add(textArea, BorderLayout.NORTH);
    mainPanel.setBorder(BorderFactory.createLineBorder(Color.black));
  }

  public JComponent getComponent() {
    return mainPanel;
  }


}

[Sebastiao Fernandes]

Hey Pete, thanks for the suggestions.

I employed your suggestions, using combination of Box/Border/Grid Layouts an everything is displaying properly.

I noticed that, even after a full change to those layout managers, I was still having panels/textareas not sizing properly.

The issue here was on lines 117/118 of my code, specifically

questionPanel.revalidate();
questionPanel.repaint();

These two lines were, apparently, improperly sizing the components as well as autoscrolling down to the bottom of the scrollpane. Removing these lines fixed everything.

With that in mind, I don't believe there was anything wrong with using GridBagLayout, or even NetBean's GUI builder, as I had added those lines myself, though Pete's suggestion certainly is clearer and less complex than using GBL. I haven't bothered verifying that my old methods work since I like the elegance and simplicity of this method.

Thanks again!