signal generator.

[Stephen Carter]

This is supposed to look like the attachment that I included.

Basically, my problem is that when I ran the program, it is not at all the way I would like it. How do I layout my buttons so that it looks like the picture? I understand that I I can use .WEST, .CENTER, .LEFT, but even that doesnt work for me.
I'm not asking you to do this for me, but at least point me in the right direction.
Thanks.

//importing packages
import java.awt.*;
import javax.swing.*;
import java.awt.event.*;
import javax.swing.JFrame;
import javax.swing.JPanel;
import javax.swing.JButton;
import javax.swing.JTextArea;
import javax.swing.ImageIcon;
import java.awt.FlowLayout;
import java.awt.BorderLayout;
//naming public class
public class SIGGEN_msc extends JFrame implements ActionListener {
public String id = "";
public String login = "";
@Override
public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {
// no listener event provided as of yet, so override is necessary
//
}
public static void main (String[] n) {
SIGGEN_msc o = new SIGGEN_msc();
}
public SIGGEN_msc() {
//start of icon (logo)
ImageIcon icon = new ImageIcon("iFunGenIcon.png", "SIGNET 2000");
//new jlabels for text field ID
//
//load icon for logo signet2000
JLabel jL1 = new JLabel("SIGNET 2000",JLabel.CENTER);
JLabel jL2 = new JLabel("Frequency"); //jlabel to show variable frequencies
JLabel jL3 = new JLabel("Timer"); //jlabel to show min and max time in seconds
JLabel jL4 = new JLabel("Volume"); //jlabel to show volumer settings/control/min max levels
JLabel jL5 = new JLabel(icon);
//add jframe
JFrame frame = new JFrame("Signal Generator");
//jframe settings
frame.setDefaultLookAndFeelDecorated(true);
frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
frame.getContentPane().setLayout(new GridLayout(10,3));
frame.setSize(800,600);
frame.setLocationRelativeTo(null); // center frame in window
frame.setVisible(true);
//button naming
JButton b1 = new JButton("Sine");
JButton b2 = new JButton("Square");
JButton b3 = new JButton("Saw");
JButton b4 = new JButton("Triangle");
JButton b5 = new JButton("Generate");
JButton b6 = new JButton("Quit");
b1.setPreferredSize(new Dimension(40, 40));
b2.setPreferredSize(new Dimension(40, 40));
b3.setPreferredSize(new Dimension(40, 40));
b4.setPreferredSize(new Dimension(40, 40));
b5.setPreferredSize(new Dimension(40, 40));
b6.setPreferredSize(new Dimension(40, 40));
//add buttons to frame
frame.add(b1);
frame.add(b2);
frame.add(b3);
frame.add(b4);
frame.add(b5);
frame.add(b6);
b1.addActionListener(this);
b2.addActionListener(this);
b3.addActionListener(this);
b4.addActionListener(this);
b5.addActionListener(this);
b6.addActionListener(this);
//new text fields
JTextField tf1 = new JTextField(12); //tf to enter a frequency
JTextField tf2 = new JTextField(12); //tf to enter a timer in seconds
JTextField tf3 = new JTextField(12); //tf to adjust volume
frame.add(tf1);
frame.add(tf2);
frame.add(tf3);
tf1.setPreferredSize(new Dimension(40,40));
tf2.setPreferredSize(new Dimension(40,40));
tf3.setPreferredSize(new Dimension(40,40));
//add labels to frame
frame.add(jL1);
//naming textArea
JTextArea textArea = new JTextArea(" ");
//add labels to jpanel
add(jL1);
add(jL2);
add(jL3);
//
//action listener
// public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {
// if (e.getSource() == b1 ) {
// //waveform sine
// }
// if (e.getSource() == b2 ) {
// //waveform square
// }
// if (e.getSource() == b3 ) {
// //waveform saw
// }
// if (e.getSource() == b4 ) {
// //waveform triangle
// }
// if (e.getSource() == b5 ) {
// //generate all textfields and output into textArea
// }
// if (e.getSource() == b6 ) {
// //quit
// System.exit(0);
// }
//
}
}

[Knute Snortum]

Let's move this to the Swing/AWT forum.

[Les Morgan]

You can set your layout manager to null or Absolute--either is VERY poor practice as you lose your resize options--Take it from one that started out doing just that, and it really does come around to bite you, and it's usually very severe when it does.

Laying out a GUI has to be done in layers--think multiple layouts and probably multiple panels. Once you get that idea going, things become a lot more simple to make complex GUI's that don't have that box and column look.