Positioning GUI Components with Absolute Layout

Question

I know there are many questions on here already about positioning components using absolute layout, but they don't seem to answer my questions.

I'm working on creating a Solitaire game in java to better learn GUI components. I seem to understand the various ActionListener classes I'm using, but I'm having trouble positioning components where I want them in the window.

I'm trying to set up the window in a format that resembles the basic solitaire layout (deck, discard pile, 4 suit stacks at the top and 7 solitaire stacks below them). My thought process was that I'd need to use an absolute layout in my JFrame component to manually place the different stack elements where they should go (maybe this isn't the best approach?). In doing so, I've tried using setLocation(x, y), setLocation(Point), setBounds(x, y, width, height), etc and nothing seems to work. I just get a blank window.

Here's an example of my code trying to manually place components in the window:

public class SolitaireTable extends JFrame {
    public static final int SUIT_STACK_CNT = 4;
    public static final int SOL_STACK_CNT = 7;
    public static final Point DECK_POS = new Point(5,5);
    public static final Point DISCARD_POS = new Point(73+10, 5); //73 is width of card images and 10 gives it a 5 px border to left and right
    public static final Point SUIT_STACK_POS = new Point(DISCARD_POS.x + 73 + 92, 5);
    public static final Point SOL_STACK_POS = new Point(DECK_POS.x, DECK_POS.y + 97 + 5); //97 is heigh of card image. 5 gives it a border of 5

    public SolitaireTable()
    {
        setLayout(null);

        ImageIcon cardImg = new ImageIcon("images/2c.gif");
        Card card1 = new Card(cardImg);
        add(card1);
        card1.setBounds(50, 50, card1.getWidth(), card1.getHeight());

    }

    public static void main(String[] args)
    {
        SolitaireTable table = new SolitaireTable();
        table.setTitle("Solitaire");
        table.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
        table.setVisible(true);
        table.setSize(800, 600);
    }
}


public class Card extends JComponent {
    private ImageIcon img;//current image displayed (either front or back of card)
    private Point coords;
    private String suit;
    private int face; //use ints instead of strings to make descending face pattern calculations easier. 0 = ace, 1= 2, 10 = j, 12 = k, etc
    private String color;
    private boolean revealed; //whether see face or back of card
    private ImageIcon frontImage; //image of card's face side (set in constructor)

    public Card(ImageIcon img){
        this.img = img;

    }

    public void moveTo(Point p) {
        coords = p;
    }

    //================================================================= getWidth
    public int getWidth() {
        return img.getIconWidth();
    }

    //================================================================ getHeight
    public int getHeight() {
        return img.getIconHeight();
    }
}

I've been scouring the internet for days trying to figure out how to position components in an absolute layout but haven't found much. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Answer 1

You create your Card class with an ImageIcon, but you never paint the Icon anywhere so there is nothing to paint and you get an empty screen.

You need to add painting code to your class. See the section from the Swing tutorial on Custom Painting for more information and working examples.

Or maybe you create a JLabel and add the Icon to the label and then add the label to the component. (Don't forget to set the layout manager of your card component if you use this approach).

Or you could just create a JLabel with the Icon. Then you would extend JLabel, instead of JComponent to add your custom methods.

Answer 2

Are you using Absolute layout ?

---

• Absolute Layout is DEPRECATED ..... Have a look here

• From docs: Absolute layouts are less flexible and harder to maintain than other types of layouts without absolute positioning.

• However, if it fits your special purpose, just use it.

• You can use RelativeLayouts as described here: Set the absolute position of a view