How to use Java Swing layout manager to make this GUI?

Question

I am trying to figure out what layouts should be used on the JFrame to get this layout accomplished. I am trying to code the GUI rather than use visual GUI-making tools. So far I was only able to get it to look like this:

This is the source code for the GUI above: http://pastebin.com/s06pareG

    /**
     * Initialize the contents of the frame.
     */
    private void initialize() {
            frame = new JFrame();
            frame.setBounds(100, 100, 450, 300);
            frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
            //frame.getContentPane().setLayout(new FlowLayout(FlowLayout.CENTER, 5, 5));

            JPanel upPanel = new JPanel();
            upPanel.setLayout(new GridLayout(2,3));

            JLabel data = new JLabel("Data Source Name:");
            upPanel.add(data);
            JTextField dataText = new JTextField();
            upPanel.add(dataText);
            JLabel desc = new JLabel("Description:");
            upPanel.add(desc);
            JTextField descText = new JTextField();
            upPanel.add(descText);

            JPanel midPanel = new JPanel();
            midPanel.setBorder(new TitledBorder(null, "Database", TitledBorder.LEADING, TitledBorder.TOP, null, null));
            JLabel dbTitle = new JLabel("Database");
            JButton select = new JButton("Select...");
            JButton create = new JButton("Create...");
            JButton repair = new JButton("Repair...");
            JButton compact = new JButton("Compact...");

            JPanel eastPanel = new JPanel();
            eastPanel.setLayout(new GridLayout(4,1));

            JButton ok = new JButton("OK");
            JButton cancel = new JButton("Cancel");
            JButton help = new JButton("Help");
            JButton advanced = new JButton("Advanced...");
            eastPanel.add(ok); eastPanel.add(cancel); eastPanel.add(help); eastPanel.add(advanced);

            frame.getContentPane().add(upPanel, BorderLayout.NORTH);
            frame.getContentPane().add(midPanel, BorderLayout.WEST);
            midPanel.setLayout(new BorderLayout(0, 0));
            midPanel.add(dbTitle);
            midPanel.add(select);
            midPanel.add(create);
            midPanel.add(repair);
            midPanel.add(compact);
            frame.getContentPane().add(eastPanel, BorderLayout.EAST);

    }

I was thinking about making the JFrame absolute layout and then creating 4 JPanels with GridLayout. Also, I'm having trouble making the "Database:" label sit on its own row and placing the JButtons below it. What types of layouts and customizing functions should I look into to accomplish this look?

Okay, I see four main areas, which then need to be placed into a single layout. Start by working out the requirements for each one of these areas, using their own containers and then combine them (and for my money, it's all mostly `GridBagLayout`, but I'm lazy like that) — MadProgrammer, Nov 06 '15 at 22:01
What he said, and also post all relevant code here, not in links that many of us can't get to. Best if you created and posted [mcve]. — Hovercraft Full Of Eels, Nov 06 '15 at 22:05
So let me get this straight. The four areas are (1) 2 textfields+labels (2) Database (3) System Database (4) Buttons from Ok to Options. My question is how would put Database and the 4 buttons in 2 different rows and how would I accomplish the gap between Advanced and Options? — btrballin, Nov 06 '15 at 22:14
Put them in their own containers, that way you can focus on the individual layout requirements for each section and when they are done, you can focus on the larger layout requirement. `GridBagLayout` allows you to span components across multiple rows/columns — MadProgrammer, Nov 06 '15 at 22:24
Would the containers be inside a `GridBagLayout` too? How would I be able to use 1 cell in one row and 4 cells in another row of a container? Or do something like having 1 component on the left, skipping 2 cells and then having another component on the right — btrballin, Nov 06 '15 at 22:50

MadProgrammer · Answer 1 · 2018-01-05T11:36:27.563

Break down you layout into it's basic areas of responsibility, focusing each area individually and managing it's own layout requirements

So, as I see, you have four basic areas of functionality...

You need to break these apart into their own individual components and focus on there layout and functional requirements

Part 01

So, this is pretty basic

public class SourcePane extends JPanel {
    private JTextField datasourceName;
    private JTextField desciption;

    public SourcePane() {
        setLayout(new GridBagLayout());
        GridBagConstraints gbc = new GridBagConstraints();
        gbc.gridx = 0;
        gbc.gridy = 0;
        gbc.anchor = GridBagConstraints.WEST;

        add(new JLabel("Data Source Name: "), gbc);
        gbc.gridy++;
        add(new JLabel("Description: "), gbc);

        gbc.gridx++;
        gbc.gridy = 0;
        gbc.weightx = 1;
        gbc.fill = GridBagConstraints.HORIZONTAL;

        add((datasourceName = new JTextField(10)), gbc);
        gbc.gridy++;
        add((desciption = new JTextField(10)), gbc);
    }

    public String getDataSourceName() {
        return datasourceName.getText();
    }

    public String getDescription() {
        return desciption.getText();
    }

    public void setDataSourceName(String name) {
        datasourceName.setText(name);
    }

    public void setDescription(String description) {
        desciption.setText(description);
    }

}

I've also added some accessors, which I won't be adding to the rest of the code, but provides the idea of how you might get/set information between the components

Part 02

This is suitably more difficult, as there is a suggest of an additional label next to the Database: label. It "might" be possible to get this done in a single layout, but it would be easier to use an additional container and further compound the layouts

public class DatabasePane extends JPanel {

    private JButton select, create, repair, compact;
    private JLabel database;

    public DatabasePane() {
        setLayout(new GridBagLayout());
        setBorder(new CompoundBorder(new TitledBorder("Database"), new EmptyBorder(12, 0, 0, 0)));
        GridBagConstraints gbc = new GridBagConstraints();
        gbc.gridx = 0;
        gbc.gridy = 0;
        gbc.anchor = GridBagConstraints.WEST;
        gbc.insets = new Insets(0, 0, 0, 4);

        JPanel panel = new JPanel(new GridBagLayout());
        panel.add(new JLabel("Database: "), gbc);
        gbc.gridx++;
        gbc.weightx = 1;
        gbc.fill = GridBagConstraints.HORIZONTAL;
        gbc.insets = new Insets(0, 0, 0, 0);
        panel.add((database = new JLabel()), gbc);

        gbc.gridx = 0;
        gbc.gridy = 0;
        gbc.weightx = 1;
        gbc.gridwidth = GridBagConstraints.REMAINDER;
        gbc.fill = GridBagConstraints.HORIZONTAL;
        gbc.insets = new Insets(4, 4, 4, 4);
        add(panel, gbc);

        gbc.gridwidth = 1;
        gbc.weightx = 0.25;
        gbc.gridy++;
        gbc.fill = GridBagConstraints.HORIZONTAL;
        add((select = new JButton("Select")), gbc);
        gbc.gridx++;
        add((create = new JButton("Create")), gbc);
        gbc.gridx++;
        add((repair = new JButton("Repair")), gbc);
        gbc.gridx++;
        add((compact = new JButton("Compact")), gbc);
    }

}

Part 03

Again, this is a little more complex then it seems, as the Database: button seems to have an additional label. You could simply make use of the buttons text property, but I've chosen to further demonstrate the idea of compound layouts

public class SystemDatabasePane extends JPanel {

    private JRadioButton none, database;
    private JLabel databaseLabel;
    private JButton systemDatabase;

    public SystemDatabasePane() {
        setLayout(new GridBagLayout());
        setBorder(new CompoundBorder(new TitledBorder("System Database"), new EmptyBorder(8, 0, 0, 0)));
        GridBagConstraints gbc = new GridBagConstraints();
        gbc.gridx = 0;
        gbc.gridy = 0;
        gbc.insets = new Insets(0, 0, 0, 4);
        gbc.anchor = GridBagConstraints.WEST;

        JPanel panel = new JPanel(new GridBagLayout());
        panel.add((none = new JRadioButton("None")), gbc);
        gbc.gridy++;
        panel.add((none = new JRadioButton("Database: ")), gbc);

        gbc.gridx++;
        gbc.weightx = 1;
        gbc.fill = GridBagConstraints.HORIZONTAL;
        panel.add((databaseLabel = new JLabel("")), gbc);

        gbc.gridx = 0;
        gbc.gridy = 0;
        gbc.weightx = 1;
        gbc.gridwidth = GridBagConstraints.REMAINDER;
        gbc.fill = GridBagConstraints.HORIZONTAL;
        gbc.insets = new Insets(4, 4, 4, 4);
        add(panel, gbc);

        gbc.gridy++;
        gbc.fill = GridBagConstraints.NONE;
        gbc.anchor = GridBagConstraints.CENTER;
        add((systemDatabase = new JButton("System Database...")), gbc);
        systemDatabase.setEnabled(false);
    }

}

Part 04

And finally, the "actions" panel. This is actually relatively simply, but makes use of the GridBagLayout and the properties of it's constraints to do the whole thing in a single layout

public class ActionPane extends JPanel {

    private JButton okay, cancel, help, advanced, options;

    public ActionPane() {
        setLayout(new GridBagLayout());
        GridBagConstraints gbc = new GridBagConstraints();
        gbc.gridx = 0;
        gbc.gridy = 0;
        gbc.gridwidth = GridBagConstraints.REMAINDER;
        gbc.fill = GridBagConstraints.HORIZONTAL;
        gbc.weightx = 1;
        gbc.insets = new Insets(4, 4, 4, 4);

        add((okay = new JButton("Ok")), gbc);
        gbc.gridy++;
        add((cancel = new JButton("Cancel")), gbc);
        gbc.gridy++;
        add((help = new JButton("Help")), gbc);
        gbc.gridy++;
        add((advanced = new JButton("Advanced")), gbc);
        gbc.gridy++;
        gbc.weighty = 1;
        gbc.anchor = GridBagConstraints.SOUTH;
        add((options = new JButton("Options >>")), gbc);
    }

}

Putting it all together

This then simply puts all the separate elements together into a single layout

public class DatabasePropertiesPane extends JPanel {

    private SourcePane sourcePane;
    private DatabasePane databasePane;
    private SystemDatabasePane systemDatabasePane;
    private ActionPane actionPane;

    public DatabasePropertiesPane() {
        setLayout(new GridBagLayout());
        GridBagConstraints gbc = new GridBagConstraints();
        gbc.gridx = 0;
        gbc.gridy = 0;
        gbc.weightx = 1;
        gbc.weighty = 0.33;
        gbc.anchor = GridBagConstraints.WEST;
        gbc.fill = GridBagConstraints.BOTH;
        gbc.insets = new Insets(4, 4, 4, 4);

        add((sourcePane = new SourcePane()), gbc);
        gbc.gridy++;
        add((databasePane = new DatabasePane()), gbc);
        gbc.gridy++;
        add((systemDatabasePane = new SystemDatabasePane()), gbc);

        gbc.gridy = 0;
        gbc.gridx++;
        gbc.gridheight = GridBagConstraints.REMAINDER;
        gbc.fill = GridBagConstraints.VERTICAL;
        gbc.weighty = 1;
        gbc.weightx = 0;
        add((actionPane = new ActionPane()), gbc);
    }

}

Runnable example

import java.awt.Color;
import java.awt.EventQueue;
import java.awt.GridBagConstraints;
import java.awt.GridBagLayout;
import java.awt.Insets;
import javax.swing.JButton;
import javax.swing.JFrame;
import javax.swing.JLabel;
import javax.swing.JPanel;
import javax.swing.JRadioButton;
import javax.swing.JTextField;
import javax.swing.UIManager;
import javax.swing.UnsupportedLookAndFeelException;
import javax.swing.border.CompoundBorder;
import javax.swing.border.EmptyBorder;
import javax.swing.border.LineBorder;
import javax.swing.border.TitledBorder;

public class TestLayout {

    public static void main(String[] args) {
        new TestLayout();
    }

    public TestLayout() {
        EventQueue.invokeLater(new Runnable() {
            @Override
            public void run() {
                try {
                    UIManager.setLookAndFeel(UIManager.getSystemLookAndFeelClassName());
                } catch (ClassNotFoundException | InstantiationException | IllegalAccessException | UnsupportedLookAndFeelException ex) {
                    ex.printStackTrace();
                }

                JFrame frame = new JFrame("Testing");
                frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
                frame.add(new DatabasePropertiesPane());
                frame.pack();
                frame.setLocationRelativeTo(null);
                frame.setVisible(true);
            }
        });
    }

    public class DatabasePropertiesPane extends JPanel {

        private SourcePane sourcePane;
        private DatabasePane databasePane;
        private SystemDatabasePane systemDatabasePane;
        private ActionPane actionPane;

        public DatabasePropertiesPane() {
            setLayout(new GridBagLayout());
            GridBagConstraints gbc = new GridBagConstraints();
            gbc.gridx = 0;
            gbc.gridy = 0;
            gbc.weightx = 1;
            gbc.weighty = 0.33;
            gbc.anchor = GridBagConstraints.WEST;
            gbc.fill = GridBagConstraints.BOTH;
            gbc.insets = new Insets(4, 4, 4, 4);

            add((sourcePane = new SourcePane()), gbc);
            gbc.gridy++;
            add((databasePane = new DatabasePane()), gbc);
            gbc.gridy++;
            add((systemDatabasePane = new SystemDatabasePane()), gbc);

            gbc.gridy = 0;
            gbc.gridx++;
            gbc.gridheight = GridBagConstraints.REMAINDER;
            gbc.fill = GridBagConstraints.VERTICAL;
            gbc.weighty = 1;
            gbc.weightx = 0;
            add((actionPane = new ActionPane()), gbc);
        }

    }

    public class SourcePane extends JPanel {
        private JTextField datasourceName;
        private JTextField desciption;

        public SourcePane() {
            setLayout(new GridBagLayout());
            GridBagConstraints gbc = new GridBagConstraints();
            gbc.gridx = 0;
            gbc.gridy = 0;
            gbc.anchor = GridBagConstraints.WEST;

            add(new JLabel("Data Source Name: "), gbc);
            gbc.gridy++;
            add(new JLabel("Description: "), gbc);

            gbc.gridx++;
            gbc.gridy = 0;
            gbc.weightx = 1;
            gbc.fill = GridBagConstraints.HORIZONTAL;

            add((datasourceName = new JTextField(10)), gbc);
            gbc.gridy++;
            add((desciption = new JTextField(10)), gbc);
        }

        public String getDataSourceName() {
            return datasourceName.getText();
        }

        public String getDescription() {
            return desciption.getText();
        }

        public void setDataSourceName(String name) {
            datasourceName.setText(name);
        }

        public void setDescription(String description) {
            desciption.setText(description);
        }

    }

    public class DatabasePane extends JPanel {

        private JButton select, create, repair, compact;
        private JLabel database;

        public DatabasePane() {
            setLayout(new GridBagLayout());
            setBorder(new CompoundBorder(new TitledBorder("Database"), new EmptyBorder(12, 0, 0, 0)));
            GridBagConstraints gbc = new GridBagConstraints();
            gbc.gridx = 0;
            gbc.gridy = 0;
            gbc.anchor = GridBagConstraints.WEST;
            gbc.insets = new Insets(0, 0, 0, 4);

            JPanel panel = new JPanel(new GridBagLayout());
            panel.add(new JLabel("Database: "), gbc);
            gbc.gridx++;
            gbc.weightx = 1;
            gbc.fill = GridBagConstraints.HORIZONTAL;
            gbc.insets = new Insets(0, 0, 0, 0);
            panel.add((database = new JLabel()), gbc);

            gbc.gridx = 0;
            gbc.gridy = 0;
            gbc.weightx = 1;
            gbc.gridwidth = GridBagConstraints.REMAINDER;
            gbc.fill = GridBagConstraints.HORIZONTAL;
            gbc.insets = new Insets(4, 4, 4, 4);
            add(panel, gbc);

            gbc.gridwidth = 1;
            gbc.weightx = 0.25;
            gbc.gridy++;
            gbc.fill = GridBagConstraints.HORIZONTAL;
            add((select = new JButton("Select")), gbc);
            gbc.gridx++;
            add((create = new JButton("Create")), gbc);
            gbc.gridx++;
            add((repair = new JButton("Repair")), gbc);
            gbc.gridx++;
            add((compact = new JButton("Compact")), gbc);
        }

    }

    public class SystemDatabasePane extends JPanel {

        private JRadioButton none, database;
        private JLabel databaseLabel;
        private JButton systemDatabase;

        public SystemDatabasePane() {
            setLayout(new GridBagLayout());
            setBorder(new CompoundBorder(new TitledBorder("System Database"), new EmptyBorder(8, 0, 0, 0)));
            GridBagConstraints gbc = new GridBagConstraints();
            gbc.gridx = 0;
            gbc.gridy = 0;
            gbc.insets = new Insets(0, 0, 0, 4);
            gbc.anchor = GridBagConstraints.WEST;

            JPanel panel = new JPanel(new GridBagLayout());
            panel.add((none = new JRadioButton("None")), gbc);
            gbc.gridy++;
            panel.add((none = new JRadioButton("Database: ")), gbc);

            gbc.gridx++;
            gbc.weightx = 1;
            gbc.fill = GridBagConstraints.HORIZONTAL;
            panel.add((databaseLabel = new JLabel("")), gbc);

            gbc.gridx = 0;
            gbc.gridy = 0;
            gbc.weightx = 1;
            gbc.gridwidth = GridBagConstraints.REMAINDER;
            gbc.fill = GridBagConstraints.HORIZONTAL;
            gbc.insets = new Insets(4, 4, 4, 4);
            add(panel, gbc);

            gbc.gridy++;
            gbc.fill = GridBagConstraints.NONE;
            gbc.anchor = GridBagConstraints.CENTER;
            add((systemDatabase = new JButton("System Database...")), gbc);
            systemDatabase.setEnabled(false);
        }

    }

    public class ActionPane extends JPanel {

        private JButton okay, cancel, help, advanced, options;

        public ActionPane() {
            setLayout(new GridBagLayout());
            GridBagConstraints gbc = new GridBagConstraints();
            gbc.gridx = 0;
            gbc.gridy = 0;
            gbc.gridwidth = GridBagConstraints.REMAINDER;
            gbc.fill = GridBagConstraints.HORIZONTAL;
            gbc.weightx = 1;
            gbc.insets = new Insets(4, 4, 4, 4);

            add((okay = new JButton("Ok")), gbc);
            gbc.gridy++;
            add((cancel = new JButton("Cancel")), gbc);
            gbc.gridy++;
            add((help = new JButton("Help")), gbc);
            gbc.gridy++;
            add((advanced = new JButton("Advanced")), gbc);
            gbc.gridy++;
            gbc.weighty = 1;
            gbc.anchor = GridBagConstraints.SOUTH;
            add((options = new JButton("Options >>")), gbc);
        }

    }
}

Have a look at Laying Out Components Within a Container and How to Use GridBagLayout for more details

Thanks. I used Absolute Layout to set precise bounds for JPanels, and used GridBagLayout and WindowBuilder to paste the components onto the JPanels. — btrballin, Nov 09 '15 at 01:08
@btrballin Avoid using `null` layouts, pixel perfect layouts are an illusion within modern ui design. There are too many factors which affect the individual size of components, none of which you can control. Swing was designed to work with layout managers at the core, discarding these will lead to no end of issues and problems that you will spend more and more time trying to rectify — MadProgrammer, Nov 09 '15 at 01:08

score 7 · Answer 2 · answered Nov 06 '15 at 22:52

It, unfortunately, has a bad rap around these parts, but Netbeans' GUI Builder is great for this kind of project. The GUI in this image took me about five minutes to build:

I actually recorded a video of it, but the video did not turn out well because I'm too cheap to pay for good screen recording software. Anyways, I recommend Netbeans GUI Builder. The learning curve is not steep at all (especially compared to handwritten layout managers) and it can do pretty much anything any other layout manager can do, and much quicker.

Below is the code that this generated, but I strongly recommend doing it yourself because Netbeans also generates an .xml file that is vital to the proper functioning of the GUI Builder. And if you want to make changes in the future, you'll need the GUI Builder to do so (one of the drawbacks, but to me it's minor).

public class NewJPanel2 extends javax.swing.JPanel {

    /**
     * Creates new form NewJPanel2
     */
    public NewJPanel2() {
        initComponents();
    }

    /**
     * This method is called from within the constructor to initialize the form.
     * WARNING: Do NOT modify this code. The content of this method is always
     * regenerated by the Form Editor.
     */
    @SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
    // <editor-fold defaultstate="collapsed" desc="Generated Code">                          
    private void initComponents() {

        jLabel1 = new javax.swing.JLabel();
        jLabel2 = new javax.swing.JLabel();
        jTextField1 = new javax.swing.JTextField();
        jTextField2 = new javax.swing.JTextField();
        jButton1 = new javax.swing.JButton();
        jButton4 = new javax.swing.JButton();
        jButton2 = new javax.swing.JButton();
        jButton3 = new javax.swing.JButton();
        jPanel1 = new javax.swing.JPanel();
        jLabel3 = new javax.swing.JLabel();
        jButton5 = new javax.swing.JButton();
        jButton6 = new javax.swing.JButton();
        jButton7 = new javax.swing.JButton();
        jButton8 = new javax.swing.JButton();
        jPanel2 = new javax.swing.JPanel();
        jRadioButton1 = new javax.swing.JRadioButton();
        jRadioButton2 = new javax.swing.JRadioButton();
        jButton9 = new javax.swing.JButton();
        jButton10 = new javax.swing.JButton();

        jLabel1.setText("Data Source Name:");

        jLabel2.setText("Description:");

        jButton1.setText("Ok");

        jButton4.setText("Cancel");

        jButton2.setText("Help");

        jButton3.setText("Advanced");

        jPanel1.setBorder(javax.swing.BorderFactory.createTitledBorder("Database"));

        jLabel3.setText("Database:");

        jButton5.setText("Select");

        jButton6.setText("Create");

        jButton7.setText("Compact");

        jButton8.setText("Repair");

        javax.swing.GroupLayout jPanel1Layout = new javax.swing.GroupLayout(jPanel1);
        jPanel1.setLayout(jPanel1Layout);
        jPanel1Layout.setHorizontalGroup(
            jPanel1Layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.LEADING)
            .addGroup(jPanel1Layout.createSequentialGroup()
                .addContainerGap()
                .addGroup(jPanel1Layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.LEADING)
                    .addComponent(jLabel3)
                    .addGroup(jPanel1Layout.createSequentialGroup()
                        .addComponent(jButton5)
                        .addPreferredGap(javax.swing.LayoutStyle.ComponentPlacement.UNRELATED)
                        .addComponent(jButton6, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE, 65, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE)
                        .addPreferredGap(javax.swing.LayoutStyle.ComponentPlacement.UNRELATED)
                        .addComponent(jButton8, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE, 63, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE)
                        .addPreferredGap(javax.swing.LayoutStyle.ComponentPlacement.UNRELATED)
                        .addComponent(jButton7, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE, 75, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE)))
                .addContainerGap())
        );

        jPanel1Layout.linkSize(javax.swing.SwingConstants.HORIZONTAL, new java.awt.Component[] {jButton5, jButton6, jButton7, jButton8});

        jPanel1Layout.setVerticalGroup(
            jPanel1Layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.LEADING)
            .addGroup(jPanel1Layout.createSequentialGroup()
                .addGap(24, 24, 24)
                .addComponent(jLabel3)
                .addPreferredGap(javax.swing.LayoutStyle.ComponentPlacement.RELATED)
                .addGroup(jPanel1Layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.BASELINE)
                    .addComponent(jButton5)
                    .addComponent(jButton6)
                    .addComponent(jButton8)
                    .addComponent(jButton7))
                .addContainerGap(javax.swing.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, Short.MAX_VALUE))
        );

        jPanel2.setBorder(javax.swing.BorderFactory.createTitledBorder("System Database"));

        jRadioButton1.setText("None");

        jRadioButton2.setText("Database:");

        jButton9.setText("System Database...");
        jButton9.setEnabled(false);

        javax.swing.GroupLayout jPanel2Layout = new javax.swing.GroupLayout(jPanel2);
        jPanel2.setLayout(jPanel2Layout);
        jPanel2Layout.setHorizontalGroup(
            jPanel2Layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.LEADING)
            .addGroup(jPanel2Layout.createSequentialGroup()
                .addContainerGap()
                .addGroup(jPanel2Layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.LEADING)
                    .addComponent(jRadioButton1)
                    .addGroup(jPanel2Layout.createSequentialGroup()
                        .addComponent(jRadioButton2)
                        .addGap(49, 49, 49)
                        .addComponent(jButton9)))
                .addContainerGap(javax.swing.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, Short.MAX_VALUE))
        );
        jPanel2Layout.setVerticalGroup(
            jPanel2Layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.LEADING)
            .addGroup(jPanel2Layout.createSequentialGroup()
                .addGap(15, 15, 15)
                .addComponent(jRadioButton1)
                .addPreferredGap(javax.swing.LayoutStyle.ComponentPlacement.RELATED)
                .addComponent(jRadioButton2)
                .addContainerGap(29, Short.MAX_VALUE))
            .addGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.TRAILING, jPanel2Layout.createSequentialGroup()
                .addContainerGap(javax.swing.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, Short.MAX_VALUE)
                .addComponent(jButton9)
                .addContainerGap())
        );

        jButton10.setText("Options>>");

        javax.swing.GroupLayout layout = new javax.swing.GroupLayout(this);
        this.setLayout(layout);
        layout.setHorizontalGroup(
            layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.LEADING)
            .addGroup(layout.createSequentialGroup()
                .addContainerGap()
                .addGroup(layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.LEADING)
                    .addGroup(layout.createSequentialGroup()
                        .addGroup(layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.TRAILING, false)
                            .addComponent(jLabel2, javax.swing.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, javax.swing.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, Short.MAX_VALUE)
                            .addComponent(jLabel1, javax.swing.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, javax.swing.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, Short.MAX_VALUE))
                        .addPreferredGap(javax.swing.LayoutStyle.ComponentPlacement.RELATED)
                        .addGroup(layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.LEADING)
                            .addComponent(jTextField1)
                            .addComponent(jTextField2))
                        .addGap(18, 18, 18)
                        .addGroup(layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.LEADING)
                            .addComponent(jButton1, javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.TRAILING)
                            .addComponent(jButton4, javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.TRAILING)))
                    .addGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.TRAILING, layout.createSequentialGroup()
                        .addGroup(layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.TRAILING)
                            .addComponent(jPanel2, javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.LEADING, javax.swing.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, javax.swing.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, Short.MAX_VALUE)
                            .addComponent(jPanel1, javax.swing.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, javax.swing.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, Short.MAX_VALUE))
                        .addPreferredGap(javax.swing.LayoutStyle.ComponentPlacement.RELATED)
                        .addGroup(layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.LEADING)
                            .addGroup(layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.LEADING)
                                .addComponent(jButton2, javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.TRAILING)
                                .addComponent(jButton3, javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.TRAILING))
                            .addComponent(jButton10, javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.TRAILING))))
                .addContainerGap())
        );

        layout.linkSize(javax.swing.SwingConstants.HORIZONTAL, new java.awt.Component[] {jButton1, jButton10, jButton2, jButton3, jButton4});

        layout.setVerticalGroup(
            layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.LEADING)
            .addGroup(layout.createSequentialGroup()
                .addContainerGap()
                .addGroup(layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.BASELINE)
                    .addComponent(jLabel1)
                    .addComponent(jTextField1, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE, javax.swing.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE)
                    .addComponent(jButton1))
                .addPreferredGap(javax.swing.LayoutStyle.ComponentPlacement.RELATED)
                .addGroup(layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.BASELINE)
                    .addComponent(jLabel2)
                    .addComponent(jTextField2, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE, javax.swing.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE)
                    .addComponent(jButton4))
                .addPreferredGap(javax.swing.LayoutStyle.ComponentPlacement.RELATED)
                .addGroup(layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.LEADING)
                    .addGroup(layout.createSequentialGroup()
                        .addComponent(jButton2)
                        .addPreferredGap(javax.swing.LayoutStyle.ComponentPlacement.RELATED)
                        .addComponent(jButton3))
                    .addComponent(jPanel1, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE, javax.swing.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE))
                .addPreferredGap(javax.swing.LayoutStyle.ComponentPlacement.RELATED)
                .addGroup(layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.LEADING)
                    .addComponent(jPanel2, javax.swing.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, javax.swing.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, Short.MAX_VALUE)
                    .addGroup(layout.createSequentialGroup()
                        .addGap(0, 0, Short.MAX_VALUE)
                        .addComponent(jButton10)))
                .addContainerGap())
        );
    }// </editor-fold>                        


    // Variables declaration - do not modify                     
    private javax.swing.JButton jButton1;
    private javax.swing.JButton jButton10;
    private javax.swing.JButton jButton2;
    private javax.swing.JButton jButton3;
    private javax.swing.JButton jButton4;
    private javax.swing.JButton jButton5;
    private javax.swing.JButton jButton6;
    private javax.swing.JButton jButton7;
    private javax.swing.JButton jButton8;
    private javax.swing.JButton jButton9;
    private javax.swing.JLabel jLabel1;
    private javax.swing.JLabel jLabel2;
    private javax.swing.JLabel jLabel3;
    private javax.swing.JPanel jPanel1;
    private javax.swing.JPanel jPanel2;
    private javax.swing.JRadioButton jRadioButton1;
    private javax.swing.JRadioButton jRadioButton2;
    private javax.swing.JTextField jTextField1;
    private javax.swing.JTextField jTextField2;
    // End of variables declaration                   
}

For the assignment, I was supposed to write the GUI code myself rather than using toolkits to get the job done easily. The purpose was to help me familiarize myself with the code needed to accomplish the GUI — btrballin, Nov 06 '15 at 23:32
The toolkit made it very precise, thus it generates too much code. I am trying to find the right layout managers and how the 4 JPanels can be set up. — btrballin, Nov 07 '15 at 00:11
While I do use the form editor from time to time, it tends to generate some ... interesting code and worst, it doesn't propagate good habits in developers, like breaking the layout down into functional components, which you would do if you did it by hand (as doing in one single blob is way to complex and introduces a world of pain when it comes to the management of the code). Form editors are a tool, and like all tools, you need to know when and when not it use them, but more importantly, you need to learn how to use them correctly - IMHO — MadProgrammer, Nov 07 '15 at 00:55
@MadProgrammer, I'm not disagreeing that the GUI Editor doesn't fit all situations. I use hand-written layouts for more complex GUIs. But I'm wondering if you could explain what you mean when you say "one single blob is way too complex to manage on the code side" — ryvantage, Nov 07 '15 at 03:00
In your example code, all the "logic" to manage all the fields and controls in one single "blob" class, where taking the time separate the functionality into small units of works (classes) would help reduce this complexity and make it easier to manage, as the functionality for each "section" is isolated to it's own code. While this particular example might not meet those requirements, I've spent a lot of time undoing other developers code because of this one particular issue :P — MadProgrammer, Nov 07 '15 at 04:01