Custom layout Java Swing

Question

I want to make board(map) like this in Java.

enter image description here

Each small hexagon is image.

Suppose I have two Java classes. Canvas(big hexagon) and Hexagon. First is entire board from which I generate randomly all small hexagons. Both classes derived from JPanel. Now I have GridLayout. How can I arrange layout like this?

gridLayout does rows and columns. Yours would have to overlap. You might have to use absolute positioning (no layout manager). — stark, Mar 05 '12 at 12:48
If you may, Try your hands at [GroupLayout](http://docs.oracle.com/javase/tutorial/uiswing/layout/group.html), that might help you sort things out. — nIcE cOw, Mar 05 '12 at 12:55
May I suggest a completely different approach: Don't use a toolkit which is designed to create Desktop-Applications for games. — Bobby, Mar 05 '12 at 13:09

score 3 · Answer 1 · answered Mar 05 '12 at 13:03

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Why do you need the small hexagon panels? I would rather just define List (list of Hexagons) each with desired position and just override paintComponent() method of main JPanel. You can use this http://java-sl.com/shapes.html to create hexagon shapes.

To track mouse click you can use contains() method of Shape.

answered Mar 05 '12 at 13:03

StanislavL

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+1 This related [Q&A](http://stackoverflow.com/q/3687176/230513) has a nice sscce and some tips on the geometry. – trashgod Mar 05 '12 at 16:52

score 3 · Answer 2 · answered Mar 05 '12 at 13:04

3

you can

1) common way

by painting to the JPanel/JComponent by override paintComponent() (I asumed that there are Image/BufferedImage/Icon/ImageIcon)

2) by place Icon/ImageIcon to the JLabel

you have look at JLayer (since Java7) or use (former) JXLayer
OverlayLayout or customizations for OverlayLayout by @camickr

answered Mar 05 '12 at 13:04

mKorbel

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+1 but the most difficult thing is to handle mouse events for the overlapping hexagons. – StanislavL Mar 05 '12 at 13:08

score 1 · Answer 3 · answered Mar 05 '12 at 13:11

The point of layout manages is to make it possible for the layout to auto-adjust when components change their size or the window does.

It looks like your hexagons will always be the same size, so you really don't need a layout manager, and positioning the hexagons absolutely should be fine.

Custom layout Java Swing

3 Answers3