Build GUI with complex GridBagLayout - Page 2

[Violet_82]

Oh, apologies. So an import can be static?! And what does it mean?
I have made the changes and I have less errors now (42) and the compiler seems to have a problem only with new GridBagLayout and with new Insets(). Now the constants are fine.

[JamesCherrill]

import static imports the names of the public static final members of a class - ie the public constants

[update] ... that description was a little too simplified, although right in principle. Here's the definitive correct version from the JLS:

7.5.4 Static-Import-on-Demand Declarations
A static-import-on-demand declaration allows all accessible static members of
a named type to be imported as needed.
StaticImportOnDemandDeclaration:
import static TypeName . * ;
The TypeName must be the canonical name (§6.7) of a class type, interface type,
enum type, or annotation type.

[scudzilla]

You get the GridBagLayout and Inset errors, because you have yet to import them.

import java.awt.GridBagConstraints; //you replaced this with the static one
import java.awt.Insets;

Furthermore, check your new GridBagConstraints initialisations: you have two arguments missing after the Insets.

[Violet_82]

OK, thanks scudzilla, this thing is making me sweat!
Right, so the ipadx and ipady parameters were missing. I have added them in. ABout the import, just so I get it completely right: I now have

import static java.awt.GridBagConstraints.*;
import java.awt.Insets;

correct? (I have also tried this combination just in case

import static java.awt.GridBagConstraints;
import java.awt.Insets;

)
If I compile, I now only get 20 errors, still to do with new GridBagConstraints (that's where the caret is) saying:

Form.java:134: error: cannot find symbol
                selectionPanel.add( selectionRadioButton, new GridBagConstraints( 3, 2, 1, 1, 0, 0, CENTER, NONE, new Insets( 0, 0, 0, 0), 0, 0 ) );//add component to jpanel and constraints

Code's here:

/*Form.java
ex 14.11 p 662
*/
import java.awt.GridBagLayout;//chosen JFrame layout
import static java.awt.GridBagConstraints.*;
import java.awt.Insets;
import javax.swing.JFrame;
import javax.swing.JComboBox;
import javax.swing.JButton;
import javax.swing.JTextArea;
import javax.swing.JCheckBox;
import javax.swing.JRadioButton;
import javax.swing.JLabel;
import javax.swing.ButtonGroup;//for radio buttons
import java.awt.GridLayout;//chosen layout for panel selectionPanel and buttonsPanel
import java.awt.FlowLayout;//chosen layout for panel printQualityPanel
import javax.swing.JPanel;

public class Form extends JFrame{   
//label
private JLabel printerLabel;
private JLabel printQualityLabel;

//txt areas
private JTextArea textArea1;
private JTextArea textArea2;
private JTextArea textArea3;

//checkboxes
private JCheckBox imageCheckBox;
private JCheckBox textCheckBox;
private JCheckBox codeCheckBox;
private JCheckBox printCheckBox;

//radio buttons
private JRadioButton selectionRadioButton;
private JRadioButton allRadioButton;
private JRadioButton appletRadioButton;
private ButtonGroup radioGroup;//to create logical connection between radio buttons

//jcombobox
private JComboBox<String> qualityCombo;
private String[] values;

//buttons
private JButton okButton;
private JButton cancelButton;
private JButton setupButton;
private JButton helpButton;

//panels
private JPanel selectionPanel;//contains text areas, radio buttons and chekboxes
private JPanel printQualityPanel;//contains print quality combo box 
private JPanel buttonsPanel;//contains buttons

//layout
private GridBagLayout jPanel1Layout;
private GridBagLayout jPanel2Layout;
private GridBagLayout jPanel3Layout;
private GridBagLayout labelLayout;
private GridBagLayout layout;//layout of JFrame

//constraints
//private GridBagConstraints constraints;

//constructor
public Form(){
    super("Form GUI");
    layout = new GridBagLayout();
    setLayout( layout );//set layout of JFrame  

    //create panels
    selectionPanel = new JPanel();
    printQualityPanel = new JPanel();
    buttonsPanel = new JPanel();

    //create flow layout for aligning panels one next to the other
    jPanel1Layout = new GridBagLayout();
    jPanel2Layout = new GridBagLayout();
    jPanel3Layout = new GridBagLayout();
    labelLayout = new GridBagLayout();
    //constraints = new GridBagConstraints();

    //create controls
    //labels
    printerLabel = new JLabel("Printer: My printer");
    printQualityLabel = new JLabel("Print Quality:");
    //txt areas
    textArea1 = new JTextArea( 5, 5 );
    textArea2 = new JTextArea( 5, 5 );
    textArea3 = new JTextArea( 5, 5 );
    //checkboxes
    imageCheckBox = new JCheckBox("Image");
    textCheckBox = new JCheckBox("Image");
    codeCheckBox = new JCheckBox("Image");
    printCheckBox = new JCheckBox("Print to file");
    //radio buttons
    selectionRadioButton = new JRadioButton("Selection", false);
    allRadioButton = new JRadioButton("All", true);
    appletRadioButton = new JRadioButton("Applet", false);
    //add radio buttons to the group
    radioGroup = new ButtonGroup();
    radioGroup.add( selectionRadioButton );
    radioGroup.add( allRadioButton );
    radioGroup.add( appletRadioButton );
    //combo box
    String[] values = { "Value1", "Value2", "Value3", "Value4" };
    qualityCombo = new JComboBox<>( values );
    //buttons
    okButton = new JButton("OK");
    cancelButton = new JButton("Cancel");
    setupButton = new JButton("Setup");
    helpButton = new JButton("Help");
    okButton = new JButton("OK");   

    //BASED ON A 6X7 GRID!!     

    //first text area       
    selectionPanel.add( textArea1, new GridBagConstraints( 0, 2, 1, 3, 0, 0, CENTER, NONE, new Insets( 0, 0, 0, 0 ), 0, 0 ) );//set constraints on the element and add to jpanel

    //second txt area       
    selectionPanel.add( textArea2, new GridBagConstraints( 2, 2, 1, 3, 0, 0, CENTER, NONE, new Insets( 0, 0, 0, 0 ), 0, 0 ) );//add component to jpanel and set constraints

    //third text area       
    selectionPanel.add( textArea3, new GridBagConstraints( 4, 2, 1, 3, 0, 0, CENTER, NONE, new Insets( 0, 0, 0, 0 ), 0, 0 ) );//add component to jpanel and add constraints


    //checkboxes        
    selectionPanel.add( imageCheckBox, new GridBagConstraints( 1, 2, 1, 1, 0, 0, CENTER, NONE, new Insets( 0, 0, 0, 0), 0, 0 ) );//add component to jpanel and add constraints      
    selectionPanel.add( textCheckBox, new GridBagConstraints( 1, 3, 1, 1, 0, 0, CENTER, NONE, new Insets( 0, 0, 0, 0), 0, 0 ) );//add component to jpanel and add constraints       
    selectionPanel.add( codeCheckBox, new GridBagConstraints( 1, 4, 1, 1, 0, 0, CENTER, NONE, new Insets( 0, 0, 0, 0), 0, 0 ) );//add component to jpanel and add constraints

    //radio buttons     
    selectionPanel.add( selectionRadioButton, new GridBagConstraints( 3, 2, 1, 1, 0, 0, CENTER, NONE, new Insets( 0, 0, 0, 0), 0, 0 ) );//add component to jpanel and constraints       
    selectionPanel.add( allRadioButton, new GridBagConstraints( 3, 3, 1, 1, 0, 0, CENTER, NONE, new Insets( 0, 0, 0, 0), 0, 0 ) );//add component to jpanel and constraints     
    selectionPanel.add( appletRadioButton, new GridBagConstraints( 3, 4, 1, 1, 0, 0, CENTER, NONE, new Insets( 0, 0, 0, 0), 0, 0 ) );//add component to jpanel and constraints
    //END OF FIRST PANEL

    //SECOND PANEL containing combo box and print to file
    //label     
    printQualityPanel.add( printQualityLabel, new GridBagConstraints( 0, 5, 1, 2, 0, 0, CENTER, NONE, new Insets( 0, 0, 0, 0), 0, 0 ) );//add component to jpanel and constraints

    //jcombo
    printQualityPanel.add( qualityCombo, new GridBagConstraints( 3, 5, 2, 1, 0, 0, CENTER, NONE, new Insets( 0, 0, 0, 0), 0, 0 ) );//add component to jpanel and constraints

    //bottom checkbox       
    printQualityPanel.add( printCheckBox, new GridBagConstraints( 5, 5, 2, 1, 0, 0, CENTER, NONE, new Insets( 0, 0, 0, 0), 0, 0 ) );//add component to jpanel and constraints
    //END OF SECOND PANEL

    //THIRD PANEL
    //buttons       
    buttonsPanel.add( okButton, new GridBagConstraints( 6, 0, 1, 1, 0, 0, CENTER, NONE, new Insets( 0, 0, 0, 0 ), 0, 0 ) );//add component to jpanel and constraints        
    buttonsPanel.add( cancelButton, new GridBagConstraints( 6, 2, 1, 1, 0, 0, CENTER, NONE, new Insets( 0, 0, 0, 0), 0, 0 ) );//add component to jpanel and constraints     
    buttonsPanel.add( setupButton, new GridBagConstraints( 6, 4, 1, 1, 0, 0, CENTER, NONE, new Insets( 0, 0, 0, 0), 0, 0 ) );//add component to jpanel and constraint       
    buttonsPanel.add( helpButton, new GridBagConstraints( 6, 6, 1, 1, 0, 0, CENTER, NONE, new Insets( 0, 0, 0, 0), 0, 0 ) );//add component to jpanel and constraints

    //END OF THIRD PANEL

    //set layout of JPanels
    selectionPanel.setLayout( jPanel1Layout ); //
    printQualityPanel.setLayout( jPanel2Layout );
    buttonsPanel.setLayout( jPanel3Layout );

    //set up the grid for the JFrame: add JPanels to JFrame
    add( printerLabel, new GridBagConstraints( 0, 0 , 1, 1, 0, 0, CENTER, NONE, new Insets( 0, 0, 0, 0 ), 0, 0 )  );//add print label directly to JFrame + constraints
    add( selectionPanel, new GridBagConstraints( 0, 1, 1, 1, 0, 0, CENTER, NONE, new Insets( 0, 0, 0, 0 ), 0, 0 ) );//add panel to JFrame + constraints
    add( printQualityPanel, new GridBagConstraints( 0, 2, 1, 1, 0, 0, CENTER, NONE, new Insets( 0, 0, 0, 0 ), 0, 0 ) );//add panel to JFrame + constraints
    add( buttonsPanel, new GridBagConstraints( 1, 1, 1, 1, 0, 0, CENTER, NONE, new Insets( 0, 0, 0, 0 ), 0, 0 ) );//add panel to JFrame + constraints



}//end of constructor


}//end of class

[JamesCherrill]

You're still missing
import java.awt.GridBagConstraints;

You need to import java.awt.GridBagConstraints so you can use the name GridBagConstraints without having to fully-qualify it all the time.
You need to import static GridBagConstraints.* so you can use the static constants within GridBagConstraints without having to fully-qualify their names all the time.

[Violet_82]

sorry I don't mean to be thick, so they both need to be there then. Clearly I didn't understand that, sorry. OK it compiles now, but the layout reverted back to what I had a while ago, so it's ignoring the positioning.
I will go back and dig here and there trying to find the reason why.