Like i have been on ma project in java and making a ATM Machine....i having real troubles in making the interface....as the layouts and panes i am using is really not fitting in ma project....i need help regarding...that how can we set the buttons and textfields etc...at places on the screen which we want...what type of layout shd i use and all....i am designing it all on the full screen mode and using border and as well grid layout....the thing here is that the buttons and textfields etc are pushed towards the corners and all...i want to set them where i want them....plz help as the deadline is on ma head...i would appreciate if anyone mailz me the code regarding this type of material at khfarooq@hotmail.com and post the reply over here... thanxx a lot

use layout managers. example:
JButton b1, b2, b3;
JTextField t1;
JPanel top, center, bottom;
String title = "Title";
JLabel label;
Container pane;
b1 = new JButton();
b1.setText("OK");
b2 = new JButton();
b2.setText("Cancel");
b3 = new JButton();
b3.setText("Exit");
t1 = new JTextField(15);
label = new JLabel();
label.setText(title);
top = new JPanel();
top.add(label);
pane = getContentPane();
pane.add(top, BorderLayout.NORTH);
center = new JPanel();
center.add(t1);
pane.add(center, BorderLayout.CENTER);
bottom = new JPanel();
bottom.add(b1);
bottom.add(b2);
bottom.add(b3);
pane.add(bottom, BorderLayout.SOUTH);

setLayout(null);
after that use setBounds(int x, int y, int width, int height) on components to place them right where you want them with a specified size.

S. Densmore (SCJP)

I recommend you tablelayout at http://www.clearthought.info/software/tablelayout/
a third party layout manager easy and even fun to use
Here you have an straight tutorial
http://www.clearthought.info/softwar...0Printable.doc

Look, there are numerous tools out there ranging from free to affordable to expensive to make Java GUI painless. Once used you can study the generated code to see how it's done:

Free
-----
Netbeans - A full featured, cross platform, Open Source Java IDE w/ a nice GUI designer including Gridbag Layout. Very mature robust product. Written in Java it requires a fast computer to appreciate (600mhz +, 128MB RAM +, 3D graphics card)
http://www.netbeans.org

Borland JBuilder (Foundation Edition) - Powerful, fast, full featured Java IDE and GUI Designer.
http://www.borland.com/jbuilder/foundation/index.html

Elcipse - Full featured Java IDE, but no built in GUI designer. Not as mature as Netbeans or JBuilder, but improving in leaps and bounds. Faster than Netbeans, but slower than JBuilder. GUI designers for eclipse can be purchased from 3rd parties.
http://www.eclipse.org/

Affordable
----------
Swing designer - $199.00 a Java GUI editor plug-in for Eclipse. Really sweet GUI layout tool capable of rapid development of complex GUIs in Swing or Eclipse's SWT and the code it generates is professionally formatted, readable, and easy to maintain.
http://www.instantiations.com/swing-designer/


Expensive
---------
Borland JBuilder (Developer Edition) - $499 Top of the line Java IDE, GUI Designer, and Rapid Database Developer.
http://www.borland.com/jbuilder/developer/index.html

BX for Java - $998 a complete stand alone visual development tool for pure Java applications. Includes a database designer module that makes Java widgets "data-aware" by mapping them to database fields.
http://www.ics.com/products/bxjava/

Hope this helps,

Alex

I recommend you try JFrameBuilder, easy-to-use, special for making Swing GUI, and WYSIWYG.

http://www.mars3000.com