How can I set size of a button?

Question

I put my buttons in a JPane with GridLayout. Then I put JPanel into another JPanel with BoxLayout.Y_AXIS. I want buttons in the GridLayout to be square. I use tmp.setSize(30,30) and it does not work. I also try to use new GridLayout(X, Y, 4, 4) but I cannot figure out what X and Y are. So, what is the correct way to do this stuff?

ADDED:

I still cannot solve the problem. Here is the code of what I am trying to do:

import javax.swing.*;
import java.awt.*;

public class PanelModel {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        JFrame frame = new JFrame("Colored Trails");
        frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);

        JPanel mainPanel = new JPanel();
        mainPanel.setLayout(new BoxLayout(mainPanel, BoxLayout.Y_AXIS));

        JPanel firstPanel = new JPanel();
        firstPanel.setLayout(new GridLayout(4, 4));
        JButton btn;
        for (int i=1; i<=4; i++) {
            for (int j=1; j<=4; j++) {
                btn = new JButton();
                btn.setPreferredSize(new Dimension(100, 100));
                firstPanel.add(btn);
            }
        }

        JPanel secondPanel = new JPanel();
        secondPanel.setLayout(new GridLayout(5, 13));
        for (int i=1; i<=5; i++) {
            for (int j=1; j<=13; j++) {
                btn = new JButton();
                btn.setPreferredSize(new Dimension(40, 40));
                secondPanel.add(btn);
            }
        }

        mainPanel.add(firstPanel);
        mainPanel.add(secondPanel);
        frame.add(mainPanel);

        frame.setSize(400,600);
        frame.setVisible(true);
    }
}

The problem is that Java tries to make width of the firstPanel and secondPanel equal! Moreover, Java tries to to fill all height of the window. How can I remove this behavior?

score 49 · Accepted Answer · edited Jun 12 '16 at 19:37

The following bit of code does what you ask for. Just make sure that you assign enough space so that the text on the button becomes visible

JFrame frame = new JFrame("test");
frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(WindowConstants.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
JPanel panel = new JPanel(new GridLayout(4,4,4,4));

for(int i=0 ; i<16 ; i++){
    JButton btn = new JButton(String.valueOf(i));
    btn.setPreferredSize(new Dimension(40, 40));
    panel.add(btn);
}
frame.setContentPane(panel);
frame.pack();
frame.setVisible(true);

The X and Y (two first parameters of the GridLayout constructor) specify the number of rows and columns in the grid (respectively). You may leave one of them as 0 if you want that value to be unbounded.

Edit

I've modified the provided code and I believe it now conforms to what is desired:

JFrame frame = new JFrame("Colored Trails");
frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);

JPanel mainPanel = new JPanel();
mainPanel.setLayout(new BoxLayout(mainPanel, BoxLayout.Y_AXIS));

JPanel firstPanel = new JPanel();
firstPanel.setLayout(new GridLayout(4, 4));
firstPanel.setMaximumSize(new Dimension(400, 400));
JButton btn;
for (int i=1; i<=4; i++) {
    for (int j=1; j<=4; j++) {
        btn = new JButton();
        btn.setPreferredSize(new Dimension(100, 100));
        firstPanel.add(btn);
    }
}

JPanel secondPanel = new JPanel();
secondPanel.setLayout(new GridLayout(5, 13));
secondPanel.setMaximumSize(new Dimension(520, 200));
for (int i=1; i<=5; i++) {
    for (int j=1; j<=13; j++) {
        btn = new JButton();
        btn.setPreferredSize(new Dimension(40, 40));
        secondPanel.add(btn);
    }
}

mainPanel.add(firstPanel);
mainPanel.add(secondPanel);
frame.setContentPane(mainPanel);

frame.setSize(520,600);
frame.setMinimumSize(new Dimension(520,600));
frame.setVisible(true);

Basically I now set the preferred size of the panels and a minimum size for the frame.

I tried this code. It works. But if I try to implement the same idea in my program, it does not work. I think that the reason is that I include my JPanel (with the GridLayout) to another JPanel (with BoxLayout.Y_AXIS). — Roman, Mar 29 '10 at 11:31
@Roman If you want more specific help you'll need to post some sample code! — Kris, Mar 29 '10 at 12:17
Why not share one `new Dimension(40, 40)` between all buttons instead of instantiating 16 of them? — jub0bs, Jan 07 '16 at 09:00
See [Should I avoid the use of set(Preferred|Maximum|Minimum)Size methods in Java Swing?](http://stackoverflow.com/q/7229226/418556) (Yes.) — Andrew Thompson, Feb 01 '17 at 07:40

Jonas · Answer 2 · 2010-03-29T16:51:52.040

Try with setPreferredSize instead of setSize.

UPDATE: GridLayout take up all space in its container, and BoxLayout seams to take up all the width in its container, so I added some glue-panels that are invisible and just take up space when the user stretches the window. I have just done this horizontally, and not vertically, but you could implement that in the same way if you want it.

Since GridLayout make all cells in the same size, it doesn't matter if they have a specified size. You have to specify a size for its container instead, as I have done.

import javax.swing.*;
import java.awt.*;

public class PanelModel {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        JFrame frame = new JFrame("Colored Trails");
        frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);

        JPanel mainPanel = new JPanel();
        mainPanel.setLayout(new BoxLayout(mainPanel, BoxLayout.Y_AXIS));

        JPanel firstPanel = new JPanel(new GridLayout(4, 4));
        firstPanel.setPreferredSize(new Dimension(4*100, 4*100));
        for (int i=1; i<=4; i++) {
            for (int j=1; j<=4; j++) {
                firstPanel.add(new JButton());
            }
        }

        JPanel firstGluePanel = new JPanel(new BorderLayout());
        firstGluePanel.add(firstPanel, BorderLayout.WEST);
        firstGluePanel.add(Box.createHorizontalGlue(), BorderLayout.CENTER);
        firstGluePanel.add(Box.createVerticalGlue(), BorderLayout.SOUTH);

        JPanel secondPanel = new JPanel(new GridLayout(13, 5));
        secondPanel.setPreferredSize(new Dimension(5*40, 13*40));
        for (int i=1; i<=5; i++) {
            for (int j=1; j<=13; j++) {
                secondPanel.add(new JButton());
            }
        }

        JPanel secondGluePanel = new JPanel(new BorderLayout());
        secondGluePanel.add(secondPanel, BorderLayout.WEST);
        secondGluePanel.add(Box.createHorizontalGlue(), BorderLayout.CENTER);
        secondGluePanel.add(Box.createVerticalGlue(), BorderLayout.SOUTH);

        mainPanel.add(firstGluePanel);
        mainPanel.add(secondGluePanel);
        frame.getContentPane().add(mainPanel);

        //frame.setSize(400,600);
        frame.pack();
        frame.setVisible(true);
    }
}

Compiler writes that it cannot find method called `setPreferredSize`. — Roman, Mar 29 '10 at 09:53

score 4 · Answer 3 · answered Mar 29 '10 at 09:58

GridLayout is often not the best choice for buttons, although it might be for your application. A good reference is the tutorial on using Layout Managers. If you look at the GridLayout example, you'll see the buttons look a little silly -- way too big.

A better idea might be to use a FlowLayout for your buttons, or if you know exactly what you want, perhaps a GroupLayout. (Sun/Oracle recommend that GroupLayout or GridBag layout are better than GridLayout when hand-coding.)

score 3 · Answer 4 · answered Jun 25 '18 at 08:51

This is how I did it.

            JFrame.setDefaultLookAndFeelDecorated(true);
            JDialog.setDefaultLookAndFeelDecorated(true);
            JFrame frame = new JFrame("SAP Multiple Entries");
            frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
            JPanel panel = new JPanel(new GridLayout(10,10,10,10));
            frame.setLayout(new FlowLayout());
            frame.setSize(512, 512);
            JButton button = new JButton("Select File");
            button.setPreferredSize(new Dimension(256, 256));
            panel.add(button);

            button.addActionListener(new ActionListener() {

                public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent ae) {
                    JFileChooser fileChooser = new JFileChooser();
                    int returnValue = fileChooser.showOpenDialog(null);
                    if (returnValue == JFileChooser.APPROVE_OPTION) {
                        File selectedFile = fileChooser.getSelectedFile();

                        keep = selectedFile.getAbsolutePath();


                       // System.out.println(keep);
                        //out.println(file.flag); 
                       if(file.flag==true) {
                           JOptionPane.showMessageDialog(null, "It is done! \nLocation: " + file.path , "Success Message", JOptionPane.INFORMATION_MESSAGE);
                       }
                       else{
                           JOptionPane.showMessageDialog(null, "failure", "not okay", JOptionPane.INFORMATION_MESSAGE);
                       }
                    }
                }
            });
            frame.add(button);
            frame.pack();
            frame.setVisible(true);

How can I set size of a button?

4 Answers4

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