GridBagLayout components are centered

Hi all. I should begin by letting you know that i am fairly new to swing, so please forgive my lack of knowledge.

Here's my problem. Im trying to create a GUI with multiple panels. I've created a root panel or contentPanel for all other panel to be placed onto. At the top of this panel, occupying 1/3 of the screen I have created a header panel, which itself will contain two more panels, search and book. Within these two panels (search and book) my components are centred. However i would like the components to flow from the top of the panel. I'm using a GridBagLayout for these two panels(search and book) and i tried to use the setAnchor(GridBagConstraints.PAGE_START) method to align the components with no joy.

Any ideas or helpful comments would be greatly appreciated

private class BookingPanel extends JPanel{
        
        private JTextField nameField = new JTextField(10);
        private JTextField locationField = new JTextField(10);
        private JTextField specialtiesField = new JTextField(10);
        private JTextField sizeField = new JTextField(3);
        private JTextField rateField = new JTextField(3);
 
        private JLabel passwordLabel = new JLabel("Password");
        private JPasswordField passwordField = new JPasswordField(10);
        
        private JLabel dateLabel = new JLabel("Date");
        private JTextField dateField = new JTextField();
        
        private JButton bookButton = new JButton("Book");
        
        public BookingPanel(){
            this.setLayout(new GridBagLayout());
 
            nameField.setEditable(false);
            locationField.setEditable(false);
            specialtiesField.setEditable(false);
            sizeField.setEditable(false);
            rateField.setEditable(false);
            
            this.add(passwordLabel, new GridBagConstraintsHelper(0,0).setAnchor(GridBagConstraintsHelper.PAGE_START));
            //this.add(passwordField, new GridBagConstraintsHelper(1,0).setFill(GridBagConstraintsHelper.HORIZONTAL)
            //                                                    .setWeight(100, 0).setInserts(1));
            
            //this.add(dateLabel, new GridBagConstraintsHelper(0,1));
            //this.add(dateField, new GridBagConstraintsHelper(1,1).setFill(GridBagConstraintsHelper.HORIZONTAL)
            //                                                    .setWeight(100, 0).setInserts(1));
 
            //this.add(bookButton, new GridBagConstraintsHelper(1,2).setFill(GridBagConstraintsHelper.HORIZONTAL));
 
        }
    }

Originally posted by Paul Murphy:
...

Here's my problem...
...Within these two panels (search and book) my components are centred. However i would like the components to flow from the top of the panel. I'm using a GridBagLayout for these two panels(search and book) and i tried to use the setAnchor(GridBagConstraints.PAGE_START) method to align the components with no joy.

When asking questions about laying out compomenents, you may do well to give a much more detailed description of what you are trying to accomplish, that or post an image of what you want to create. Compilable and runnable code would also help quite a bit. We have to see it, either literally or figuratively, to understand it.

Good luck.

> GridBagLayout components are centered

generally indicates not setting gridBagConstraint's weightx/weighty.
(read the apidocs for detailed explanation)

do you really need to use a GridBagLayout?
perhaps a JSplitPane might be easier to give you the 1/3 & 2/3 split

Hi guys

I must apologise about the confusing post. I should probably just said that my problem was aligning components (JLabel, JTextField, JButton) in a panel which uses GridBagLayout.

Michael you were right about the GridBagConstraints weightx and weighty. That fixed the problem for me. But i've since changed the layout to a GroupLayout. Seems to be the more sensible option...at least till i meet another problem.

Many thanks for your help guys