GroupLayout not working in a JPanel

[Samuel Woodhams]

hi JavaRanch

i've recently been playing around my project to try to get a nicer GUI on it, however i've hit a stumbelling point! He's the main class from my project.

import java.awt.event.*;
import javax.swing.*;
import javax.swing.border.*;
import javax.swing.text.*;
import static javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.*;

class Main {
	//JMenu with a couple of functions!
	public static JMenuBar menuComponents(){
		@SuppressWarnings("serial")
		class ExitAction extends AbstractAction {
       		public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent arg0) {
       			System.exit(0);
       		}
       	} 
 	       	@SuppressWarnings("serial")
			class AboutAction extends AbstractAction {
       		public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent arg0) {
       			JOptionPane.showMessageDialog(null, 
       				"Hacking Utility\n"
       				+ "Version: 1.0RC1\n"
       				+ "Created by: Rc0n\n"
       				+ "\"Mess with best, Die like the rest\""
       				, "Utility Infomation", JOptionPane.PLAIN_MESSAGE);			
       		}
       	} 
 	    JMenu file = new JMenu("File");
       	JMenu help = new JMenu("Help");
       	Action exit = new ExitAction();
       	Action about = new AboutAction();
       	exit.putValue(Action.NAME, "Exit");
       	about.putValue(Action.NAME, "About");
       	file.add(exit);
       	help.add(about);
       	JMenuBar mb = new JMenuBar();
       	mb.add(file);
       	mb.add(help);
       	
       	return mb;
	}		
	//random Password tool!
	public static JPanel randomGenaraterTool(){
		JTextField textfield, textfield1;
		JComboBox charset;
		JButton button, copybutton;
		JLabel label, label1, label2;
		AbstractDocument doc;
		String[] charlist = { "(None)", "Numeric (0-9)", "Alphabetic (a-z)", "Alphabetic (A-Z)"
							, "Alphabetic (a-z,A-Z)", "Alphanumeric (0-9,a-z,A-Z)"
							, "Alphanumeric (Lowercase)(0-9,a-z)", "ASCII" };
		
		textfield = new JTextField(20);
		textfield.setEditable(false);
		textfield.setBorder(BorderFactory.createEtchedBorder());
    
		textfield1 = new JTextField(10);
		textfield1.setBorder(BorderFactory.createEtchedBorder());
		Document styledDoc = (textfield1).getDocument();
		if (styledDoc instanceof AbstractDocument) {
			doc = (AbstractDocument)styledDoc;
			doc.setDocumentFilter(new inputlimiter());
		} 
    
		charset = new JComboBox(charlist);
		charset.setBorder(BorderFactory.createEtchedBorder());
    
		button = new JButton("Genarate");
		copybutton = new JButton("Copy");
    
		charset.addActionListener
			(new charselect(charset));
		button.addActionListener
			(new Genarate(textfield, textfield1));
		copybutton.addActionListener
			(new Copy(textfield));
    
		label = new JLabel("Genarated Password:");
		label1 = new JLabel("Password Length:");
		label2 = new JLabel("Character Set:");
		
		int prefsize = GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE;
        int defsize = GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE;
        Border paneEdge = BorderFactory.createEtchedBorder();
        JPanel passgen = new JPanel();
        
        passgen.setBorder(paneEdge);
        GroupLayout layout = new GroupLayout(passgen);
        passgen.setLayout(layout);
        
        layout.linkSize(SwingConstants.HORIZONTAL, textfield, textfield1, charset);
        layout.linkSize(SwingConstants.VERTICAL, textfield, textfield1, charset);
        layout.linkSize(SwingConstants.HORIZONTAL, button, copybutton);             
        
        layout.setHorizontalGroup(layout.createSequentialGroup()
        	.addGroup(layout.createParallelGroup(LEADING)
                .addComponent(label2, prefsize, defsize, prefsize)
                .addComponent(label1, prefsize, defsize, prefsize)
                .addComponent(label, prefsize, defsize, prefsize))
            .addGap(10)
            .addGroup(layout.createParallelGroup(LEADING)
                .addComponent(charset, prefsize, defsize, prefsize)
                .addComponent(textfield1, prefsize, defsize, prefsize)
                .addComponent(textfield, prefsize, defsize, prefsize)
                .addGroup(layout.createSequentialGroup()
                		.addGap(28)
                		.addGroup(layout.createParallelGroup(LEADING)
                            .addComponent(button, prefsize, defsize, prefsize))
                        .addGroup(layout.createParallelGroup(LEADING)
                            .addComponent(copybutton, prefsize, defsize, prefsize))))
        );
        
        layout.setVerticalGroup(layout.createSequentialGroup()
            .addGroup(layout.createParallelGroup(LEADING)
            	.addComponent(label2, prefsize, defsize, prefsize)
            	.addComponent(charset, prefsize, defsize, prefsize))
            .addGroup(layout.createParallelGroup(LEADING)
                .addComponent(label1, prefsize, defsize, prefsize)
                .addComponent(textfield1, prefsize, defsize, prefsize))
            .addGroup(layout.createParallelGroup(LEADING)
                .addComponent(label, prefsize, defsize, prefsize)
                .addComponent(textfield, prefsize, defsize, prefsize))
            .addGroup(layout.createParallelGroup(BASELINE)
                .addComponent(button, prefsize, defsize, prefsize)
                .addComponent(copybutton, prefsize, defsize, prefsize))
        );
	return passgen;
	}
	/*in theory allows multiple JPanels to be added to one JPanel! i am planning to use this to
    to add multiple tools to one page - but have individual borders round each tool!*/
	public static JPanel masterComponent(){
		JPanel masterPanel = new JPanel();
		GroupLayout layout = new GroupLayout(masterPanel);
        masterPanel.setLayout(layout);
		
        int prefsize = GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE;
        int defsize = GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE;
        //i think the error comes from here, when i try to add the JPanel component, from another method!
        layout.setHorizontalGroup(layout.createSequentialGroup()
            	.addGroup(layout.createParallelGroup(LEADING)
                    .addComponent(randomGenaraterTool(), prefsize, defsize, prefsize))
        );
                    
        layout.setVerticalGroup(layout.createSequentialGroup()
        		.addGroup(layout.createParallelGroup(LEADING)
        				.addComponent(randomGenaraterTool(), prefsize, defsize, prefsize))
        );
		return masterPanel;
	}
	
	private static void createAndShowGUI() {
        JFrame frame = new JFrame("Hacking Utility");
       	frame.setJMenuBar(menuComponents());
    	frame.add(masterComponent());
       	frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
        frame.setSize(600,400);
        frame.setVisible(true);
    	}       
    public static void main(String[] args) {
    	SwingUtilities.invokeLater(new Runnable() {
    		public void run() {
              	createAndShowGUI();
            }
        });
    }
} 

i think the error comes from adding the JPanel component from another method, but eclipse doesn't see the error and it only appears when i run the compiler!
so my question is any idea why its doing this?

thanks in advance

sam

[Rob Spoor]

What compiler are you using? Most importantly, the version. Perhaps your Eclipse is using Java 6 and your command line is still Java 1.4.

Never mind, I just tried compiling the class myself, and got these errors:

D:\Main.java:61: cannot find symbol
symbol  : class inputlimiter
location: class Main
            doc.setDocumentFilter(new inputlimiter());
                                      ^
D:\Main.java:71: cannot find symbol
symbol  : class charselect
location: class Main
            (new charselect(charset));
                 ^
D:\Main.java:73: cannot find symbol
symbol  : class Genarate
location: class Main
            (new Genarate(textfield, textfield1));
                 ^
D:\Main.java:75: cannot find symbol
symbol  : class Copy
location: class Main
            (new Copy(textfield));
                 ^
4 errors

Where are these classes located?

[Campbell Ritchie]

Eclipse? That code looks more like something out of NetBeans

[Samuel Woodhams]

Campbell your right it looks exactually like the code that netbeans's uses when you use the GUI tool! however i wrote the code manually - yes i know there are better layout managers but i like how the grouplayout one works ! Rob im compiling from inside Eclipse and i checked and it is using java 1.6 so i don't think its that! Big sorry however i should have pointed out that the main class wasn't compileable as it is - it uses some external classes - so here is a version that gives me the same error but only need the main class file to compile!

import javax.swing.*;
import javax.swing.border.*;
import static javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.*;

class Main {
	//random Password tool!
	public static JPanel randomGenaraterTool(){
		JTextField textfield;
		JLabel label;

		textfield = new JTextField(20);
		textfield.setEditable(false);
		textfield.setBorder(BorderFactory.createEtchedBorder());
    
		label = new JLabel("Genarated Password:");
		
		int prefsize = GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE;
        int defsize = GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE;
        Border paneEdge = BorderFactory.createEtchedBorder();
        JPanel passgen = new JPanel();
        
        passgen.setBorder(paneEdge);
        GroupLayout layout = new GroupLayout(passgen);
        passgen.setLayout(layout);
        
        layout.linkSize(SwingConstants.HORIZONTAL, textfield);
        layout.linkSize(SwingConstants.VERTICAL, textfield);            
        
        layout.setHorizontalGroup(layout.createSequentialGroup()
        	.addGroup(layout.createParallelGroup(LEADING)
                .addComponent(label, prefsize, defsize, prefsize))
            .addGap(10)
            .addGroup(layout.createParallelGroup(LEADING)
                .addComponent(textfield, prefsize, defsize, prefsize)
                .addGroup(layout.createSequentialGroup()))
        );
        
        layout.setVerticalGroup(layout.createSequentialGroup()
            .addGroup(layout.createParallelGroup(LEADING)
                .addComponent(label, prefsize, defsize, prefsize)
                .addComponent(textfield, prefsize, defsize, prefsize))
        );
	return passgen;
	}
	/*in theory allows multiple JPanels to be added to one JPanel! i am planning to use this to
    to add multiple tools to one page - but have individual borders round each tool!*/
	public static JPanel masterComponent(){
		JPanel masterPanel = new JPanel();
		GroupLayout layout = new GroupLayout(masterPanel);
        masterPanel.setLayout(layout);
		
        int prefsize = GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE;
        int defsize = GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE;
        //i think the error comes from here, when i try to add the JPanel component, from another method!
        layout.setHorizontalGroup(layout.createSequentialGroup()
            	.addGroup(layout.createParallelGroup(LEADING)
                    .addComponent(randomGenaraterTool(), prefsize, defsize, prefsize))
        );
                    
        layout.setVerticalGroup(layout.createSequentialGroup()
        		.addGroup(layout.createParallelGroup(LEADING)
        				.addComponent(randomGenaraterTool(), prefsize, defsize, prefsize))
        );
		return masterPanel;
	}
	
	private static void createAndShowGUI() {
        JFrame frame = new JFrame("Hacking Utility");
    	frame.add(masterComponent());
       	frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
        frame.setSize(600,400);
        frame.setVisible(true);
    	}       
    public static void main(String[] args) {
    	SwingUtilities.invokeLater(new Runnable() {
    		public void run() {
              	createAndShowGUI();
            }
        });
    }
} 

and just out of intrest i'll give you the errors the compiler is giving me!

Exception in thread "AWT-EventQueue-0" java.lang.IllegalStateException: 
javax.swing.JPanel[,0,0,0x0,invalid,layout=javax.swing.GroupLayout,alignmentX=0.0,alignmentY=0.0,border=
javax.swing.border.EtchedBorder@32fb4f,flags=9,maximumSize=,minimumSize=,preferredSize=] is not attached to a vertical group
	at javax.swing.GroupLayout.checkComponents(Unknown Source)
	at javax.swing.GroupLayout.prepare(Unknown Source)
	at javax.swing.GroupLayout.layoutContainer(Unknown Source)
	at java.awt.Container.layout(Unknown Source)
	at java.awt.Container.doLayout(Unknown Source)
	at java.awt.Container.validateTree(Unknown Source)
	at java.awt.Container.validateTree(Unknown Source)
	at java.awt.Container.validateTree(Unknown Source)
	at java.awt.Container.validateTree(Unknown Source)
	at java.awt.Container.validateTree(Unknown Source)
	at java.awt.Container.validate(Unknown Source)
	at java.awt.Window.show(Unknown Source)
	at java.awt.Component.show(Unknown Source)
	at java.awt.Component.setVisible(Unknown Source)
	at java.awt.Window.setVisible(Unknown Source)
	at Main.createAndShowGUI(Main.java:72)
	at Main.access$0(Main.java:67)
	at Main$1.run(Main.java:77)
	at java.awt.event.InvocationEvent.dispatch(Unknown Source)
	at java.awt.EventQueue.dispatchEvent(Unknown Source)
	at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpOneEventForFilters(Unknown Source)
	at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEventsForFilter(Unknown Source)
	at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEventsForHierarchy(Unknown Source)
	at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEvents(Unknown Source)
	at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEvents(Unknown Source)
	at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.run(Unknown Source)
Exception in thread "AWT-EventQueue-0" java.lang.IllegalStateException: 
javax.swing.JPanel[,0,0,0x0,invalid,layout=javax.swing.GroupLayout,alignmentX=0.0,alignmentY=0.0,border=
javax.swing.border.EtchedBorder@32fb4f,flags=9,maximumSize=,minimumSize=,preferredSize=] is not attached to a vertical group
	at javax.swing.GroupLayout.checkComponents(Unknown Source)
	at javax.swing.GroupLayout.prepare(Unknown Source)
	at javax.swing.GroupLayout.layoutContainer(Unknown Source)
	at java.awt.Container.layout(Unknown Source)
	at java.awt.Container.doLayout(Unknown Source)
	at java.awt.Container.validateTree(Unknown Source)
	at java.awt.Container.validateTree(Unknown Source)
	at java.awt.Container.validateTree(Unknown Source)
	at java.awt.Container.validateTree(Unknown Source)
	at java.awt.Container.validateTree(Unknown Source)
	at java.awt.Container.validate(Unknown Source)
	at java.awt.Window.dispatchEventImpl(Unknown Source)
	at java.awt.Component.dispatchEvent(Unknown Source)
	at java.awt.EventQueue.dispatchEvent(Unknown Source)
	at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpOneEventForFilters(Unknown Source)
	at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEventsForFilter(Unknown Source)
	at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEventsForHierarchy(Unknown Source)
	at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEvents(Unknown Source)
	at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEvents(Unknown Source)
	at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.run(Unknown Source)

i hope that this will help!

thanks in advance

sam

[Samuel Woodhams]

sorry for the double post but does anyone have an idea on how to fix this?

thanks in advance

sam

[Samuel Woodhams]

ok i think people have dropped this thread, so if no-one replys i'll start a new topic!

i've found a workaround however im not sure why it would make it work, as far as i can work out it has the same effect as the version of the code above!

all i've done is moved the first JPanel to a static object and the whole code worked

import javax.swing.*;
import javax.swing.border.*;
import static javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.*;

class MainTESTENVIROMENT {
	
	static JPanel passgen = new JPanel();

	public static JPanel randomGenaraterTool(){
		JTextField textfield;
		JLabel label;

		textfield = new JTextField(20);
		textfield.setEditable(false);
		textfield.setBorder(BorderFactory.createEtchedBorder());
    
		label = new JLabel("Genarated Password:");

        Border paneEdge = BorderFactory.createEtchedBorder();
        
        passgen.setBorder(paneEdge);
        GroupLayout layout = new GroupLayout(passgen);
        passgen.setLayout(layout);
        
        layout.linkSize(SwingConstants.HORIZONTAL, textfield);
        layout.linkSize(SwingConstants.VERTICAL, textfield);            
        
        layout.setHorizontalGroup(layout.createSequentialGroup()
        	.addGroup(layout.createParallelGroup(LEADING)
                .addComponent(label))
            .addGroup(layout.createParallelGroup(LEADING)
                .addComponent(textfield))
        );
        
        layout.setVerticalGroup(layout.createSequentialGroup()
            .addGroup(layout.createParallelGroup(LEADING)
                .addComponent(label)
                .addComponent(textfield))
        );
	return passgen;
	}
	
	public static JPanel masterComponent(){
		JPanel masterPanel = new JPanel();
		GroupLayout layout = new GroupLayout(masterPanel);
		masterPanel.setLayout(layout);

        layout.setHorizontalGroup(layout.createSequentialGroup()
            	.addGroup(layout.createParallelGroup(LEADING)
                    .addComponent(randomGenaraterTool()))
        );
                    
        layout.setVerticalGroup(layout.createSequentialGroup()
        		.addGroup(layout.createParallelGroup(LEADING)
        				.addComponent(randomGenaraterTool()))
        );
		return masterPanel;
	}
	
	private static void createAndShowGUI() {
        JFrame frame = new JFrame("Hacking Utility");
        frame.setContentPane(masterComponent());
       	frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
        frame.setSize(600,400);
        frame.setVisible(true);
    	}       
    public static void main(String[] args) {
    	SwingUtilities.invokeLater(new Runnable() {
    		public void run() {
              	createAndShowGUI();
            }
        });
    }
} 

please help me work this out!

thanks in advance

sam