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Using one button to change the color of multiple JPanels

So i have three panels that i have three different buttons for to change them each to their respective colors. I need to add a fourth button that will return all three panels to their original default light gray color. I add this "reset" button and it only changes the first panel back. What am i doing wrong?
import javax.swing.JFrame;
import javax.swing.JPanel;
import java.awt.BorderLayout;
import java.awt.GridLayout;
import java.awt.FlowLayout;
import java.awt.Color;
import javax.swing.JButton;
import java.awt.event.ActionListener;
import java.awt.event.ActionEvent;
public class PanelDemo extends JFrame implements ActionListener
{
public static final int WIDTH = 300;
public static final int HEIGHT = 200;
private JPanel redPanel;
private JPanel whitePanel;
private JPanel bluePanel;
public static void main(String[] args)
{
PanelDemo gui = new PanelDemo();
gui.setVisible(true);
}
public PanelDemo()
{
super("Panel Demonstration");
setSize(WIDTH, HEIGHT);
setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
setLayout(new BorderLayout());
JPanel biggerPanel = new JPanel();
biggerPanel.setLayout(new GridLayout(1, 3));
redPanel = new JPanel();
redPanel.setBackground(Color.LIGHT_GRAY);
biggerPanel.add(redPanel);
whitePanel = new JPanel();
whitePanel.setBackground(Color.LIGHT_GRAY);
biggerPanel.add(whitePanel);
bluePanel = new JPanel();
bluePanel.setBackground(Color.LIGHT_GRAY);
biggerPanel.add(bluePanel);
add(biggerPanel, BorderLayout.CENTER);
JPanel buttonPanel = new JPanel();
buttonPanel.setBackground(Color.LIGHT_GRAY);
buttonPanel.setLayout(new FlowLayout());
JButton redButton = new JButton("Red");
redButton.setBackground(Color.RED);
redButton.addActionListener(this);
buttonPanel.add(redButton);
JButton whiteButton = new JButton("White");
whiteButton.setBackground(Color.WHITE);
whiteButton.addActionListener(this);
buttonPanel.add(whiteButton);
JButton blueButton = new JButton("Blue");
blueButton.setBackground(Color.BLUE);
blueButton.addActionListener(this);
buttonPanel.add(blueButton);
JButton resetButton = new JButton("Reset");
resetButton.setBackground(Color.LIGHT_GRAY);
resetButton.addActionListener(this);
buttonPanel.add(resetButton);
add(buttonPanel, BorderLayout.SOUTH);
}
#Override
public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e)
{
String buttonString = e.getActionCommand();
if (buttonString.equals("Red"))
redPanel.setBackground(Color.RED);
else if (buttonString.equals("White"))
whitePanel.setBackground(Color.WHITE);
else if (buttonString.equals("Blue"))
bluePanel.setBackground(Color.BLUE);
else if (buttonString.equals("Reset"))
redPanel.setBackground(Color.LIGHT_GRAY);
else if (buttonString.equals("Reset"))
bluePanel.setBackground(Color.LIGHT_GRAY);
else if (buttonString.equals("Reset"))
whitePanel.setBackground(Color.LIGHT_GRAY);
else
System.out.println("Unexpected error.");
}
}

Here was your problem. You had if else's on each panel for the reset. Compare the code below to what you have. It was just a simple logic issue.
public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {
String buttonString = e.getActionCommand();
if (buttonString.equals("Red"))
redPanel.setBackground(Color.RED);
else if (buttonString.equals("White"))
whitePanel.setBackground(Color.WHITE);
else if (buttonString.equals("Blue"))
bluePanel.setBackground(Color.BLUE);
else if (buttonString.equals("Reset")) {
redPanel.setBackground(Color.LIGHT_GRAY);
bluePanel.setBackground(Color.LIGHT_GRAY);
whitePanel.setBackground(Color.LIGHT_GRAY);
}
else
System.out.println("Unexpected error.");
And a couple of suggestions.
Don't extend JFrame. Just use an instance of it. It's better technique.
Put the following as the last statement in your constructor. It will center the panel on your screen.
setLocationRelativeTo(null);
// or when using a frame instance.
frame.setLocationRelativeTo(null);

Can't get the buttons to be on the center right position

I'm trying to figure out how to position my buttons in the center right position. I added what Ive done so far and I'll add a drawing of how I want it to be.
I'm trying to understand how to determine the position I want in Swing, can't really understand the advantages of each layout.
My code so far:
package Game;
import java.awt.BorderLayout;
import java.awt.Color;
import java.awt.Container;
import java.awt.Dimension;
import java.awt.FlowLayout;
import java.awt.Font;
import java.awt.Graphics;
import java.awt.GridBagConstraints;
import java.awt.GridBagLayout;
import java.awt.GridLayout;
import java.awt.Image;
import java.awt.event.ActionEvent;
import java.awt.event.ActionListener;
import java.awt.image.BufferedImage;
import javax.swing.ImageIcon;
import javax.swing.JButton;
import javax.swing.JFrame;
import javax.swing.JLabel;
import javax.swing.JPanel;
import javax.swing.JToolBar;
import javax.swing.Timer;
public class MainWindow extends JFrame implements ActionListener {
private JButton exit;
private JButton start_Game;
private ImageIcon puzzleBackground;
// private JLabel back_Label;
// private GridBagConstraints grid = new GridBagConstraints();
private JPanel menu;
public MainWindow()
{
super("Welcome");
setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.DISPOSE_ON_CLOSE);
setSize(450,300);
setLocationRelativeTo(null);
this.setLayout(new FlowLayout(FlowLayout.RIGHT));
menu = new JPanel();
menu.setLayout(new BorderLayout());
//setResizable(false);
//===== Background =====
puzzleBackground = new ImageIcon("MyBackground.jpg");
setContentPane(new JLabel(puzzleBackground));
exit = new JButton("Exit");
menu.add(exit, BorderLayout.CENTER);
exit.addActionListener(this);
start_Game = new JButton("Start to play");
menu.add(start_Game, BorderLayout.SOUTH);
exit.addActionListener(this);
start_Game.addActionListener(this);
//
// back_Label = new JLabel(puzzleBackground);
// back_Label.setLayout(new BorderLayout());
//===== Buttons =====
// back_Label.add(exit,BorderLayout.CENTER);
//
// back_Label.add(start_Game,BorderLayout.EAST);
//
add(menu);
setVisible(true);
}
public static void main(String args[])
{
MainWindow a = new MainWindow();
}
#Override
public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {
if(e.getSource() == exit)
{
System.exit(0);
}
else
{
//open start up window.
}
}
}

A better way to add a BG image is to use a custom painted JPanel. Then set the layout of the panel and add other panels or components to it. Note that here the buttons are not appearing largely because they are being added to a JLabel.
Here is an alternative that works along the same lines, with the red panel being the panel which custom paints the background image and the menu panel being set to transparent (look for the opaque method).
import java.awt.*;
import java.awt.image.*;
import javax.swing.*;
import javax.swing.border.*;
public class MainWindow extends JFrame {
private JPanel menu;
private JPanel contentPane = new JPanel(new BorderLayout(4,4));
public MainWindow() {
super("Welcome");
setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.DISPOSE_ON_CLOSE);
//setSize(450, 300); // use pack() instead
setContentPane(contentPane);
contentPane.setBorder(new EmptyBorder(8,8,8,8));
contentPane.setBackground(Color.RED);
contentPane.add(new JLabel(new ImageIcon(
new BufferedImage(400,200,BufferedImage.TYPE_INT_RGB))));
menu = new JPanel(new GridLayout(0,1,10,10));
menu.add(new JButton("Exit"), BorderLayout.CENTER);
menu.add(new JButton("Start to play"), BorderLayout.SOUTH);
JPanel menuCenterPanel = new JPanel(new GridBagLayout());
menuCenterPanel.add(menu);
add(menuCenterPanel, BorderLayout.LINE_END);
pack();
setLocationRelativeTo(null); // do AFTER pack()
setMinimumSize(getSize());
setVisible(true);
}
public static void main(String args[]) {
MainWindow a = new MainWindow();
}
}

So, your basic problem boils down the following lines...
this.setLayout(new BorderLayout());
//...
//===== Background =====
puzzleBackground = new ImageIcon("MyBackground.jpg");
setContentPane(new JLabel(puzzleBackground));
Can you tell me what the layout manager in use actually is now? Wrong. The layout manager is now null, because JLabel doesn't actually have a default layout manager.
So, the "simple" answer would be to move the setLayout call to below the setContentPane call, but this would be a short sighted answer, as JLabel calculates it's preferred based on the icon and text properties only, not it's contents of child components.
A better solution would be to do something demonstrated in How to set a background picture in JPanel (see the second example)
This means that if the image is smaller then the required space, the components will disappear off the screen.
I went through and cleaned up the code slightly, only with the intention of getting the layout to work
import java.awt.BorderLayout;
import java.awt.Dimension;
import java.awt.GridBagConstraints;
import java.awt.GridBagLayout;
import java.awt.GridLayout;
import java.awt.event.ActionEvent;
import java.awt.event.ActionListener;
import javax.swing.ImageIcon;
import javax.swing.JButton;
import javax.swing.JFrame;
import javax.swing.JPanel;
public class MainWindow extends JFrame implements ActionListener {
private JButton exit;
private JButton start_Game;
private JPanel menu;
public MainWindow() {
super("Welcome");
setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.DISPOSE_ON_CLOSE);
setLocationRelativeTo(null);
this.setLayout(new BorderLayout());
menu = new JPanel();
menu.setLayout(new GridBagLayout());
exit = new JButton("Exit");
exit.addActionListener(this);
start_Game = new JButton("Start to play");
exit.addActionListener(this);
start_Game.addActionListener(this);
GridBagConstraints gbc = new GridBagConstraints();
gbc.weightx = 1;
gbc.fill = gbc.HORIZONTAL;
gbc.gridwidth = GridBagConstraints.REMAINDER;
menu.add(exit, gbc);
menu.add(start_Game, gbc);
// This is just a filler, it can be removed, but it helps prove the point
add(new JPanel() {
#Override
public Dimension getPreferredSize() {
return new Dimension(200, 200);
}
});
add(menu, BorderLayout.EAST);
pack();
setVisible(true);
}
public static void main(String args[]) {
MainWindow a = new MainWindow();
}
#Override
public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {
if (e.getSource() == exit) {
System.exit(0);
} else {
//open start up window.
}
}
}
I'd also like to point out that extending directly from JFrame is also short sighted, it's locking you into a single use container and you're not actually adding any new functionality to the class.
Example of better structure...
The following is a simple example of a possibly better structure. It's missing the concept of a "controller", which controls stuff and "model" which maintains the state information which is used by the UI to display "stuff", but gives a starting point
import java.awt.BorderLayout;
import java.awt.Dimension;
import java.awt.EventQueue;
import java.awt.GridBagConstraints;
import java.awt.GridBagLayout;
import java.awt.event.ActionEvent;
import java.awt.event.ActionListener;
import javax.swing.JButton;
import javax.swing.JFrame;
import javax.swing.JPanel;
import javax.swing.UIManager;
import javax.swing.UnsupportedLookAndFeelException;
public class Main {
public static void main(String args[]) {
new Main();
}
public Main() {
EventQueue.invokeLater(new Runnable() {
#Override
public void run() {
try {
UIManager.setLookAndFeel(UIManager.getSystemLookAndFeelClassName());
} catch (ClassNotFoundException | InstantiationException | IllegalAccessException | UnsupportedLookAndFeelException ex) {
ex.printStackTrace();
}
JFrame frame = new JFrame("Welcome");
frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
frame.add(new MainPane());
frame.pack();
frame.setLocationRelativeTo(null);
frame.setVisible(true);
}
});
}
public class MainPane extends JPanel {
public MainPane() {
setLayout(new BorderLayout());
// This is just a filler, it can be removed, but it helps prove the point
add(new JPanel() {
#Override
public Dimension getPreferredSize() {
return new Dimension(200, 200);
}
});
add(new MenuPane(), BorderLayout.EAST);
}
}
public class MenuPane extends JPanel {
private JButton exit;
private JButton start_Game;
private JPanel menu;
public MenuPane() {
menu = new JPanel();
menu.setLayout(new GridBagLayout());
ActionHandler actionHandler = new ActionHandler();
exit = new JButton("Exit");
exit.addActionListener(actionHandler);
start_Game = new JButton("Start to play");
start_Game.addActionListener(actionHandler);
GridBagConstraints gbc = new GridBagConstraints();
gbc.weightx = 1;
gbc.fill = gbc.HORIZONTAL;
gbc.gridwidth = GridBagConstraints.REMAINDER;
menu.add(exit, gbc);
menu.add(start_Game, gbc);
}
public class ActionHandler implements ActionListener {
#Override
public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {
if (e.getSource() == exit) {
System.exit(0);
} else {
//open start up window.
// This should be used to notifiy a controller class
// that some new action needs to take place, the controller
// is then responsible for making it happen
}
}
}
}
}

Doing UI in Java is not advised, but ignoring that.
You get (calculate) the height and width of the screen. Then start drawing buttons depending on that. Drawing a button on screens 50% of pixel value width and 50% of pixel value of height will center the button.
Simply crate buttons with variable location that is calculated from main screen px size and place them where ever you want.

Java Swing CardLayout multiple files

I am trying to get this code to work, such that I have a cardlayout container and each panel be defined in its own class and actual file. This code is not 100% my own and is a modified version of my previous stuff by another Stack overflow user. It is more or less what I need, but I need it such that it isn't automated and I can write 15 different panels with decisions made inside each one. The Main and Arrow class was modified by said user, and Imagepanel is my attempt to write a class that will be accepted by the working part of the code. The issue is the Imagepanel I insert into the container will register as existing, but nothing shows up on the panel, it's blank. The commented out portion in ImagePanel is my code that I set on the back burner in favor of the established stuff previously used in the Arrow class.
Here is the Main class
import java.awt.BorderLayout;
import java.awt.CardLayout;
import java.awt.Color;
import java.awt.Component;
import java.awt.Dimension;
import java.awt.Font;
import java.awt.GridBagLayout;
import java.awt.event.ActionEvent;
import java.awt.*;
import javax.swing.*;
public class Main extends JPanel {
private Arrow arrow = new Arrow(); //creates a new Arrow object
public Main() {
JPanel btnPanel = new JPanel();
btnPanel.add(new JButton(new NextAction("Next")));
setLayout(new BorderLayout());
add(arrow, BorderLayout.NORTH);
add(btnPanel, BorderLayout.PAGE_END);
}
private class NextAction extends AbstractAction {
public NextAction(String name) {
super(name);
}
#Override
public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {
arrow.next(); // *** call arrow's public next method that you created
// no need to make a new CardLayout instance
}
}
private static void createAndShowGui() {
Main mainPanel = new Main();
JFrame frame = new JFrame("Iowa Budget Simulation");
frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.DISPOSE_ON_CLOSE);
frame.getContentPane().add(mainPanel);
frame.pack();
frame.setLocationByPlatform(true);
frame.setVisible(true);
}
public static void main(String[] args) {
SwingUtilities.invokeLater(() -> createAndShowGui());
}
}
Here is the Arrow class where the container is created
import java.awt.BorderLayout;
import java.awt.CardLayout;
import java.awt.Color;
import java.awt.Dimension;
import java.awt.Font;
import java.awt.GridBagLayout;
import javax.swing.*;
class Arrow extends JPanel {
private static final long serialVersionUID = 1L;
private CardLayout cardLayout = new CardLayout(); // make me a field
private JPanel cardHolder = new JPanel(cardLayout); //creates a master JPanel
public Arrow() {
for (int i = 0; i < 5; i++) {
cardHolder.add(createCard(i), "card " + i);
}
ImagePanel pear = new ImagePanel();
cardHolder.add(pear, "Pear");
setLayout(new BorderLayout());
add(cardHolder, BorderLayout.NORTH);
}
// public method that other objects can call
public void next() {
cardLayout.next(cardHolder); // call next on the correct object
}
// simply creates a "pretty" new JPanel
private JComponent createCard(int i) {
JLabel label = new JLabel("Card " + i);
label.setFont(label.getFont().deriveFont(Font.BOLD, 50f));
float h = (float)Math.random();
Color c = Color.getHSBColor(h, 1f, 1f);
label.setForeground(c.darker());
JPanel panel = new JPanel(new GridBagLayout());
panel.add(label);
panel.setBorder(BorderFactory.createLineBorder(c.darker(), 20));
panel.setBackground(c.brighter().brighter());
panel.setPreferredSize(new Dimension(400, 300));
return panel;
}
Here is ImagePanel, my attempt at a 3rd, individual panel/class
import java.awt.BorderLayout;
import java.awt.CardLayout;
import java.awt.Color;
import java.awt.Dimension;
import java.awt.Font;
import java.awt.GridBagLayout;
import javax.swing.*;
class ImagePanel extends JPanel {
private static final long serialVersionUID = 1L;
private String imgString;
private JLabel imgLabel;
public JComponent ImagePanel() {
/*
setName("Pear");
JLabel john = new JLabel("Pear");
float h = (float)Math.random();
Color c = Color.getHSBColor(h, 1f, 1f);
john.setForeground(c.darker());
JPanel panel = new JPanel(new GridBagLayout());
panel.add(john);
panel.setBorder(BorderFactory.createLineBorder(c.darker(), 20));
panel.setBackground(c.brighter().brighter());
// Ensure size is correct even before any image is loaded.
setPreferredSize(new Dimension(400, 300));
return panel;
*/
JLabel label = new JLabel("Pear");
label.setFont(label.getFont().deriveFont(Font.BOLD, 50f));
float h = (float)Math.random();
Color c = Color.getHSBColor(h, 1f, 1f);
label.setForeground(c.darker());
JPanel panel = new JPanel(new GridBagLayout());
panel.add(label);
panel.setBorder(BorderFactory.createLineBorder(c.darker(), 20));
panel.setBackground(c.brighter().brighter());
panel.setPreferredSize(new Dimension(400, 300));
return panel;
}
There is no error to post, it simply displays a blank panel. Thank you for any assistance I might receive, and I apologize in advance as I am learning Java Swing GUI through YouTube and stack overflow.

public JComponent ImagePanel() { isn't a constructor, it's a method, to make it work in your code you would have to change ImagePanel pear = new ImagePanel(); to JComponent pear = new ImagePanel().ImagePanel();, but frankly that just doesn't make much sense.
Instead, change public JComponent ImagePanel() { to public ImagePanel() {, now it's the class's constructor
Next, change...
JPanel panel = new JPanel(new GridBagLayout());
panel.add(label);
panel.setBorder(BorderFactory.createLineBorder(c.darker(), 20));
panel.setBackground(c.brighter().brighter());
panel.setPreferredSize(new Dimension(400, 300));
return panel;
to
setLayout(new GridBagLayout());
add(label);
setBorder(BorderFactory.createLineBorder(c.darker(), 20));
setBackground(c.brighter().brighter());
//panel.setPreferredSize(new Dimension(400, 300));
//return panel;
Don't get me started on why setPreferredSize is a bad idea
Now you can simply use
ImagePanel pear = new ImagePanel();
cardHolder.add(pear, "Pear");

Can't add JPanel to BorderLayout.CENTER

I am just Starting out with JAVA.
I have say a JPanel x, a JPanel y and a BorderLayout JPanel z.
When I try to change the contents of the center of z from default x t y, it works but it doesn't go back to x. I AM calling revalidate() after each. Help please.
The class below is where the problem is.
Main Class Below
import java.awt.BorderLayout;
import java.awt.Color;
import java.awt.Dimension;
import java.awt.EventQueue;
import java.awt.FlowLayout;
import java.awt.Font;
import java.awt.LayoutManager;
import javax.swing.BorderFactory;
import javax.swing.BoxLayout;
import javax.swing.ImageIcon;
import javax.swing.JButton;
import javax.swing.JFrame;
import javax.swing.JLabel;
import javax.swing.JPanel;
import javax.swing.SwingConstants;
import javax.swing.border.Border;
import javax.swing.border.EmptyBorder;
import java.awt.Toolkit;
import java.awt.event.ActionEvent;
import java.awt.event.ActionListener;
#SuppressWarnings({ "serial", "unused" })
public class Manager extends JFrame {
private JPanel contentPane;
/**
* Launch the application.
*/
public static void main(String[] args) {
EventQueue.invokeLater(new Runnable() {
public void run() {
try {
Manager frame = new Manager();
frame.setVisible(true);
} catch (Exception e) {
e.printStackTrace();
}
}
});
}
public Manager() {
setTitle("Popper");
setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
Dimension screenSize = Toolkit.getDefaultToolkit().getScreenSize();
double width = screenSize.getWidth();
double height = screenSize.getHeight();
height = height/5.1;
setSize((int)width, (int)height);
setExtendedState(getExtendedState() | JFrame.MAXIMIZED_BOTH);
contentPane = new JPanel();
contentPane.setBorder(new EmptyBorder(0,0,0,0));
setContentPane(contentPane);
contentPane.setBackground(new Color(14,99,165));
contentPane.setLayout(new BorderLayout(0, 0));
ImageIcon image = new ImageIcon("D:/popper26.png");
setIconImage(image.getImage());
JPanel pane = new JPanel();
calcu cal = new calcu();
curr nup = new curr();
stopc newst = new stopc();
pane.setLayout(new FlowLayout(FlowLayout.CENTER));
JPanel mainpanel = new JPanel();
BorderLayout x =new BorderLayout(0,0);
mainpanel.setLayout(x);
mainpanel.setBackground(Color.WHITE);
JLabel madeby = new JLabel("Project By Anant Bhasin");
madeby.setHorizontalAlignment(SwingConstants.RIGHT);
mainpanel.add(madeby, BorderLayout.SOUTH);
JPanel logo = new JPanel();
logo.setLayout(new FlowLayout(FlowLayout.CENTER));
JLabel jk = new JLabel(new ImageIcon("D:/popper2.png"));
logo.add(jk, BorderLayout.NORTH);
logo.setBackground(Color.decode("#1abc9c"));
mainpanel.add(logo, BorderLayout.NORTH);
mainpanel.add(cal, BorderLayout.CENTER);
contentPane.add(mainpanel, BorderLayout.CENTER);
JPanel newj = new JPanel();
BoxLayout bxl = new BoxLayout(newj, BoxLayout.PAGE_AXIS);
newj.setLayout(bxl);
newj.setBackground(new Color(58,115,144));
contentPane.add(newj, BorderLayout.WEST);
Border emptyBorder = BorderFactory.createEmptyBorder();
JButton calc = new JButton(new ImageIcon("D:/calc.png"));
newj.add(calc);
calc.setBorder(emptyBorder);
calc.setFocusPainted(false);
calc.addActionListener(new ActionListener()
{
public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e)
{
mainpanel.add(BorderLayout.CENTER, cal);
mainpanel.revalidate();
}
});
JButton currb = new JButton(new ImageIcon("D:/curr.png"));
currb.setBorder(emptyBorder);
newj.add(currb);
currb.setFocusPainted(false);
currb.addActionListener(new ActionListener()
{
public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e)
{
mainpanel.add(BorderLayout.CENTER, nup);
mainpanel.revalidate();
}
});
JButton stop = new JButton(new ImageIcon("D:/stop.png"));
stop.setBorder(emptyBorder);
newj.add(stop);
stop.setFocusPainted(false);
stop.addActionListener(new ActionListener()
{
public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e)
{
mainpanel.add(BorderLayout.CENTER, newst);
mainpanel.revalidate();
}
});
JButton timer = new JButton(new ImageIcon("D:/timer.png"));
timer.setBorder(emptyBorder);
newj.add(timer);
timer.setFocusPainted(false);
JButton memo = new JButton(new ImageIcon("D:/memo.png"));
memo.setBorder(emptyBorder);
newj.add(memo);
memo.setFocusPainted(false);
}
}

A BorderLayout is not designed to display multiple components with the same constraint because of the way ZOrder painting works in Swing.
If you need the ability to swap panels, then you should be using a CardLayout.
A CardLayout lets you specify the name of the panel that you want to display. Read the section from the Swing tutorial on How to Use CardLayout for more information and working examples.
You set up the layout with code like:
JPanel main = new JPanel( new CardLayout() );
main.add(panelx, "X");
main.add(panely, "Y");
Then to swap a panel you use code like:
CardLayout cl = (CardLayout)(main.getLayout());
cl.show(main, "X");

Set JTextFields and JButtons position in CardLayout

This is a java template i found about Card Layout
import java.awt.*;
import java.awt.event.*;
import javax.swing.*;
public class Main {
private static final String CARD_JBUTTON = "Card JButton";
private static final String CARD_JTEXTFIELD = "Card JTextField";
private static final String CARD_JRADIOBUTTON = "Card JRadioButton";
private static void createAndShowGUI()
{
JFrame frame = new JFrame("Card Layout Test");
frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
frame.setLocationRelativeTo(null);
// This JPanel is the base for CardLayout for other JPanels.
final JPanel contentPane = new JPanel();
contentPane.setLayout(new CardLayout(200, 200));
/* Here we be making objects of the Window Series classes
* so that, each one of them can be added to the JPanel
* having CardLayout.
*/
Window1 win1 = new Window1();
contentPane.add(win1, CARD_JBUTTON);
Window2 win2 = new Window2();
contentPane.add(win2, CARD_JTEXTFIELD);
Window3 win3 = new Window3();
contentPane.add(win3, CARD_JRADIOBUTTON);
/* We need two JButtons to go to the next Card
* or come back to the previous Card, as and when
* desired by the User.
*/
JPanel buttonPanel = new JPanel();
final JButton previousButton = new JButton("PREVIOUS");
previousButton.setBackground(Color.BLACK);
previousButton.setForeground(Color.WHITE);
final JButton nextButton = new JButton("NEXT");
nextButton.setBackground(Color.RED);
nextButton.setForeground(Color.WHITE);
buttonPanel.add(previousButton);
buttonPanel.add(nextButton);
/* Adding the ActionListeners to the JButton,
* so that the user can see the next Card or
* come back to the previous Card, as desired.
*/
previousButton.addActionListener(new ActionListener()
{
public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent ae)
{
CardLayout cardLayout = (CardLayout) contentPane.getLayout();
cardLayout.previous(contentPane);
}
});
nextButton.addActionListener(new ActionListener()
{
public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent ae)
{
CardLayout cardLayout = (CardLayout) contentPane.getLayout();
cardLayout.next(contentPane);
}
});
// Adding the contentPane (JPanel) and buttonPanel to JFrame.
frame.add(contentPane, BorderLayout.CENTER);
frame.add(buttonPanel, BorderLayout.PAGE_END);
frame.pack();
frame.setVisible(true);
}
public static void main(String... args)
{
SwingUtilities.invokeLater(new Runnable()
{
public void run()
{
createAndShowGUI();
}
});
}
And this is my Window1.java
import java.awt.Color;
import java.awt.FlowLayout;
import java.awt.GridLayout;
import java.awt.event.ActionEvent;
import java.awt.event.ActionListener;
import javax.swing.BorderFactory;
import javax.swing.JButton;
import javax.swing.JOptionPane;
import javax.swing.JPanel;
import javax.swing.JTextField;
class Window1 extends JPanel
{
/*
* Here this is our first Card of CardLayout, which will
* be added to the contentPane object of JPanel, which
* has the LayoutManager set to CardLayout.
* This card consists of Two JButtons.
*/
private ActionListener action;
public Window1()
{
init();
}
private void init()
{
final JButton clickButton = new JButton("Click ME");
final JButton dontClickButton = new JButton("DON\'T CLICK ME");
final JTextField title = new JTextField(12);
action = new ActionListener()
{
public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent ae)
{
if (ae.getSource() == clickButton)
{
String myString = title.getText();
System.out.println(myString);
}
else if (ae.getSource() == dontClickButton)
{
JOptionPane.showMessageDialog(null, "I told you not to click me!"
, "Wrong Button", JOptionPane.PLAIN_MESSAGE);
}
}
};
clickButton.addActionListener(action);
dontClickButton.addActionListener(action);
add(clickButton);
add(dontClickButton);
add(title);
}
}
Now my problem is that how do i set the position of the textfields and buttons in Window1?
With this code they are set in the center of the view aligned horizontally.
I tried to use title.setLocation(5,5); but it's not working. Any suggestions?

Now my problem is that how do i set the position of the textfields and buttons in Window1?
Rows like Jlabel - JTextField then new row ,and in the end of the page the button
The thing is you're not using any layout managers. The default layout manager for JPanel is FlowLayout, which will do exactly what you're experiencing (horizontal layout of the components).
Getting vertical alignment could be achieved by using different layout managers. You could use a GridBagLayout for all the component, or a GridLayout, or you could nest JPanel with different layout managers. The possibilities are endless. It just comes down to the exact look you want.
See Laying out Components Within a Container to learn how to use different layout managers. I'll give you an example, but don't let it stop you from looking at the tutorials. You need to learn them.
Also besides just positioning of the components layout managers use dynamic sizing either by respecting the preferred of components are not respecting them. You can see a picture in this answer of some of the layout managers that do and don't respect preferred sizes.
import java.awt.FlowLayout;
import java.awt.GridBagLayout;
import java.awt.GridLayout;
import javax.swing.JButton;
import javax.swing.JFrame;
import javax.swing.JLabel;
import javax.swing.JPanel;
import javax.swing.JRadioButton;
import javax.swing.JTextField;
import javax.swing.SwingUtilities;
public class LayoutManagers extends JPanel{
public LayoutManagers() {
JLabel label = new JLabel("Text Field");
JTextField textField = new JTextField(20);
JRadioButton rb1 = new JRadioButton("Radio 1");
JRadioButton rb2 = new JRadioButton("Radio 2");
JButton button = new JButton("Button");
JPanel panel1 = new JPanel();
panel1.add(label);
panel1.add(textField);
JPanel panel2 = new JPanel();
panel2.add(rb1);
panel2.add(rb2);
JPanel panel3 = new JPanel(new FlowLayout(FlowLayout.TRAILING));
panel3.add(button);
JPanel panel4 = new JPanel(new GridLayout(3, 1));
panel4.add(panel1);
panel4.add(panel2);
panel4.add(panel3);
setLayout(new GridBagLayout());
add(panel4);
}
public static void main(String[] args) {
SwingUtilities.invokeLater(new Runnable(){
public void run() {
JFrame frame = new JFrame();
frame.add(new LayoutManagers());
frame.pack();
frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
frame.setLocationByPlatform(true);
frame.setVisible(true);
}
});
}
}