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JPanel button is not at the correct place

i made a custom JFrame for the desktop application and i added a JPanel on the very top of the app to serve as a subtitute of the title box. the problem is when i added a button it located right in the middle of the JPanel instead of the usual left top. AND it would not move even if i set it at a different location.
here is the code:
JFrame f = new JFrame("Hello");
f.setResizable(true);
JPanel pa = new JPanel();
JButton btn = new JButton("Exit");
btn.setBackground(Color.white);
btn.setText("Button");
btn.setSize(300, 80);
btn.setLocation(50, 0);
pa.setBackground(Color.red);
pa.setPreferredSize(new Dimension(width,60));
pa.add(btn);
f.setBackground(Color.white);
f.setUndecorated(true);
f.getContentPane().add(pa, BorderLayout.NORTH);
f.setSize(new Dimension(width,height));
f.setLocation(200, 200);
f.setVisible(true);

You use a BorderLayout in the frame. You can do the same thing in the panel.
pa.setLayout(new BorderLayout());
pa.add(btn, BorderLayout.WEST);
In general, setLocation tends to fight against the layout manager, so you usually don't want to use it unless you're going to position everything by hand.

that is one way to do it, but BorderLayout way is not very good way because i also want to add another button next to it.
Then what this might need is a FlowLayout using FlowLayout.LEADING as the alignment.
But as general tips:
Provide ASCII art or a simple drawing of the intended layout of the GUI (showing all components) at minimum size, and if resizable, with more width and height - to show how the extra space should be used.
For better help sooner, post a
Minimal, Complete, and Verifiable example or Short, Self Contained, Correct Example of your attempt.

Using GridLayout - how to set JPanel size?

I'm using GridLayout and all my panels have the same size, how can I change their size?
I tried all functions getPreferred/Minimum/MaximumSize which makes that, and nothing.
I still want to stay with GridLayout
Any suggestions?

By its very nature, all components held by a GridLayout will have the same size. If you want them to be different sizes,
You can use a different layout, such as a GridBagLayout or MigLayout or
Use the GridLayout to hold same-sized JPanels that act as containers for other components. The inner components of course can be different sizes. For example: a chess board that holds its chess cells in a GridLayout, but that allows each cell to hold a chess piece that has varying sizes.
If this doesn't answer your question, then please clarify your question.

So I managed to split all the part above to my first JPanel which located to NORTH.
Then, the JPanel with the button I did the same to be located SOUTH.
So the scrolled JLabel in now located in the CENTER which allows him to be flexible.
JPanel mainPanel1 = new JPanel(new GridLayout(6,1));
mainPanel1.add(titleLabel);
mainPanel1.add(participantPanel);
mainPanel1.add(swimPanel);
mainPanel1.add(ridePanel);
mainPanel1.add(runPanel);
mainPanel1.add(categoriesPanel);
JPanel mainPanel2 = new JPanel(new GridLayout(1,1));
mainPanel2.add(listPanel);
JPanel mainPanel3 = new JPanel(new GridLayout(1,1));
mainPanel3.add(buttonsPanel);
this.getContentPane().add(mainPanel1, BorderLayout.NORTH);
this.getContentPane().add(mainPanel2, BorderLayout.CENTER);
this.getContentPane().add(mainPanel3, BorderLayout.SOUTH);

Leave small space between buttons when using GridLayout

I am trying to create a toolbar that will go at the top of all the pages in my java swing application.
I am creating a JPanel with a series of individual JPanels (containers) inside it. Each JPanel (container) has a north and south component or just a north component, set up using a GridLayout.
My problem is, I want a small gap between the north and south component, but I can't see how to do it and have not been able to find any help on the internet.
Below is a working example for the code for one of the containers:
public static void CustomersGui(){
final JFrame frame = new JFrame("Nested Layout Example");
frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
JPanel container1 = new JPanel();
container1.setLayout(new GridLayout(2,1));
JButton buttonDiary = new JButton("Diary");
buttonDiary.setPreferredSize(new Dimension(140, 25));
JButton buttonCars = new JButton("Cars");
buttonCars.setPreferredSize(new Dimension(140, 25));
container1.add(buttonDiary, BorderLayout.NORTH);
container1.add(buttonCars, BorderLayout.SOUTH);
frame.setContentPane(container1);
frame.pack();
frame.setVisible(true);
}

I am trying to create a toolbar that will go at the top of all the pages in my java swing application.
Why don't just use JToolBar? See How to use Tool Bars
I am creating a JPanel with a series of individual JPanels (containers) inside it. Each JPanel (container) has a north and south
component or just a north component, set up using a GridBagLayout.
Based on your code none of these statements is true: you are adding buttons (not panels) and you are using GridLayout not GridBagLayout:
JPanel container1 = new JPanel();
container1.setLayout(new GridLayout(2,1)); // GridLayout
JButton buttonDiary = new JButton("Diary"); // button here
buttonDiary.setPreferredSize(new Dimension(140, 25));
JButton buttonCars = new JButton("Cars"); // another button here
Besides you are using BorderLayout constraints that will be totally ignored by either GridLayout or GridBagLayout:
container1.add(buttonDiary, BorderLayout.NORTH);
container1.add(buttonCars, BorderLayout.SOUTH);
You should have a look to the whole Laying Out Components Within a Container lesson to learn about layout managers and how do all of them work.
In addition
As wisely pointed out by #nIcEcOw, since Java 1.4 BorderLayout the use of new constants is highly encouraged:
PAGE_START
PAGE_END
LINE_START
LINE_END
CENTER
From How to Use BorderLayout tutorial (bold text mine):
Before JDK release 1.4, the preferred names for the various areas were
different, ranging from points of the compass (for example,
BorderLayout.NORTH for the top area) to wordier versions of the
constants we use in our examples. The constants our examples use are
preferred because they are standard and enable programs to adjust to
languages that have different orientations.
Update
Well now that your question has been edited to say that you actually use GridLayout it's easy to answer by saying that you can specify horizontal and vertical gaps between components either by using class' constructor: or setHgap() and setVgap() methods:
JPanel container1 = new JPanel(new GridLayout(2, 1, 8, 8));
// Or
GridLayout gridLayout = new GridLayout();
gridLayout.setRows(2);
gridLayout.setColumns(1);
gridLayout.setHgap(8);
gridLayout.setVgap(8);
JPanel container1 = new JPanel(gridLayout);
Don't forget to remove BorderLayout constraints when you add buttons to container1 panel, because those will be ignored:
container1.add(buttonDiary);
container1.add(buttonCars);
You might want to take a look to this topic as well: Providing white space in a Swing GUI

JPanel inside a JPanel

I have a problem because I want to put a small JPanel inside a different JPanel, but I can't get the small JPanel to show.
What am I missing?
this.setLayout(new BorderLayout(5,5));
this.cardsPanel= new JPanel();
this.cardsPanel.setBackground(Color.DARK_GRAY);
this.cardsPanel.setLayout(new FlowLayout (FlowLayout.CENTER,3,10));
this.cardsPanel2= new JPanel();
this.cardsPanel2.setBackground(Color.DARK_GRAY);
this.cardsPanel2.setLayout(new FlowLayout (FlowLayout.CENTER,3,10));
this.tablePanel=new JPanel();
this.tablePanel.setBackground(Color.PINK);
this.tablePanel.setLayout(new FlowLayout (FlowLayout.CENTER,5,5));
this.tablePanel1=new JPanel();
this.tablePanel1.setBackground(Color.ORANGE);
this.tablePanel1.setPreferredSize(new Dimension(100,100));
// this.tablePanel1.setLayout(null);
this.tablePanel1.add(tablePanel);
this.add(cardsPanel, BorderLayout.SOUTH);
this.add(cardsPanel2, BorderLayout.NORTH);
this.add(tablePanel,BorderLayout.CENTER);

Using that code:
Neither cardsPanel1 nor cardsPanel2 (dark gray) have any components (or therefore) any size. At 0x0 pixels size, they are invisible even when added to another container (unless the layout stretches them).
tablePanel (pink) should be visible so long as this is assigned enough space in whatever layout it is added to.
tablePanel1 (orange) should not be visible as it is never added to anything.
But as mentioned, for better help sooner, post an MCVE (Minimal Complete and Verifiable Example).

this.validate(); your root panel after adding new content.

Java GUI Layouts

Could somebody tell me which java layout I need to use to achieve the layout below:
I am currently playing out with the FlowLayout however I can’t get the entry fields to line up beside the output window:
Apologies if this is a simple question this is my first time using java. Here is my frame code:
private void makeFrame()
{
setLayout(new FlowLayout(0));
JPanel panel1 = new JPanel();
JPanel panel2 = new JPanel();
JPanel panel3 = new JPanel();
JPanel panel4 = new JPanel();
JPanel panel5 = new JPanel();
JPanel panel6 = new JPanel();
JPanel panel7 = new JPanel();
panel1.setLayout(new FlowLayout(0));
panel2.setLayout(new FlowLayout(0));
panel3.setLayout(new FlowLayout(0));
panel4.setLayout(new FlowLayout(0));
panel5.setLayout(new FlowLayout(0));
panel6.setLayout(new FlowLayout(0));
panel7.setLayout(new FlowLayout(0));
JLabel firstnameJLabel = new JLabel("First Name");
JLabel lastnameJLabel = new JLabel("Last Name");
JLabel streetJLabel = new JLabel("Street");
JLabel townJLabel = new JLabel("Town");
JLabel postcodeJLabel = new JLabel("Post Code");
panel1.add(listAllBtn);
panel1.add(listPersonalBtn);
panel1.add(listBusinessBtn);
panel1.add(addPersonalBtn);
panel1.add(addBusinessBtn);
panel1.add(deleteBtn);
panel1.add(findBtn);
panel1.add(quitBtn);
panel2.add(firstnameJLabel);
panel2.add(this.firstNameField);
panel2.add(this.bookScrollPane);
this.outputArea.setEditable(false);
panel3.add(lastnameJLabel);
panel3.add(this.lastNameField);
panel4.add(streetJLabel);
panel4.add(this.streetField);
panel5.add(townJLabel);
panel5.add(this.townField);
panel6.add(postcodeJLabel);
panel6.add(this.postcodeField);
panel7.add(enterBtn);
add(panel1);
add(panel2);
add(panel3);
add(panel4);
add(panel5);
add(panel6);
add(panel7);
enterBtn.addActionListener(this);
}

Use multiple nested layout managers
The example looks like a top-level BorderLayout with scroll pane in the CENTER location, a row of buttons (using FlowLayout) in the NORTH location and a GridLayout for the text fields in the WEST location. The latter could be improved by using a GroupLayout, which allows rows and columns to be sized individually but is somewhat complex to use.
There's a great tutorial on using layout managers (unfortunately it seems to have disappeared from Oracle's servers and the link points to a probably transient copy).

Been a while since I worked with Swing, but it looks like the architecture is something like this:
You have a panel in the bottom which is BorderLayout
Inside that, you add a total of 4 new panels, NORTH, WEST, CENTER and EAST
in BorderLayout.NORTH you add a panel which have FlowLayout.LEFT
in BorderLayout.WEST you add a panel which have GroupLayout.YAXIS. this panel contains the labels for names etc and the ENTER button
in BorderLayout.CENTER you add the textfields that corresponds with the labels
in BorderLayout.EAST you add the JSCrollpane.
This might give you an idea and you can play around with these different panels to achive what you want

I would just use MigLayout for the high level page layout, and then dropdown to the simple layout managers for the . It's essentially a grid layout, but it's very easy to use. Miglayout cannot wrap items though, and this is apparently a design issue in Swing. WrapLayout is a layout manager that gives you that functionality, but it can have issues.
http://tips4java.wordpress.com/2008/11/06/wrap-layout/
Looking at the screen shot you've provided I've mocked up the way you would want to divide it up. You'd have 9 rows total (0-8) and 3 columns total (0-2). For stuff like the controls at the very top, you will "span" them across all three columns.
For the text, you just put the text inside of it's individual box in row 1, column 1 for First Name, or row 2, column 1 for Last Name, etc.
You do the same thing with the input boxes.
In the picture below the blue are the columns and the orange are the rows.
So to summarize;
Use Miglayout for your high level layout. It's like using a table in HTML.
Use other layout managers to layout the items inside of the grid boxes that Miglayout provides.

The best choise is using Gridbag layout as you have a bit complex UI and GridBag layout provides all the support you needed to achive the exact UI.You will have to use a parent panel and then the child panels in it.Each panel you will have to add seperate GridBag layouts.You can add insets and necessary growing to achieve what you want.

As stated in the previous comment, I would use MigLayout in this project. As you can use split, span and wrap after each field or textbox in order to get the correct layout. You can also debug Miglayout and see where your layout its right or wrong.
download the latest version of MigLayout here : http://www.migcalendar.com/miglayout/versions/
if using eclipse,
save it in a folder called Lib in the project folder.
configure the project build path but adding the jar file to the classpath.
Then you should be able to set the layout to MigLayout.
panel.setLayout(new MigLayout());
or to debug the layout - panel.setLayout(new MigLayout("debug"));