I need a basic simple Java layout method

Question

I've checked the internet about FlowLayout, Group etc., all with unhelpful examples. I just need a basic way to do a good layout for my Java application. I'll show you my code:

import java.awt.*;
import javax.swing.*;
import javax.swing.border.Border;
import javax.swing.border.LineBorder;

public class Test1 {

    //Step1 - Declaring variables
    private static JFrame myFrame;
    private static JPanel myPanel;
    private static JLabel titleLabel=null;
    private static JLabel logIn=null;
    private static JLabel username=null;
    private static JLabel password=null;
    private static JTextField usernameField=null;
    private static JPasswordField passwordField=null;
    private static Color myColor=new Color(0, 102, 204);
    private static Font myFont11=new Font("Tahoma", 1, 11);
    private static Font myFont12bold=new Font("Tahoma", Font.BOLD, 12);
    private static Font myFont11bold=new Font("Tahoma", Font.BOLD, 11);

    //Step2 - Creating Components
    public void createComponents() {


        //Title Label
        titleLabel=new JLabel("My Program");
        titleLabel.setForeground(Color.white);
        titleLabel.setFont(myFont12bold);
        //titleLabel.setVisible(false); //hide it or show it
        //--------------------------------------------------------


        logIn=new JLabel("Log in");
        logIn.setFont(myFont11bold);
        logIn.setForeground(Color.white);
        username=new JLabel("Username");
        username.setLabelFor(usernameField);
        username.setFont(myFont11);
        username.setForeground(Color.white);
        password=new JLabel("Password");
        password.setLabelFor(passwordField);
        password.setFont(myFont11);
        password.setForeground(Color.white);
        usernameField=new JTextField(10);
        usernameField.setBorder(new LineBorder(null, 0, false));
        passwordField=new JPasswordField(10);
        passwordField.setBorder(new LineBorder(null, 0, false));

        //Panel
        myPanel=new JPanel();
        myPanel.setBackground(myColor);
        myPanel.add(titleLabel);       
        myPanel.add(logIn);
        myPanel.add(mySeparator2);
        myPanel.add(username);
        myPanel.add(usernameField);
        myPanel.add(password);
        myPanel.add(passwordField);
        //----------------------------------------------------------

    //Step3 - Main Function
    public static void main(String[] arg) {

        //Frame
        myFrame=new JFrame();

        myFrame.setPreferredSize(new Dimension(400,300));//width:400px, height:300px
        myFrame.setLocationRelativeTo(null);//to show at center of screen
        myFrame.setTitle("My Program");
        Test1 prog=new Test1();
        prog.createComponents();
        myFrame.add(myPanel);
        myFrame.pack();//this alone will not give the frame a size
        myFrame.setVisible(true);
        //----------------------------------------------------------------------

    }

}

This is a basic gui which has some labels and some textfields, with the .pack() method they will be shown on the same line, I just need a small simple way to make a good layout

Answer 1

Too many static variables inside your code is not an ideal solution for many a reasons. Try to use a different approach, until and unless you not thinking about making one Factory Class for your Project. Have a look at this modified version, is this good enough :

import java.awt.*;
import javax.swing.*;
import javax.swing.border.Border;
import javax.swing.border.LineBorder;

public class Test1 {

    //Step1 - Declaring variables
    private JFrame myFrame;
    // Added by me
    private JPanel contentPane;
    private JPanel myPanel;
    private JLabel username=null;
    private JLabel password=null;
    private JTextField usernameField=null;
    private JPasswordField passwordField=null;
    private Color myColor=new Color(200, 102, 204);
    private Font myFont11=new Font("Tahoma", 1, 11);
    private Font myFont12bold=new Font("Tahoma", Font.BOLD, 12);
    private Font myFont11bold=new Font("Tahoma", Font.BOLD, 11);

    //Step2 - Creating Components
    public void createComponents() {

        contentPane = new JPanel();
        contentPane.setOpaque(true);
        contentPane.setBackground(Color.WHITE);
        contentPane.setLayout(new GridBagLayout());
        contentPane.setBorder(BorderFactory.createTitledBorder("My Program"));

        username=new JLabel("Username");
        username.setLabelFor(usernameField);
        username.setFont(myFont11);
        username.setForeground(Color.white);
        password=new JLabel("Password");
        password.setLabelFor(passwordField);
        password.setFont(myFont11);
        password.setForeground(Color.white);
        usernameField=new JTextField(10);
        usernameField.setBorder(new LineBorder(null, 0, false));
        passwordField=new JPasswordField(10);
        passwordField.setBorder(new LineBorder(null, 0, false));

        //Panel
        myPanel=new JPanel();
        myPanel.setOpaque(true);
        myPanel.setBorder(BorderFactory.createTitledBorder("Login"));
        myPanel.setBackground(myColor);
        myPanel.setLayout(new GridLayout(2, 2, 2, 2));
        myPanel.add(username);
        myPanel.add(usernameField);
        myPanel.add(password);
        myPanel.add(passwordField);
        //----------------------------------------------------------
        contentPane.add(myPanel);

        myFrame=new JFrame();
        myFrame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
        //myFrame.setPreferredSize(new Dimension(400,300));//width:400px, height:300px
        myFrame.setLocationRelativeTo(null);//to show at center of screen
        myFrame.setTitle("My Program");
        //myFrame.add(myPanel);
        myFrame.setContentPane(contentPane);
        myFrame.pack();//this alone will not give the frame a size
        myFrame.setVisible(true);
    }   

    //Step3 - Main Function
    public static void main(String[] arg) {
        SwingUtilities.invokeLater(new Runnable()
        {
            public void run()
            {
                new Test1().createComponents();
            }
        });
    }

}

Here is the output :

Answer 2

1) you have an issue with debuging, java conventions and packaging methods and classes, you have and issues with

2) add a new curly brace

    }//add this one

    public static void main(String[] arg) {


    }
} 

3) built the Swing GUI in Initail Thread, then your main class should be

public static void main(String[] arg) {
    SwingUtilities.invokeLater(new Runnable() {

        public void run() {
            myFrame = new JFrame();

            myFrame.setPreferredSize(new Dimension(400, 300));//width:400px, height:300px
            myFrame.setLocationRelativeTo(null);//to show at center of screen
            myFrame.setTitle("My Program");
            Test1 prog = new Test1();
            prog.createComponents();
            myFrame.add(myPanel);
            myFrame.pack();//this alone will not give the frame a size
            myFrame.setVisible(true);
        }
    });
}

4) setSize for JFrame and then usage of pack(); is contraproductive use pack() rather than setSize

5) you have look at SpringLayout, or GridBagLayout in the case that you will put there more the similair JComponents,