Java Button Width

Question

I've tried to use this and it doesn't work

singleplayerButton.setBounds(20, 20, 200, 100);

I dont know why though, can anybody help me out with this?

My full page code is here

package gmine;

import java.awt.*;
import java.awt.event.*;
import javax.swing.*;

public class gmine implements ActionListener {
        JFrame interfaceFrame;
        JButton singleplayerButton, multiplayerButton, optionsButton, quitButton;

        public gmine() {
                JFrame.setDefaultLookAndFeelDecorated(false);
                interfaceFrame = new JFrame("G-Mine B0.4");
                interfaceFrame.setSize(800,600);
                interfaceFrame.setLayout(new GridLayout(9,1, 20, 15));

                singleplayerButton = new JButton("SinglePLayer");
                singleplayerButton.addActionListener(this);
                interfaceFrame.add(singleplayerButton);
                singleplayerButton.setBounds(20, 20, 200, 100);

                multiplayerButton = new JButton("MultiPlayer");
                multiplayerButton.addActionListener(this);
                interfaceFrame.add(multiplayerButton);

                optionsButton = new JButton("Options");
                optionsButton.addActionListener(this);
                interfaceFrame.add(optionsButton);

                quitButton = new JButton("Quit");
                quitButton.addActionListener(this);
                interfaceFrame.add(quitButton);

                interfaceFrame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
                interfaceFrame.setVisible(true);
        }

        public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent a) {

        }

        public static void main(String[] args) {
                new gmine();
        }
}

im trying to accomplish making the buttons smaller, so not touching the side of the page.

Answer 1

I personally would use a layout manager that will give you more flexibility in deciding how the buttons are laid out and makes a great effort to honor your components preferred size, but gives you the freedom to make adjustments to as you need...

For me, that's GridBagLayout

public class ButtonsLayout {

    public static void main(String[] args) {
        new ButtonsLayout();
    }

    public ButtonsLayout() {
        EventQueue.invokeLater(new Runnable() {
            @Override
            public void run() {
                try {
                    UIManager.setLookAndFeel(UIManager.getSystemLookAndFeelClassName());
                } catch (ClassNotFoundException ex) {
                } catch (InstantiationException ex) {
                } catch (IllegalAccessException ex) {
                } catch (UnsupportedLookAndFeelException ex) {
                }

                JFrame frame = new JFrame("Test");
                frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
                frame.setLayout(new BorderLayout());
                frame.add(new MenuPane());
                frame.pack();
                frame.setLocationRelativeTo(null);
                frame.setVisible(true);
            }
        });
    }

    public class MenuPane extends JPanel {

        public MenuPane() {
            setLayout(new GridBagLayout());

            JButton singleplayerButton = new JButton("SinglePLayer");
            JButton multiplayerButton = new JButton("MultiPlayer");
            JButton optionsButton = new JButton("Options");
            JButton quitButton = new JButton("Quit");

            GridBagConstraints gbc = new GridBagConstraints();
            gbc.gridx = 0;
            gbc.gridy = 0;
            gbc.fill = GridBagConstraints.HORIZONTAL;
            gbc.ipadx = 20;
            gbc.ipady = 20;

            add(singleplayerButton, gbc);
            gbc.gridy++;
            add(multiplayerButton, gbc);
            gbc.gridy++;
            add(optionsButton, gbc);
            gbc.gridy++;
            add(quitButton, gbc);
        }
    }
}

Here, I've used ipadx and ipady of the GridBagConstraints to increase the width and height of the components through the layout manager, as well as using the HORIZONTAL fill to make all the components the same width.

Have a look at

• A Visual Guide to Layout Managers
• Using Layout Managers

For more information