How to Create a Table-like Structure in Java GUI

Question

I would like to create a table-like structure so that I can display information easily. I would like it to look like this:

What is the best layout manager to achieve this? I am currently using GridBagLayout, but I am having trouble getting the Title to span the whole top row and for the ColumnTitle1 and ColumnTitle2 to span the second row half each. Could someone please provide some code to help.

Answer 1

I think GridBagLayout is the best to achieve this design. Here is a full working example for you that will look like this:

JFrame frame = new JFrame();
JPanel panel = new JPanel();
panel.setLayout(new GridBagLayout());
GridBagConstraints gc = new GridBagConstraints();

gc.gridx=0;
gc.gridy=0;
gc.fill = GridBagConstraints.HORIZONTAL;
gc.weightx = 1.0;
gc.gridwidth = 2;
JLabel title = new JLabel("TITLE");
title.setBackground(Color.RED);
title.setOpaque(true);
title.setHorizontalAlignment(SwingConstants.CENTER);
panel.add(title, gc);

gc.gridx=0;
gc.gridy=1;
gc.weightx = 0.5;
gc.gridwidth = 1;        
JLabel col1 = new JLabel("COLUMN 1 TITLE");
col1.setBackground(Color.YELLOW);
col1.setOpaque(true);
col1.setHorizontalAlignment(SwingConstants.CENTER);
panel.add(col1, gc);

gc.gridx=1;
gc.gridy=1;        
JLabel col2 = new JLabel("COLUMN 2 TITLE");
col2.setBackground(Color.GREEN);
col2.setOpaque(true);
col2.setHorizontalAlignment(SwingConstants.CENTER);
panel.add(col2, gc);

gc.fill = GridBagConstraints.BOTH;
gc.gridx=0;
gc.gridy=2;
gc.weighty = 1.0;
gc.gridwidth = 1;        
JLabel info1 = new JLabel("Info 1 Text");
info1.setBackground(Color.CYAN);
info1.setOpaque(true);
info1.setHorizontalAlignment(SwingConstants.CENTER);
panel.add(info1, gc);

gc.gridx=1;
gc.gridy=2;
JLabel info2 = new JLabel("Info 2 Text");
info2.setBackground(Color.MAGENTA);
info2.setOpaque(true);
info2.setHorizontalAlignment(SwingConstants.CENTER);
panel.add(info2, gc);

frame.add(panel);
frame.setLocationRelativeTo(null);
frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
frame.setVisible(true);