In the visual editor for Java™,
you can use the Customize Layout window to modify layout settings
for the currently selected container and UI component.
Before you begin
Your Java class must
include a container, such as JFrame, JPanel, or Shell, that allows
for a layout manager to be set.
About this task
Some layout effects can be achieved by visually dropping,
dragging, and resizing UI components in the Design view. The visual
editor includes the Customize Layout window to help you further refine
and work with your layout settings.
The Customize Layout window
is a non-modal dialog box that you can open and leave open, like a
toolbox, while you work in the Design view. The Customize Layout window
then displays relevant layout properties and settings, depending on
the layout manager for the selected container or the layout manager
of the selected container of the component.
The Customize Layout
window includes two tabbed pages:
- Layout - The Layout page includes options
that affect the layout in general. For example, for layouts that use
grids, the Layout page might have grid spacing and margin settings,
or it might allow you to specify the number of columns or rows in
the grid. Again, these settings vary based on the layout manager.
Not all layout managers include customizable settings on the Layout
page.
- Component - The Component page includes
layout options for the selected component. For example, certain layout
managers use grids where you can specify the alignment of a component
within the grid, how many cells a component spans, or whether the
component should grab excess space within its cell. Not all layout
managers include settings on the Component page.
To open the Customize Layout window, do
one of the
following:
Procedure
- Click the Customize Layout
toolbar button.
- In the Design view, right-click a container or component,
and select Customize Layout from the pop-up menu.
Example
The Customize Layout window includes different options
for different layout managers. For example, the Customize Layout manager
looks like the following screen capture for SWT GridLayout:
- SWT GridLayout example:

- Swing GridBagLayout example:

- SWT FillLayout example:
