The column and row headers (for grid-based layout managers) show the structure of the layout. This includes column/row indices, alignment, growing and grouping.
Use them to insert, delete or move columns/rows and change column/row properties. Right-clicking on a column/row displays a popup menu. Double-clicking shows a dialog that allows you to edit the column/row properties.
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If a column width or row height is zero, which is the case if a column/row is empty, then JFormDesigner uses a minimum column width and row height. Columns/rows having a minimum size are marked with a light-red background in the column/row header. |
You can select more than one column/row. Hold down the Ctrl key (Mac: Command key) and click on another column/row to add it to the selection. Hold down the Shift key to select the columns/rows between the last selected and the clicked column/row.
Right-click on the column/row where you want to insert a new one and select Insert Column / Insert Row from the popup menu. The new column/row will be inserted before the right-clicked column/row. To add a column/row after the last one, right-click on the area behind the last column/row.
If the layout manager is FormLayout, an additional gap column/row will be added. Hold down the Shift key before selecting the command from the popup menu to avoid this.
Besides using the popup menu, you can insert new columns/row when dropping components on column/row gaps or outside of the existing grid. In the first figure, a new row will be inserted between existing rows. In the second figure, a virtual grid is shown below/right to the existing grid and a new row will be added.
Right-click on the column/row that you want delete and select Delete Column / Delete Row from the popup menu.
If the layout manager is FormLayout, an existing gap column/row beside the removed column/row will also be removed. Hold down the Shift key before selecting the command from the popup menu to avoid this.
Right-click on the column/row that you want split and select Split Column / Split Row from the popup menu.
If the layout manager is FormLayout, an additional gap column/row will be added. Hold down the Shift key before selecting the command from the popup menu to avoid this.
The headers allow you to drag and drop columns/rows (incl. contained components and gaps). This allows you to swap columns or move rows in seconds. Click on a column or row and drag it to the new location. JFormDesigner updates the column/row specification and the locations of the moved components.
If the layout manager is FormLayout, then existing gap columns/rows are also moved. Hold down the Shift key before dropping a column/row to avoid this.
To change the (minimum) size of a column/row, click near the right edge of a column/row and drag it.
FormLayout supports minimum and constant column/row sizes. Hold down the Ctrl key to change the minimum size. TableLayout supports only constant sizes and GridBagLayout supports only minimum sizes.
Following symbols are used in the headers:
Column Header | |
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Left aligns components in the column. |
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Right aligns components in the column. |
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Center components in the column. |
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Fill (expand) components into the column. |
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Grow column width. |
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Group column with other columns. All columns in a group will get the same width. |
Row Header | |
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Top aligns components in the row. |
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Bottom aligns components in the row. |
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Center components in the row. |
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Fill (expand) components into the row. |
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Baseline aligns components in the row. |
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Aligns components above baseline in the row. |
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Aligns components below baseline in the row. |
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Grow row height. |
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Group row with other rows. All rows in a group will get the same height. |