JavaFX - setVisible hides the element but doesn't rearrange adjacent nodes

Question

In JavaFX, if I have a scene with 2 VBox elements and each VBox has multiple Label in it.
If I set the top VBox to invisible, why does the bottom VBox not move up the scene where the top VBox was ?

The VBox is invisible but I would expect the other objects to move into its place.

I am using FXML to load my controls.

Cantle

Because the first VBox is just invisible and not removed from its parent. – Hurlburt

whether or not hidden nodes take up any space typically is the decision of the layout – Sestos

Answer 1

Node.setVisible(boolean) just toggles the visibility state of a Node.

To exclude a Node from its parents layout calculations you additionally have to set its managed state, by calling Node.setManaged(false).

If you want the managed state to be updated automatically alongside the visibility, you can use a binding as @jewelsea pointed out: node.managedProperty().bind(node.visibleProperty());

Lala

A binding also works, e.g., node.managedProperty().bind(node.visibleProperty()); – Rotten

Answer 2

Since it's invisible, it wont move to the top. You have to remove it with something like:

// remove
vbox.getChildren().remove(...)

Once you've removed the element you want invisible then, the other element should move to the top.

Scuttlebutt

AFAIK, manipulating the scene graph is more expensive than setting visible to false. – Domineer

Answer 3

Try to use setVisible and managedProperty together. Here is an example:

myHBox.setVisible(false);
myHBox.managedProperty().bind(myHBox.visibleProperty());

Planer

nothing new compared to the answer with the most upvotes, is there :) – Sestos

more clearer now! – Fanlight

Answer 4

Instead of hiding the vbox you should remove it from the Children and if you want to show it again add the vbox again.

Krissykrista

Answer 5

If l want to hide and unhide a node, I resize the node to 0 if l want to hide it. That way, the node will not occupy space since is not visible to the user, so when l want it to be visible, l adjust the size again for it to be visible.

Egidius