Java - JPanel with margins and JTextArea inside

Question

I want to create something like this:

Main panel has its margins (x), and TextArea in the center of that panel which almost fills up the panel. At the bottom is another panel with custom size (height y), which can be toggled visible and unvisible with some shortcut. Bottom Panel has FlowLayout and few elements.

The problem is I have no idea how to do this.

BoxLayout has no margins.

I tried with GridBagLayout but I doesn't work or I can't understand it enough :(

I tried also with setting JTextArea margins

textMain.setMargin(new Insets(insetTop, insetLeft, insetBottom, insetRight));

but when there is a lot of text, top and bottom margin disappear. So now I'm trying with Panels.

Can someone help me with this please?

Grodno

Answer 1

there are two ways

• use propers Borders, in this case EmptyBorders

• use proper LayoutManager, BorderLayout(int horizontalGap, int verticalGap), GridLayout(int rows, int cols, int hgap, int vgap),

easiest way would be use EmptyBorders

Prelusive

mKorbel thank you! I used matteBorder around Panel with the same color as JTextArea. – Grodno

glad to help you +1 for question – Prelusive

The separate objectification of something as primitive as a margin (EmptyBorders) made me laugh and cry at the same time. Your answer solved my problem though, so all is well in the end :-) – Racemose