GridBagLayout help

[cronnin]

I'm having problem understanding the concept. I was hoping to get a layout like this:

public class SwingExample  extends JPanel{
   public static void main(String[] args) {
   JFrame theFrame = new JFrame("Grid Bag Example");
   theFrame.setSize(900,600);
   theFrame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);

   JPanel thePanel = new JPanel();
   theFrame.add(thePanel);  
   
   GridBagLayout gbl = new GridBagLayout();                                            
   thePanel.setLayout(gbl);
   GridBagConstraints gbc = new GridBagConstraints();
   gbc.insets = new Insets(10, 10, 10, 10);

   JButton button1 = new JButton("Button 1");  
   // these should give it initial position in cell 0,0 ?
   gbc.gridx = 0; 
   gbc.gridy = 0;  
   // this should give it size of 1x2 ?
   // why doesn't it do that?
   gbc.gridwidth = 1; 
   gbc.gridheight = 2;  
   gbc.fill = GridBagConstraints.BOTH;
   thePanel.add(button1,gbc);
   
   JButton button2 = new JButton("Button 2");
   gbc.gridx = 1;
   gbc.gridy = 1;  
   gbc.gridwidth = 1;
   gbc.gridheight = 1;
   gbc.fill = GridBagConstraints.BOTH;
   thePanel.add(button2,gbc);

   JButton button3 = new JButton("Button 3");  
   // these should give it initial position in cell 2,2 ?
   gbc.gridx = 2;  
   gbc.gridy = 2;
   // this should give it size of 3x1 ?
   // how do I know which direction it grows?
   // does it adds columns 4 and 5, or it goes to the left?
   gbc.gridwidth = 3;
   gbc.gridheight = 1;
   gbc.fill = GridBagConstraints.BOTH;
   thePanel.add(button3,gbc);

   theFrame.setVisible(true);   
  }
}

BTW, is there any way (or different Layout) I could give the table initial size like 7x5 and then add components to span from cell to cell?
For example if I want to add something that would span from 2nd to 5th column in 4th row, jut to type something simple like:

gb2l.setsize(7,5);
gb2c.set(2-5, 4);
add(button1, gb2c);

[jim829]

I haven't used it in a long time. You may want to check the tutorials in my signature below. They show examples.
Also check out this post https://www.java-forums.org/new-java...t-problem.html
It references a free layout that is supposedly easier to use (never done it myself). It's called MigLayout
and there is a link.

Regards,
Jim

[cronnin]

I've been reading Oracle docs, various tutorials and watching numerous videos, for more than 6 hours, and still can't get it to work :) I'm starting to lose my nerves with it. Seen that Mig, wanted to try it, but it's giving me security problems: