GridBagLayout in Java Column Issue

Question

I'm trying to use the GridBagLayout layout manager to achieve this:

However, what I am currently getting is this:

The problem being that the orange and brown/gray panels are supposed to occupy the second column, but seem to only want to occupy the third when it comes to running the code.

The code that I'm using for the layout:

 Container contentPane = form.getContentPane();
    contentPane.setLayout(new GridBagLayout());
    GridBagConstraints c = new GridBagConstraints();

    JPanel pnlGame = new JPanel();
    pnlGame.setBackground(Color.green); //temp
    c.gridx = 0;
    c.gridy = 0;
    c.gridwidth = 2;
    c.gridheight = 2;
    c.fill = GridBagConstraints.BOTH;
    c.weightx = 0.85;
    c.weighty = 0.65;
    contentPane.add(pnlGame, c);

    JPanel pnlBuy = new JPanel();
    c.gridx = 2;
    pnlBuy.setBackground(Color.blue); //temp
    c.gridy = 0;
    c.gridwidth = 1;
    c.gridheight = 1;
    c.fill = GridBagConstraints.BOTH;
    c.weightx = 0.15;
    c.weighty = 0.46;
    contentPane.add(pnlBuy, c);

    JPanel pnlUpgrade = new JPanel();
    pnlUpgrade.setBackground(Color.yellow); //temp
    c.gridx = 2;
    c.gridy = 1;
    c.gridwidth = 1;
    c.gridheight = 1;
    c.fill = GridBagConstraints.BOTH;
    c.weightx = 0.15;
    c.weighty = 0.19;
    contentPane.add(pnlUpgrade, c);

    JPanel pnlStats = new JPanel();
    pnlStats.setBackground(Color.red); //temp
    c.gridx = 0;
    c.gridy = 2;
    c.gridwidth = 1;
    c.gridheight = 2;
    c.fill = GridBagConstraints.BOTH;
    c.weightx = 0.61;
    c.weighty = 0.35;
    contentPane.add(pnlStats, c);

    JPanel pnlSpeed = new JPanel();
    pnlSpeed.setBackground(Color.orange); //temp
    c.gridx = 1;
    c.gridy = 2;
    c.gridwidth = 2;
    c.gridheight = 1;
    c.fill = GridBagConstraints.BOTH;
    c.weightx = 0.38;
    c.weighty = 0.04;
    contentPane.add(pnlSpeed, c);

    JPanel pnlRounds = new JPanel();
    pnlRounds.setBackground(Color.gray); //temp
    c.gridx = 2;
    c.gridy = 3;
    c.gridwidth = 2;
    c.gridheight = 1;
    c.fill = GridBagConstraints.BOTH;
    c.weightx = 0.38;
    c.weighty = 0.31;
    contentPane.add(pnlRounds, c);

So, what am I doing wrong? Sorry if my English is a bit shitty, and/or the mistake I'm making is blindingly obvious... it's 20 to 5 in the morning, and I've had a long day. Should probably be hitting the hay, fairly shortly.

UPDATE:

It appears that if I change the gridwidth of the brown/gray panel, everything seems to align properly, but I end up with a nasty gap in my layout. Here:

i.imgur.com/6JUx2.png

And the code for the panel (including the amendment suggested by Kevin S):

JPanel pnlRounds = new JPanel();
pnlRounds.setBackground(Color.gray); //temp
c.gridx = 1;
c.gridy = 3;
c.gridwidth = 1;
c.gridheight = 1;
c.fill = GridBagConstraints.BOTH;
c.weightx = 0.38;
c.weighty = 0.31;
contentPane.add(pnlRounds, c);

So, is there anything that I'm doing wrong, or is this just some weird behaviour of the GridBagLayout that I'm going to have to live with?

Unfortunately, thanks to me editing, I've lost all the embeds that Bala R kindly put in there. So, we're back to the links for images, I'm afraid. And now it seems that I can't post more than two hyperlinks, so the link has been killed in the last one, you need to copy and paste it in.

Thanks, Sam

Answer 1

All the components in your middle column are at least in one other column as well. So the GridBagLayout calculates the preferred width of the middle column as 0, and this is the effect you are seeing.

If you want to make sure your middle column has more width, put some component there which is only in this column.

Answer 2

So it looks like you need to fix the pnlRounds JPanel:

JPanel pnlRounds = new JPanel();
pnlRounds.setBackground(Color.gray); //temp
c.gridx = 1; // NEEDS TO BE 1 (NOT 2)
c.gridy = 3;
c.gridwidth = 2;
c.gridheight = 1;
c.fill = GridBagConstraints.BOTH;
c.weightx = 0.38;
c.weighty = 0.31;
contentPane.add(pnlRounds, c);

Looks like your problem is that you had c.gridx = 2 in your code when c.gridx = 1 is what should really be there.

Also, just as a side note, the bottom panels' weightx don't add to 1.00, they add to .99. Just thought you should know.

Answer 3

Not exactly asolution for you but more like a temporary workaround. if you add this new panel

    JPanel pnlTemp = new JPanel();
    pnlTemp.setBackground(Color.pink); //temp
    c.gridx = 1;
    c.gridy = 3;
    c.gridwidth = 1;
    c.gridheight = 1;
    c.fill = GridBagConstraints.BOTH;
    c.weightx = 0.38;
    c.weighty = 0.31;
    contentPane.add(pnlTemp, c);

after you gray panel, it fixes the layout. Not sure why but maybe this will help until you are (or someone else is) able to figure out the correct solution. This new pink panel is not visible but just helps fix the layout somehow. Here's what the layout looks like after

Answer 4

Do you just want the layout to work?

I did some modification.

 Container contentPane = form.getContentPane();
     contentPane.setLayout(new GridBagLayout());
     GridBagConstraints c = new GridBagConstraints();

     JPanel pnlGame = new JPanel();
     pnlGame.setBackground(Color.green); //temp
     c.gridx = 0;
     c.gridy = 0;
     c.gridwidth = 1; // one row
     c.gridheight = 1; // one column
     c.fill = GridBagConstraints.BOTH;
     c.weightx = 0.60;
     c.weighty = 0.40;
     contentPane.add(pnlGame, c);

     // Added two new components
     // pnlgGame and pnlggGame

     // Covers up 2nd column and rows 0 and 1
     JPanel pnlgGame = new JPanel();
     pnlgGame.setBackground(Color.green); //temp
     c.gridx = 1;
     c.gridy = 0;
     c.gridwidth = 1; // one row
     c.gridheight = 2; // two column
     c.fill = GridBagConstraints.BOTH;
     c.weightx = 0.20;
     c.weighty = 0.40;
     contentPane.add(pnlgGame, c);

     // Covers 2nd row and column 1 
     JPanel pnlggGame = new JPanel();
     pnlggGame.setBackground(Color.green); //temp
     c.gridx = 0;
     c.gridy = 1;
     c.gridwidth = 1;
     c.gridheight = 1;
     c.fill = GridBagConstraints.BOTH;
     c.weightx = 0.60;
     c.weighty = 0.20;
     contentPane.add(pnlggGame, c);


     JPanel pnlBuy = new JPanel();
     pnlBuy.setBackground(Color.blue); //temp
     c.gridx = 2;
     c.gridy = 0;
     c.gridwidth = 1;
     c.gridheight = 1;
     c.fill = GridBagConstraints.BOTH;
     c.weightx = 0.20;
     c.weighty = 0.40;
     contentPane.add(pnlBuy, c);

     JPanel pnlUpgrade = new JPanel();
     pnlUpgrade.setBackground(Color.yellow); //temp
     c.gridx = 2;
     c.gridy = 1;
     c.gridwidth = 1;
     c.gridheight = 1;
     c.fill = GridBagConstraints.BOTH;
     c.weightx = 0.20;
     c.weighty = 0.20;
     contentPane.add(pnlUpgrade, c);

     JPanel pnlSpeed = new JPanel();
     pnlSpeed.setBackground(Color.BLUE); //temp
     c.gridx = 1;
     c.gridy = 2;
     c.gridwidth = 2;
     c.gridheight = 1;
     c.fill = GridBagConstraints.BOTH;
     c.weightx = 0.40;
     c.weighty = 0.05;
     contentPane.add(pnlSpeed, c);

     JPanel pnlStats = new JPanel();
     pnlStats.setBackground(Color.red); //temp
     c.gridx = 0;
     c.gridy = 2;
     c.gridwidth = 1;
     c.gridheight = 2;
     c.fill = GridBagConstraints.BOTH;
     c.weightx = 0.60;
     c.weighty = 0.40;
     contentPane.add(pnlStats, c);


     JPanel pnlRounds = new JPanel();
     pnlRounds.setBackground(Color.gray); //temp
     c.gridx = 1;
     c.gridy = 3;
     c.gridwidth = 2;
     c.gridheight = 1;
     c.fill = GridBagConstraints.BOTH;
     c.weightx = 0.40;
     c.weighty = 0.35;
     contentPane.add(pnlRounds, c);

     form.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
     form.setVisible(true);