How to Keep JCheckBox Horizontally inside JPanel

Question

I have a JPanel. Inside Panel I have kept one JLabel and three JCheckBox. I want to keep all the checkBox in one line after JLabel. Here is the sample code and some screenshots.

Output 1 Output 2

When i change to X_AXIS it is coming everything in one line and when i switch to Y_AXIS then it is coming new line means vertically.

But my requirement is all the checkbox should come next line means after JLabel. JLabel should come in line and all the checkBox should come in one line.

public class CheckBoxWithJLabel {

    public static void main(String[] args) {
          JFrame f= new JFrame("CheckBox Example");   
          JPanel panel = new JPanel();
          panel.setBounds(40,80,600,200);  
         
          JCheckBox chk_Embrodary=new JCheckBox("Embrodary");
          JCheckBox chk_Cutting=new JCheckBox("Cutting");
          JCheckBox cb_Sewing=new JCheckBox("Sewing");

          panel.setLayout(new javax.swing.BoxLayout(panel, javax.swing.BoxLayout.X_AXIS));
          JLabel lblHeader=new JLabel("Job Work Process Selection");
          panel.add(lblHeader);
          panel.add(chk_Embrodary);
          panel.add(chk_Cutting);
          panel.add(cb_Sewing);
          f.add(panel); 
          f.setSize(600,400);    
          f.setLayout(null);    
          f.setVisible(true);
    }
}

I want this output like this

How to solve this problem?

Answer 1

I would highly suggest you to have a look through the Java Swing Tutorial, especially the Laying Out Components Within a Container section, since it seems you lack some basic understanding of how Swing and its Layout Managers are supposed to be used.

Regarding your problem:

Currently, you are using a single BoxLayout, which " puts components in a single row or column". You only want that behavior for your JCheckBoxes though, and not for your JLabel. Keeping this in mind, the solution is to split up your components and to not put all of them in a single JPanel. Doing this will grant you more flexibility in how you design your GUI, since you can use multiple layouts in different nested panels.

You could do something like this (explanation in the code comments):

public static void main(String[] args) {
    JFrame f = new JFrame("CheckBox Example");

    // add a Y_AXIS boxlayout to the JFrames contentpane
    f.getContentPane().setLayout(new BoxLayout(f.getContentPane(), BoxLayout.Y_AXIS));

    JCheckBox cbEmbrodary = new JCheckBox("Embrodary");
    JCheckBox cbCutting = new JCheckBox("Cutting");
    JCheckBox cbSewing = new JCheckBox("Sewing");
    // no need to set the bounds, since the layoutmanagers will determine the size
    JPanel labelPanel = new JPanel(); // default layout for JPanel is the FlowLayout
    JLabel lblHeader = new JLabel("Job Work Process Selection");
    labelPanel.add(lblHeader); // JPanel for the label done

    // JPanel for the comboboxes with BoxLayout
    JPanel cbPanel = new JPanel();
    cbPanel.setLayout(new BoxLayout(cbPanel, BoxLayout.X_AXIS));
    cbPanel.add(cbEmbrodary);
    cbPanel.add(cbCutting);
    cbPanel.add(cbSewing);

    f.add(labelPanel);
    f.add(cbPanel);

    // No need to set the size of the JFrame, since the layoutmanagers will
    // determine the size after pack()
    f.pack();
    f.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
    f.setVisible(true);
}

Output:

Sidenotes:

• Don't set fixed sizes via setSize() or setBounds() to your components. Swing is designed to be used with appropariate LayoutManagers, and if you do that, calling pack() on the JFrame before setting it visible will layout the components and determine their appropriate size. (Also, don't use null-layout for the same reasons)

• If you need the JLabel to not be centered but left aligned, like in your screenshot, then use the following:

  FlowLayout layout = (FlowLayout) labelPanel.getLayout();
  layout.setAlignment(FlowLayout.LEFT);