The GridLayout class is a layout manager that lays out a container's components in a rectangular grid. The container is divided into equal-sized rectangles, and one component is placed in each rectangle. For example, the following is an applet that lays out six buttons into three rows and two columns:

import java.awt.*;
import java.applet.Applet;
public class ButtonGrid extends Applet {
    public void init() {
        setLayout(new GridLayout(3,2));
        add(new Button("1"));
        add(new Button("2"));
        add(new Button("3"));
        add(new Button("4"));
        add(new Button("5"));
        add(new Button("6"));
    }
}

If the container's ComponentOrientation property is horizontal and left-to-right, the above example produces the output shown in Figure 1. If the container's ComponentOrientation property is horizontal and right-to-left, the example produces the output shown in Figure 2.

When both the number of rows and the number of columns have been set to non-zero values, either by a constructor or by the setRows and setColumns methods, the number of columns specified is ignored. Instead, the number of columns is determined from the specified number of rows and the total number of components in the layout. So, for example, if three rows and two columns have been specified and nine components are added to the layout, they will be displayed as three rows of three columns. Specifying the number of columns affects the layout only when the number of rows is set to zero.

Creates a grid layout with the specified number of rows and columns. All components in the layout are given equal size.

One, but not both, of rows and cols can be zero, which means that any number of objects can be placed in a row or in a column.

Creates a grid layout with the specified number of rows and columns. All components in the layout are given equal size.

In addition, the horizontal and vertical gaps are set to the specified values. Horizontal gaps are placed between each of the columns. Vertical gaps are placed between each of the rows.

One, but not both, of rows and cols can be zero, which means that any number of objects can be placed in a row or in a column.

All GridLayout constructors defer to this one.

Determines the preferred size of the container argument using this grid layout.

The preferred width of a grid layout is the largest preferred width of all of the components in the container times the number of columns, plus the horizontal padding times the number of columns minus one, plus the left and right insets of the target container.

The preferred height of a grid layout is the largest preferred height of all of the components in the container times the number of rows, plus the vertical padding times the number of rows minus one, plus the top and bottom insets of the target container.

Determines the minimum size of the container argument using this grid layout.

The minimum width of a grid layout is the largest minimum width of all of the components in the container times the number of columns, plus the horizontal padding times the number of columns minus one, plus the left and right insets of the target container.

The minimum height of a grid layout is the largest minimum height of all of the components in the container times the number of rows, plus the vertical padding times the number of rows minus one, plus the top and bottom insets of the target container.

Lays out the specified container using this layout.

This method reshapes the components in the specified target container in order to satisfy the constraints of the GridLayout object.

The grid layout manager determines the size of individual components by dividing the free space in the container into equal-sized portions according to the number of rows and columns in the layout. The container's free space equals the container's size minus any insets and any specified horizontal or vertical gap. All components in a grid layout are given the same size.