Module java.desktop
Package java.awt

# Class FlowLayout

java.lang.Object
java.awt.FlowLayout

All Implemented Interfaces:
  `LayoutManager`, `Serializable`

public class FlowLayout extends Object implements LayoutManager, Serializable
A flow layout arranges components in a directional flow, much like lines of text in a paragraph. The flow direction is determined by the container's `componentOrientation` property and may be one of two values:

- `ComponentOrientation.LEFT_TO_RIGHT`
- `ComponentOrientation.RIGHT_TO_LEFT`

Flow layouts are typically used to arrange buttons in a panel. It arranges buttons horizontally until no more buttons fit on the same line. The line alignment is determined by the `align` property. The possible values are:

- `LEFT`
- `RIGHT`
- `CENTER`
- `LEADING`
- `TRAILING`

For example, the following picture shows an applet using the flow layout manager (its default layout manager) to position three buttons:

Here is the code for this applet:

>      import java.awt.*;
>      import java.applet.Applet;

>      public class myButtons extends Applet {
>          Button button1, button2, button3;
>          public void init() {
>              button1 = new Button("Ok");
>              button2 = new Button("Open");
>              button3 = new Button("Close");
>              add(button1);
>              add(button2);
>              add(button3);
>          }
>      }

A flow layout lets each component assume its natural (preferred) size.

Since:
  1.0
See Also:
  - `ComponentOrientation`
  - Serialized Form

## Field Summary

Fields
Modifier and Type
Field
Description
`static final int`
`CENTER`
This value indicates that each row of components should be centered.
`static final int`
`LEADING`
This value indicates that each row of components should be justified to the leading edge of the container's orientation, for example, to the left in left-to-right orientations.
`static final int`
`LEFT`
This value indicates that each row of components should be left-justified.
`static final int`
`RIGHT`
This value indicates that each row of components should be right-justified.
`static final int`
`TRAILING`
This value indicates that each row of components should be justified to the trailing edge of the container's orientation, for example, to the right in left-to-right orientations.

## Constructor Summary

Constructors
Constructor
Description
`FlowLayout()`
Constructs a new `FlowLayout` with a centered alignment and a default 5-unit horizontal and vertical gap.
`FlowLayout(int align)`
Constructs a new `FlowLayout` with the specified alignment and a default 5-unit horizontal and vertical gap.
`FlowLayout(int align, int hgap, int vgap)`
Creates a new flow layout manager with the indicated alignment and the indicated horizontal and vertical gaps.

## Method Summary

Modifier and Type
Method
Description
`void`
`addLayoutComponent(String name, Component comp)`
Adds the specified component to the layout.
`int`
`getAlignment()`
Gets the alignment for this layout.
`boolean`
`getAlignOnBaseline()`
Returns true if components are to be vertically aligned along their baseline.
`int`
`getHgap()`
Gets the horizontal gap between components and between the components and the borders of the `Container`
`int`
`getVgap()`
Gets the vertical gap between components and between the components and the borders of the `Container`.
`void`
`layoutContainer(Container target)`
Lays out the container.
`Dimension`
`minimumLayoutSize(Container target)`
Returns the minimum dimensions needed to layout the visible components contained in the specified target container.
`Dimension`
`preferredLayoutSize(Container target)`
Returns the preferred dimensions for this layout given the visible components in the specified target container.
`void`
`removeLayoutComponent(Component comp)`
Removes the specified component from the layout.
`void`
`setAlignment(int align)`
Sets the alignment for this layout.
`void`
`setAlignOnBaseline(boolean alignOnBaseline)`
Sets whether or not components should be vertically aligned along their baseline.
`void`
`setHgap(int hgap)`
Sets the horizontal gap between components and between the components and the borders of the `Container`.
`void`
`setVgap(int vgap)`
Sets the vertical gap between components and between the components and the borders of the `Container`.
`String`
`toString()`
Returns a string representation of this `FlowLayout` object and its values.

### Methods declared in class java.lang.Object

`clone, equals, finalize, getClass, hashCode, notify, notifyAll, wait, wait, wait`

## Field Details

### LEFT

public static final int LEFT
This value indicates that each row of components should be left-justified.

See Also:
  - Constant Field Values

### CENTER

public static final int CENTER
This value indicates that each row of components should be centered.

See Also:
  - Constant Field Values

### RIGHT

public static final int RIGHT
This value indicates that each row of components should be right-justified.

See Also:
  - Constant Field Values

### LEADING

public static final int LEADING
This value indicates that each row of components should be justified to the leading edge of the container's orientation, for example, to the left in left-to-right orientations.

Since:
  1.2
See Also:
  - `Component.getComponentOrientation()`
  - `ComponentOrientation`
  - Constant Field Values

### TRAILING

public static final int TRAILING
This value indicates that each row of components should be justified to the trailing edge of the container's orientation, for example, to the right in left-to-right orientations.

Since:
  1.2
See Also:
  - `Component.getComponentOrientation()`
  - `ComponentOrientation`
  - Constant Field Values

## Constructor Details

### FlowLayout

public FlowLayout()
Constructs a new `FlowLayout` with a centered alignment and a default 5-unit horizontal and vertical gap.

### FlowLayout

public FlowLayout(int align)
Constructs a new `FlowLayout` with the specified alignment and a default 5-unit horizontal and vertical gap. The value of the alignment argument must be one of `FlowLayout.LEFT`, `FlowLayout.RIGHT`, `FlowLayout.CENTER`, `FlowLayout.LEADING`, or `FlowLayout.TRAILING`.

Parameters:
  `align` - the alignment value

### FlowLayout

public FlowLayout(int align, int hgap, int vgap)
Creates a new flow layout manager with the indicated alignment and the indicated horizontal and vertical gaps.

The value of the alignment argument must be one of `FlowLayout.LEFT`, `FlowLayout.RIGHT`, `FlowLayout.CENTER`, `FlowLayout.LEADING`, or `FlowLayout.TRAILING`.

Parameters:
  `align` - the alignment value
  `hgap` - the horizontal gap between components and between the components and the borders of the `Container`
  `vgap` - the vertical gap between components and between the components and the borders of the `Container`

## Method Details

### getAlignment

public int getAlignment()
Gets the alignment for this layout. Possible values are `FlowLayout.LEFT`, `FlowLayout.RIGHT`, `FlowLayout.CENTER`, `FlowLayout.LEADING`, or `FlowLayout.TRAILING`.

Returns:
  the alignment value for this layout
Since:
  1.1
See Also:
  - `setAlignment(int)`

### setAlignment

public void setAlignment(int align)
Sets the alignment for this layout. Possible values are

- `FlowLayout.LEFT`
- `FlowLayout.RIGHT`
- `FlowLayout.CENTER`
- `FlowLayout.LEADING`
- `FlowLayout.TRAILING`

Parameters:
  `align` - one of the alignment values shown above
Since:
  1.1
See Also:
  - `getAlignment()`

### getHgap

public int getHgap()
Gets the horizontal gap between components and between the components and the borders of the `Container`

Returns:
  the horizontal gap between components and between the components and the borders of the `Container`
Since:
  1.1
See Also:
  - `setHgap(int)`

### setHgap

public void setHgap(int hgap)
Sets the horizontal gap between components and between the components and the borders of the `Container`.

Parameters:
  `hgap` - the horizontal gap between components and between the components and the borders of the `Container`
Since:
  1.1
See Also:
  - `getHgap()`

### getVgap

public int getVgap()
Gets the vertical gap between components and between the components and the borders of the `Container`.

Returns:
  the vertical gap between components and between the components and the borders of the `Container`
Since:
  1.1
See Also:
  - `setVgap(int)`

### setVgap

public void setVgap(int vgap)
Sets the vertical gap between components and between the components and the borders of the `Container`.

Parameters:
  `vgap` - the vertical gap between components and between the components and the borders of the `Container`
Since:
  1.1
See Also:
  - `getVgap()`

### setAlignOnBaseline

public void setAlignOnBaseline(boolean alignOnBaseline)
Sets whether or not components should be vertically aligned along their baseline. Components that do not have a baseline will be centered. The default is false.

Parameters:
  `alignOnBaseline` - whether or not components should be vertically aligned on their baseline
Since:
  1.6

### getAlignOnBaseline

public boolean getAlignOnBaseline()
Returns true if components are to be vertically aligned along their baseline. The default is false.

Returns:
  true if components are to be vertically aligned along their baseline
Since:
  1.6

### addLayoutComponent

public void addLayoutComponent(String name, Component comp)
Adds the specified component to the layout. Not used by this class.

Specified by:
  `addLayoutComponent` in interface `LayoutManager`
Parameters:
  `name` - the name of the component
  `comp` - the component to be added

### removeLayoutComponent

public void removeLayoutComponent(Component comp)
Removes the specified component from the layout. Not used by this class.

Specified by:
  `removeLayoutComponent` in interface `LayoutManager`
Parameters:
  `comp` - the component to remove
See Also:
  - `Container.removeAll()`

### preferredLayoutSize

public Dimension preferredLayoutSize(Container target)
Returns the preferred dimensions for this layout given the visible components in the specified target container.

Specified by:
  `preferredLayoutSize` in interface `LayoutManager`
Parameters:
  `target` - the container that needs to be laid out
Returns:
  the preferred dimensions to lay out the subcomponents of the specified container
See Also:
  - `Container`
  - `minimumLayoutSize(java.awt.Container)`
  - `Container.getPreferredSize()`

### minimumLayoutSize

public Dimension minimumLayoutSize(Container target)
Returns the minimum dimensions needed to layout the visible components contained in the specified target container.

Specified by:
  `minimumLayoutSize` in interface `LayoutManager`
Parameters:
  `target` - the container that needs to be laid out
Returns:
  the minimum dimensions to lay out the subcomponents of the specified container
See Also:
  - `preferredLayoutSize(java.awt.Container)`
  - `Container`
  - `Container.doLayout()`

### layoutContainer

public void layoutContainer(Container target)
Lays out the container. This method lets each visible component take its preferred size by reshaping the components in the target container in order to satisfy the alignment of this `FlowLayout` object.

Specified by:
  `layoutContainer` in interface `LayoutManager`
Parameters:
  `target` - the specified component being laid out
See Also:
  - `Container`
  - `Container.doLayout()`

### toString

public String toString()
Returns a string representation of this `FlowLayout` object and its values.

Overrides:
  `toString` in class `Object`
Returns:
  a string representation of this layout