002. SETTING GRID SIZE FOR NULL LAYOUT

By default the size of gridX dan gridY Null Layout (JPanel) is 10. With that size, I am difficult to locate/size the swing control. So, I thought Netbeans still hard, not like Ms. Visual Basic, Delphi or the other. But, when I can set the size of gridX and gridY, I think... it's cool.

1. Create file named form.properties,
   In Windows Explorer, right click New - Text Document
   rename a newfile to form.properties.
   To check filetype:
   
   • In Windows Explorer click menu Tools - Folder Options...
   • In dialog, click tab View, then remove check on Hide extensions for known file types.
   • Click OK.
   • If file name is form.properties.txt, then delete .txt extension , to be form.properties.
2. Open that file with Notepad.exe;
3. Then type (italic):
   gridX=5
   gridY=5
   It's mean, we set gridX=5, and gridY=5, or we can set to any size.
4. Save and close that file.
5. Open Netbeans;
6. Click menu Help - About;
7. In that dialog notice Userdir, for example:
   Userdir: E:\Documents and Settings\nisray\.netbeans\6.9
   
   
   
8. In Windows Explorer open that location until following folder:
   E:\Documents and Settings\nisray\.netbeans\6.9\config\Preferences\org\netbeans\modules
9. Copy file form.properties that location;
10. Close Netbeans, and re-open (restart).

Now, please test with JPanel container. Right click that JPanel, choose Set Layout = Null Layout. Then add JButton control, set the size and location.

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Next blog, we will write about jLabel.