java - set maximum size of JPanel inside BorderLayout.CENTER

Question

I have a JPanel inside BorderLayout.CENTER

The JPanel has a Grid Layout, and I want it to expand with the CENTER for its width, but the height must stop at a maximum and use the preferredSize when possible.

I have this code

JPanel wrapperCenterPanel = new JPanel(new FlowLayout());
wrapperCenterPanel.add(centerPanel);    
panel.add(wrapperCenterPanel, BorderLayout.CENTER);

centerPanel is my panel (uses GridLayout), I'm wrapping it with a FlowLayout panel, and putting this last one in the CENTER.

Now the size is the preferred one, but it's fixed!! The height doesn't shrink if necessary, and neither does the width.

How can I do this?

Answer 1

Try using a BoxLayout as the wrapper panel. A BoxLayout respects the maximum/minimum and preferred size of a component.