Documentation

MigLayout

MigLayout is a superbly versatile and powerful layout manager. It is grid-based, but also supports docking and grouping.

Use the column and row headers to insert or delete columns/rows and change column/row properties.

Compared to other layout managers, MigLayout provides following outstanding features:

• Default alignment of components in a column/row.
• Specification of minimum and maximum column width or row height.
• Supports different units: LogicalPixel, Pixel, Point, Millimeter, Centimeter, Inch, Percent and ScreenPercent. Especially LogicalPixel units are very useful to create layouts that scale with the screen resolution.
• Gaps between columns, rows and components.
• Flexible Growing and Shrinking.
• Column/row grouping.
• In-cell Flow allows putting more than one component into a single grid cell.
• Docking Components to the edges of the container.
• Button Bars and Button Order.
• Override minimum, preferred and maximum component sizes.
• Visual Bounds improves/fixes layout (especially on macOS).
• Baseline support.

Insets¶

By default, all MigLayout containers have insets around the grid. This is similar to setting an EmptyBorder on the container. You can change the insets in the Layout manager properties.

Default insets (panel):		Zero insets:

If you prefer zero insets by default, you can change the default layout constraints in the MigLayout preferences.

In-cell Flow¶

MigLayout allows you to place more than one component into a single grid cell. This is very useful for radio button groups and avoids nested containers.

Docking Components¶

MigLayout supports docking components to its edges (similar to BorderLayout). You can dock more than one component to one edge. The center is laid out with a grid.

Order: north, west, south, east		Order: east, south, west, north

The docked components are laid out based on the component order. Earlier components get more space as you can see in the above screenshots. Use drag and drop in the Structure view to change order of docked components.

To dock a component, first place it somewhere in the grid, then right-click on the component and select one of the Dock items from the context menu.

Visual Bounds¶

Some component bounds are larger than their visual bounds (especially on macOS), which gives too large gaps on macOS but optimal gaps on other platforms. MigLayout solves this by considering visual padding when computing component sizes.

Visual Padding on:		Visual Padding off:

Layout manager properties¶

A container with this layout manager has following layout manager properties:

Property Name	Description	White Paper	Default
Layout Constraints	Comma separated list of layout constraints. This is a string representation of the options below.	Layout Constraints
Insets	Specifies the insets for the container. Use this instead of an EmptyBorder.	insets	panel
Gaps	Specifies the default gaps between the columns/rows.	gap	related
h align	The horizontal alignment of the layout within its container. Possible values: Default, Left, Center, Right, Leading and Trailing.	alignx	Default
v align	The vertical alignment of the layout within its container. Possible values: Default, Top, Center and Bottom.	aligny	Default
Fill	Specifies whether columns and/or rows should claim all available space in the container. Possible values: (none), X, Y and Both.	fill	(none)
Hide Mode	Specifies how the layout manager handles invisible components.	hidemode	0
Flow Y	If true, multiple components in a single cell are lay out vertically.	flowy	false
right-to-left	If true, the columns are added from right-to-left.	righttoleft	false
bottom-to-top	If true, the rows are added from bottom-to-top.	bottomtotop	false
Visual Padding	If true, padding of visual bounds is considered when computing component sizes.	novisualpadding	true
Column Constraints	Constraints of all columns of the container. This property is for experts only. Use the column header instead of editing this property.	Column Constraints
Row Constraints	Constraints of all rows of the container. This property is for experts only. Use the row header instead of editing this property.	Row Constraints

Column/row properties¶

Each column and row has its own properties. Use the column and row headers to change column/row properties.

Tip: The column/row context menu allows you to alter many of these options for multi-selections.

Layout constraints properties¶

A component contained in a container with this layout manager has following layout constraints properties:

Property Name	Description	White Paper	Default
Layout Constraints	Comma separated component constraints.	Component Constraints
Grid Bounds	The computed grid cell bounds (read-only).
Cell	The component's grid cell origin (column and row indices).	cell	0,0
Span	The component's grid cell extend (number of columns and rows).	span	1,1
h align	The horizontal alignment of the component within its cell. Possible values: Default, Left, Center, Right, Fill, Leading, Trailing and Label.	alignx	Default
v align	The vertical alignment of the component within its cell. Possible values: Default, Top, Center, Bottom, Fill and Baseline.	aligny	Default
Width	Overrides the component's minimum, preferred and maximum widths.	width, wmin, wmax
Height	Overrides the component's minimum, preferred and maximum heights.	height, hmin, hmax
Gaps	The gaps between the component and the cell edges. Increases cell size.	gap	0,0,0,0
Padding	The padding between the component and the cell edges. Does not increase cell size.	pad	0,0,0,0
Dock	Dock the component at an edge or the center of the container. Possible values: (none), North, South, West, East and Center.	dock	(none)
Tag	Tag used for platform dependent button ordering. Possible values: (none), ok, cancel, help, help2, yes, no, apply, next, back, finish, left, right and other.	tag	(none)

Tip: The component context menu allows you to alter some constraints for multi-selections.