SpringLayout.Constraints (Java SE 26 & JDK 26)
Description: declaration: module: java.desktop, package: javax.swing, class: SpringLayout, class: Constraints
Keywords: javax.swing.SpringLayout.Constraints class

# Class SpringLayout.Constraints

java.lang.Object
javax.swing.SpringLayout.Constraints

Enclosing class:
  `SpringLayout`

public static class SpringLayout.Constraints extends Object
A `Constraints` object holds the constraints that govern the way a component's size and position change in a container controlled by a `SpringLayout`. A `Constraints` object is like a `Rectangle`, in that it has `x`, `y`, `width`, and `height` properties. In the `Constraints` object, however, these properties have `Spring` values instead of integers. In addition, a `Constraints` object can be manipulated as four edges -- north, south, east, and west -- using the `constraint` property.

The following formulas are always true for a `Constraints` object (here WEST and `x` are synonyms, as are and NORTH and `y`):

                  EAST = WEST + WIDTH
                 SOUTH = NORTH + HEIGHT
     HORIZONTAL_CENTER = WEST + WIDTH/2
       VERTICAL_CENTER = NORTH + HEIGHT/2
     ABSOLUTE_BASELINE = NORTH + RELATIVE_BASELINE*

For example, if you have specified the WIDTH and WEST (X) location the EAST is calculated as WEST + WIDTH. If you instead specified the WIDTH and EAST locations the WEST (X) location is then calculated as EAST - WIDTH.

[RELATIVE_BASELINE is a private constraint that is set automatically when the SpringLayout.Constraints(Component) constructor is called or when a constraints object is registered with a SpringLayout object.]

Note: In this document, operators represent methods in the `Spring` class. For example, "a + b" is equal to `Spring.sum(a, b)`, and "a - b" is equal to `Spring.sum(a, Spring.minus(b))`. See the `Spring API documentation` for further details of spring arithmetic.

Because a `Constraints` object's properties -- representing its edges, size, and location -- can all be set independently and yet are interrelated, a `Constraints` object can become over-constrained. For example, if the `WEST`, `WIDTH` and `EAST` edges are all set, steps must be taken to ensure that the first of the formulas above holds. To do this, the `Constraints` object throws away the least recently set constraint so as to make the formulas hold.

Since:
  1.4

- ## Constructor Summary

  Constructors
  Constructor
  Description
  `Constraints()`
  Creates an empty `Constraints` object.
  `Constraints(Component c)`
  Creates a `Constraints` object with suitable `x`, `y`, `width` and `height` springs for component, `c`.
  `Constraints(Spring x, Spring y)`
  Creates a `Constraints` object with the specified values for its `x` and `y` properties.
  `Constraints(Spring x, Spring y, Spring width, Spring height)`
  Creates a `Constraints` object with the specified values for its `x`, `y`, `width`, and `height` properties.

- ## Method Summary

  Modifier and Type
  Method
  Description
  `Spring`
  `getConstraint(String edgeName)`
  Returns the value of the specified edge, which may be a derived value, or even `null`.
  `Spring`
  `getHeight()`
  Returns the value of the `height` property.
  `Spring`
  `getWidth()`
  Returns the value of the `width` property.
  `Spring`
  `getX()`
  Returns the value of the `x` property.
  `Spring`
  `getY()`
  Returns the value of the `y` property.
  `void`
  `setConstraint(String edgeName, Spring s)`
  Sets the spring controlling the specified edge.
  `void`
  `setHeight(Spring height)`
  Sets the `height` property, which controls the height of a component.
  `void`
  `setWidth(Spring width)`
  Sets the `width` property, which controls the width of a component.
  `void`
  `setX(Spring x)`
  Sets the `x` property, which controls the `x` value of a component's location.
  `void`
  `setY(Spring y)`
  Sets the `y` property, which controls the `y` value of a component's location.

  ### Methods declared in class Object

  `clone, equals, finalize, getClass, hashCode, notify, notifyAll, toString, wait, wait, wait`
  Modifier and Type
  Method
  Description
  `protected Object`
  `clone()`
  Creates and returns a copy of this object.
  `boolean`
  `equals(Object obj)`
  Indicates whether some other object is "equal to" this one.
  `protected void`
  `finalize()`
  Deprecated, for removal: This API element is subject to removal in a future version.
  Finalization is deprecated and subject to removal in a future release.
  `final Class<?>`
  `getClass()`
  Returns the runtime class of this `Object`.
  `int`
  `hashCode()`
  Returns a hash code value for this object.
  `final void`
  `notify()`
  Wakes up a single thread that is waiting on this object's monitor.
  `final void`
  `notifyAll()`
  Wakes up all threads that are waiting on this object's monitor.
  `String`
  `toString()`
  Returns a string representation of the object.
  `final void`
  `wait()`
  Causes the current thread to wait until it is awakened, typically by being notified or interrupted.
  `final void`
  `wait(long timeoutMillis)`
  Causes the current thread to wait until it is awakened, typically by being notified or interrupted, or until a certain amount of real time has elapsed.
  `final void`
  `wait(long timeoutMillis, int nanos)`
  Causes the current thread to wait until it is awakened, typically by being notified or interrupted, or until a certain amount of real time has elapsed.

- ## Constructor Details

  - ### Constraints

    public Constraints()
    Creates an empty `Constraints` object.

  - ### Constraints

    public Constraints(Spring x, Spring y)
    Creates a `Constraints` object with the specified values for its `x` and `y` properties. The `height` and `width` springs have `null` values.
    Parameters:
      `x` - the spring controlling the component's x value
      `y` - the spring controlling the component's y value

  - ### Constraints

    public Constraints(Spring x, Spring y, Spring width, Spring height)
    Creates a `Constraints` object with the specified values for its `x`, `y`, `width`, and `height` properties. Note: If the `SpringLayout` class encounters `null` values in the `Constraints` object of a given component, it replaces them with suitable defaults.
    Parameters:
      `x` - the spring value for the `x` property
      `y` - the spring value for the `y` property
      `width` - the spring value for the `width` property
      `height` - the spring value for the `height` property

  - ### Constraints

    public Constraints(Component c)
    Creates a `Constraints` object with suitable `x`, `y`, `width` and `height` springs for component, `c`. The `x` and `y` springs are constant springs initialised with the component's location at the time this method is called. The `width` and `height` springs are special springs, created by the `Spring.width()` and `Spring.height()` methods, which track the size characteristics of the component when they change.
    Parameters:
      `c` - the component whose characteristics will be reflected by this Constraints object
    Throws:
      `NullPointerException` - if `c` is null.
    Since:
      1.5

- ## Method Details

  - ### setX

    public void setX(Spring x)
    Sets the `x` property, which controls the `x` value of a component's location.
    Parameters:
      `x` - the spring controlling the `x` value of a component's location
    See Also:
      - `getX()`
      - `SpringLayout.Constraints`

  - ### getX

    public Spring getX()
    Returns the value of the `x` property.
    Returns:
      the spring controlling the `x` value of a component's location
    See Also:
      - `setX(Spring)`
      - `SpringLayout.Constraints`

  - ### setY

    public void setY(Spring y)
    Sets the `y` property, which controls the `y` value of a component's location.
    Parameters:
      `y` - the spring controlling the `y` value of a component's location
    See Also:
      - `getY()`
      - `SpringLayout.Constraints`

  - ### getY

    public Spring getY()
    Returns the value of the `y` property.
    Returns:
      the spring controlling the `y` value of a component's location
    See Also:
      - `setY(Spring)`
      - `SpringLayout.Constraints`

  - ### setWidth

    public void setWidth(Spring width)
    Sets the `width` property, which controls the width of a component.
    Parameters:
      `width` - the spring controlling the width of this `Constraints` object
    See Also:
      - `getWidth()`
      - `SpringLayout.Constraints`

  - ### getWidth

    public Spring getWidth()
    Returns the value of the `width` property.
    Returns:
      the spring controlling the width of a component
    See Also:
      - `setWidth(Spring)`
      - `SpringLayout.Constraints`

  - ### setHeight

    public void setHeight(Spring height)
    Sets the `height` property, which controls the height of a component.
    Parameters:
      `height` - the spring controlling the height of this `Constraints` object
    See Also:
      - `getHeight()`
      - `SpringLayout.Constraints`

  - ### getHeight

    public Spring getHeight()
    Returns the value of the `height` property.
    Returns:
      the spring controlling the height of a component
    See Also:
      - `setHeight(Spring)`
      - `SpringLayout.Constraints`

  - ### setConstraint

    public void setConstraint(String edgeName, Spring s)
    Sets the spring controlling the specified edge. The edge must have one of the following values: `SpringLayout.NORTH`, `SpringLayout.SOUTH`, `SpringLayout.EAST`, `SpringLayout.WEST`, `SpringLayout.HORIZONTAL_CENTER`, `SpringLayout.VERTICAL_CENTER`, `SpringLayout.BASELINE`, `SpringLayout.WIDTH` or `SpringLayout.HEIGHT`. For any other `String` value passed as the edge, no action is taken. For a `null` edge, a `NullPointerException` is thrown.

    Note: This method can affect `x` and `y` values previously set for this `Constraints`.

    Parameters:
      `edgeName` - the edge to be set
      `s` - the spring controlling the specified edge
    Throws:
      `NullPointerException` - if `edgeName` is `null`
    See Also:
      - `getConstraint(String)`
      - `SpringLayout.NORTH`
      - `SpringLayout.SOUTH`
      - `SpringLayout.EAST`
      - `SpringLayout.WEST`
      - `SpringLayout.HORIZONTAL_CENTER`
      - `SpringLayout.VERTICAL_CENTER`
      - `SpringLayout.BASELINE`
      - `SpringLayout.WIDTH`
      - `SpringLayout.HEIGHT`
      - `SpringLayout.Constraints`

  - ### getConstraint

    public Spring getConstraint(String edgeName)
    Returns the value of the specified edge, which may be a derived value, or even `null`. The edge must have one of the following values: `SpringLayout.NORTH`, `SpringLayout.SOUTH`, `SpringLayout.EAST`, `SpringLayout.WEST`, `SpringLayout.HORIZONTAL_CENTER`, `SpringLayout.VERTICAL_CENTER`, `SpringLayout.BASELINE`, `SpringLayout.WIDTH` or `SpringLayout.HEIGHT`. For any other `String` value passed as the edge, `null` will be returned. Throws `NullPointerException` for a `null` edge.
    Parameters:
      `edgeName` - the edge whose value is to be returned
    Returns:
      the spring controlling the specified edge, may be `null`
    Throws:
      `NullPointerException` - if `edgeName` is `null`
    See Also:
      - `setConstraint(String, Spring)`
      - `SpringLayout.NORTH`
      - `SpringLayout.SOUTH`
      - `SpringLayout.EAST`
      - `SpringLayout.WEST`
      - `SpringLayout.HORIZONTAL_CENTER`
      - `SpringLayout.VERTICAL_CENTER`
      - `SpringLayout.BASELINE`
      - `SpringLayout.WIDTH`
      - `SpringLayout.HEIGHT`
      - `SpringLayout.Constraints`