What's the secret to using JSeparator?

The API documentation for JSeparator says that, besides using it in menus, it
can be used "elsewhere in a GUI wherever a visual divider is useful." I have
never been able to use it (show a visible divider) except in a menu. Anyone
know the "secret of the separator"?

A short, contrived example follows:

import javax.swing.*;
import javax.swing.event.*;
import java.awt.*;
import java.awt.event.*;

public class SeparatorTest extends JFrame
{
public SeparatorTest( )
{
setTitle( "SeparatorTest" );
setSize( 200, 200 );
setLocationRelativeTo( null );

JPanel pnlCenter = new JPanel();

pnlCenter.add( new JLabel( "Last Name: " ) );
pnlCenter.add( new JTextField( 8 ) );
pnlCenter.add( new JLabel( "First Name: " ) );
pnlCenter.add( new JTextField( 8 ) );

JSeparator sep = new JSeparator( JSeparator.HORIZONTAL );
pnlCenter.add( sep );

pnlCenter.add( new JButton( "OK" ) );
pnlCenter.add( new JButton( "Exit" ) );

add( pnlCenter );
}

public static void main(String[] args)
{
SeparatorTest app = new SeparatorTest();
app.setVisible( true );
}

}

Lee Weiner
lee AT leeweiner DOT org
.

Quantcast