GUI frame is huge, doesn't match my design in java

Question

Sorry for the lame title, couldn't think of a better way to word it. Basically, I'm learning GUIs in java and using NetBeans and I have a problem I haven't been able to search, and my google fu is failing me. Basically, when I design a new window I can get it exactly how I want it

and then when I go to run it, it comes out huge but it's not maximized, just a giant frame

I've tried manipulating properties that sound like they would help with no luck. Can anyone offer some advice? Thanks in advance!

Edit: Wanted to add, this isn't specific to this program, it does it with any GUI's I try to make, leading me to believe it's some setting in Netbeans that I can't find an answer to.

Here is the GUI code:

private void initComponents() {

    jLabel1 = new javax.swing.JLabel();
    jLabel2 = new javax.swing.JLabel();
    jLabel3 = new javax.swing.JLabel();
    jLabel4 = new javax.swing.JLabel();
    jLabel5 = new javax.swing.JLabel();
    calculateButton = new javax.swing.JButton();
    exitButton = new javax.swing.JButton();
    customerTypeTxt = new javax.swing.JTextField();
    subtotalTxt = new javax.swing.JTextField();
    discountPercentTxt = new javax.swing.JTextField();
    discountAmountTxt = new javax.swing.JTextField();
    totalTxt = new javax.swing.JTextField();

    setDefaultCloseOperation(javax.swing.WindowConstants.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);

    jLabel1.setText("Customer Type:");

    jLabel2.setText("Subtotal:");

    jLabel3.setText("Discount Percent:");

    jLabel4.setText("Discount Amount:");

    jLabel5.setText("Total:");

    calculateButton.setText("Calculate");
    calculateButton.addActionListener(new java.awt.event.ActionListener() {
        public void actionPerformed(java.awt.event.ActionEvent evt) {
            calculateButtonActionPerformed(evt);
        }
    });

    exitButton.setText("Exit");
    exitButton.addActionListener(new java.awt.event.ActionListener() {
        public void actionPerformed(java.awt.event.ActionEvent evt) {
            exitButtonActionPerformed(evt);
        }
    });

    discountPercentTxt.setEditable(false);
    discountPercentTxt.setFocusable(false);

    discountAmountTxt.setEditable(false);
    discountAmountTxt.setFocusable(false);

    totalTxt.setEditable(false);
    totalTxt.setFocusable(false);

    javax.swing.GroupLayout layout = new javax.swing.GroupLayout(getContentPane());
    getContentPane().setLayout(layout);
    layout.setHorizontalGroup(
        layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.LEADING)
        .addGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.TRAILING, layout.createSequentialGroup()
            .addContainerGap(javax.swing.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, Short.MAX_VALUE)
            .addGroup(layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.TRAILING)
                .addGroup(layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.LEADING, false)
                    .addGroup(layout.createSequentialGroup()
                        .addGroup(layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.LEADING)
                            .addComponent(jLabel4)
                            .addComponent(jLabel5))
                        .addGap(25, 25, 25)
                        .addGroup(layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.LEADING)
                            .addComponent(discountAmountTxt)
                            .addComponent(totalTxt, javax.swing.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, 108, Short.MAX_VALUE)))
                    .addGroup(layout.createSequentialGroup()
                        .addGroup(layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.LEADING)
                            .addComponent(jLabel1)
                            .addComponent(jLabel2)
                            .addComponent(jLabel3))
                        .addGap(25, 25, 25)
                        .addGroup(layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.LEADING, false)
                            .addComponent(discountPercentTxt, javax.swing.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, 108, Short.MAX_VALUE)
                            .addComponent(subtotalTxt)
                            .addComponent(customerTypeTxt))))
                .addGroup(layout.createSequentialGroup()
                    .addComponent(calculateButton, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE, 95, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE)
                    .addPreferredGap(javax.swing.LayoutStyle.ComponentPlacement.UNRELATED)
                    .addComponent(exitButton)))
            .addGap(18, 18, 18))
    );
    layout.setVerticalGroup(
        layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.LEADING)
        .addGroup(layout.createSequentialGroup()
            .addGap(21, 21, 21)
            .addGroup(layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.BASELINE)
                .addComponent(jLabel1)
                .addComponent(customerTypeTxt, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE, javax.swing.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE))
            .addGap(18, 18, 18)
            .addGroup(layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.BASELINE)
                .addComponent(jLabel2)
                .addComponent(subtotalTxt, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE, javax.swing.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE))
            .addGap(18, 18, 18)
            .addGroup(layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.BASELINE)
                .addComponent(jLabel3)
                .addComponent(discountPercentTxt, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE, javax.swing.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE))
            .addGap(18, 18, 18)
            .addGroup(layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.BASELINE)
                .addComponent(jLabel4)
                .addComponent(discountAmountTxt, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE, javax.swing.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE))
            .addGap(21, 21, 21)
            .addGroup(layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.BASELINE)
                .addComponent(jLabel5)
                .addComponent(totalTxt, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE, javax.swing.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE))
            .addGap(18, 18, 18)
            .addGroup(layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.BASELINE)
                .addComponent(calculateButton)
                .addComponent(exitButton))
            .addContainerGap(javax.swing.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, Short.MAX_VALUE))
    );

    pack();
}// </editor-fold>    

And more requested code:

public static void main(String args[]) {
    /* Set the Nimbus look and feel */
    //<editor-fold defaultstate="collapsed" desc=" Look and feel setting code (optional) ">
    /* If Nimbus (introduced in Java SE 6) is not available, stay with the default look and feel.
     * For details see http://download.oracle.com/javase/tutorial/uiswing/lookandfeel/plaf.html 
     */
    try {
        for (javax.swing.UIManager.LookAndFeelInfo info : javax.swing.UIManager.getInstalledLookAndFeels()) {
            if ("Nimbus".equals(info.getName())) {
                javax.swing.UIManager.setLookAndFeel(info.getClassName());
                break;
            }
        }
    } catch (ClassNotFoundException ex) {
        java.util.logging.Logger.getLogger(InvoiceForm.class.getName()).log(java.util.logging.Level.SEVERE, null, ex);
    } catch (InstantiationException ex) {
        java.util.logging.Logger.getLogger(InvoiceForm.class.getName()).log(java.util.logging.Level.SEVERE, null, ex);
    } catch (IllegalAccessException ex) {
        java.util.logging.Logger.getLogger(InvoiceForm.class.getName()).log(java.util.logging.Level.SEVERE, null, ex);
    } catch (javax.swing.UnsupportedLookAndFeelException ex) {
        java.util.logging.Logger.getLogger(InvoiceForm.class.getName()).log(java.util.logging.Level.SEVERE, null, ex);
    }
    //</editor-fold>

    /* Create and display the form */
    java.awt.EventQueue.invokeLater(new Runnable() {
        public void run() {
            new InvoiceForm().setVisible(true);
        }
    });
}

Answer 1

If I was you, I would forget about NetBeans designer and I would code the GUI with DesignGridLayout ; just replace all the block of code between following line (included):

javax.swing.GroupLayout layout = new javax.swing.GroupLayout(getContentPane());

and the following line (excluded, it must be kept):

pack();

with the following block of code:

DesignGridlLayout layout = new DesignGridLayout(getContentPane());
layout.row().grid(jLabel1).add(customerTypeTxt);
layout.row().grid(jLabel2).add(subtotalTxt);
layout.row().grid(jLabel3).add(discountPercentTxt);
layout.row().grid(jLabel4).add(discountAmountTxt);
layout.row().grid(jLabel5).add(totalTxt);
layout.emptyRow();
layout.row().center().add(calculateButton, exitButton);

You should get exactly the UI you want and enlarging should work as expected.

Don't search for a grphical designer for DesignGridLayout, you will find none as this is one layout manager created to be usable directly through coding, and coding with it is just super easy.

Answer 2

You should post some code, but I'll take a stab anyway: at the end of your GUI code, call this:

pack();

...to resize the frame based on preferred size and layout of its components.