How to add multiple objects to Grid Pane at once

Question

I am mostly just doing this to try and speed up some tedious office tasks.

So far I have created a GridPane of what I want, and I want to copy that setup and duplicate it directly below the existing GridPane .

Right now it sort of works. It copies the Label s and TextField s just fine, but it places them all into one column instead of copying the layout I already made. I figured it wouldn't work since none of the column/row index's were updated. I don't understand why it sticks it all in one column though.

If anyone could point me in the right direction to make this work that would be awesome.

package application;

import javafx.application.Application;
import javafx.event.ActionEvent;
import javafx.event.EventHandler;
import javafx.geometry.Insets;
import javafx.geometry.Pos;
import javafx.scene.Scene;
import javafx.scene.control.Button;
import javafx.scene.control.Label;
import javafx.scene.control.TextField;
import javafx.scene.layout.GridPane;
import javafx.scene.layout.HBox;
import javafx.scene.paint.Color;
import javafx.scene.text.Text;
import javafx.stage.Stage;
import javafx.stage.Screen;

public class Main extends Application {

    Label   sample, USCS, ColorField, DensityLabel, MoistureField,
            startElevationField, endElevationField, BlowCount6Field,
            BlowCount12Field, BlowCount18Field, LabTestField,
            SamplerTypeField;

    TextField   sampleTextField, USCSTextField, ColorTextField,
                DensityTextField, MoistureTextField,
                startElevationTextField, endElevationTextField,
                BlowCount6TextField, BlowCount12TextField,
                BlowCount18TextField, LabTestTextField,
                SamplerTypeTextField;

    int rowMod, columnMod;

    GridPane grid;

    Scene scene;

    Button btn;


    public static void main(String[] args) {
        launch(args);
    }

    @Override
    public void start(Stage primaryStage) {
        primaryStage.setTitle("Boring Logger+");
        createGrid();
        scene = new Scene(grid, 900, 600);
        primaryStage.setScene(scene);
        primaryStage.show();

    }

    public GridPane createGrid(){
        grid = new GridPane();
        grid.setAlignment(Pos.TOP_LEFT);
        grid.setHgap(10);
        grid.setVgap(10);
        grid.setPadding(new Insets(25, 25, 25, 25));

        sample = new Label("Sample Label");
        grid.add(sample, 0, 3);
        sample.setPrefWidth(150);
        sample.setAlignment(Pos.CENTER);

        sampleTextField = new TextField();
        grid.add(sampleTextField, 0, 4);

        USCS = new Label("USCS");
        grid.add(USCS, 1, 0);
        USCS.setPrefWidth(150);
        USCS.setAlignment(Pos.CENTER);

        USCSTextField = new TextField();
        grid.add(USCSTextField, 1, 1);

        ColorField = new Label("Color");
        grid.add(ColorField, 2, 0);
        ColorField.setPrefWidth(150);
        ColorField.setAlignment(Pos.CENTER);

        ColorTextField = new TextField();
        grid.add(ColorTextField, 2, 1);

        DensityLabel = new Label("Density");
        grid.add(DensityLabel, 3, 0);
        DensityLabel.setPrefWidth(150);
        DensityLabel.setAlignment(Pos.CENTER);

        DensityTextField = new TextField();
        grid.add(DensityTextField, 3, 1);

        MoistureField = new Label("Moisture");
        grid.add(MoistureField, 4, 0);
        MoistureField.setPrefWidth(150);
        MoistureField.setAlignment(Pos.CENTER);

        MoistureTextField = new TextField();
        grid.add(MoistureTextField, 4, 1);

        startElevationField = new Label("Start Elevation");
        grid.add(startElevationField, 1, 3);
        startElevationField.setPrefWidth(150);
        startElevationField.setAlignment(Pos.CENTER);

        startElevationTextField = new TextField();
        grid.add(startElevationTextField, 1, 4);

        endElevationField = new Label("End Elevation");
        grid.add(endElevationField, 2, 3);
        endElevationField.setPrefWidth(150);
        endElevationField.setAlignment(Pos.CENTER);

        endElevationTextField = new TextField();
        grid.add(endElevationTextField, 2, 4);

        BlowCount6Field = new Label("Blow Count @ 6in");
        grid.add(BlowCount6Field, 3, 3);
        BlowCount6Field.setPrefWidth(150);
        BlowCount6Field.setAlignment(Pos.CENTER);

        BlowCount6TextField = new TextField();
        grid.add(BlowCount6TextField, 3, 4);

        BlowCount12Field = new Label("Blow Count @ 12in");
        grid.add(BlowCount12Field, 4, 3);
        BlowCount12Field.setPrefWidth(150);
        BlowCount12Field.setAlignment(Pos.CENTER);

        BlowCount12TextField = new TextField();
        grid.add(BlowCount12TextField, 4, 4);

        BlowCount18Field = new Label("Blow Count @ 18in");
        grid.add(BlowCount18Field, 1, 5);
        BlowCount18Field.setPrefWidth(150);
        BlowCount18Field.setAlignment(Pos.CENTER);

        BlowCount18TextField = new TextField();
        grid.add(BlowCount18TextField, 1, 6);

        LabTestField = new Label("Lab Test?");
        grid.add(LabTestField, 2, 5);
        LabTestField.setPrefWidth(150);
        LabTestField.setAlignment(Pos.CENTER);

        LabTestTextField = new TextField();
        grid.add(LabTestTextField, 2, 6);

        SamplerTypeField = new Label("Sampler Type");
        grid.add(SamplerTypeField, 3, 5);
        SamplerTypeField.setPrefWidth(150);
        SamplerTypeField.setAlignment(Pos.CENTER);

        SamplerTypeTextField = new TextField();
        grid.add(SamplerTypeTextField, 3, 6);

        Button();
        return grid;
    }

    public void Button(){
        //Add new Grid Button
        btn = new Button("Add Sample");
        grid.add(btn, 4, 6);
        btn.setPrefWidth(150);
        final GridPane actiontarget = new GridPane();
        grid.add(actiontarget, 1, 7);

        btn.setOnAction(new EventHandler<ActionEvent>() {

            @Override
            public void handle(ActionEvent event) {
                actiontarget.add(createGrid(), 0, 0, 4, 6);
            }

//            @Override
//            public void handle(ActionEvent e) {
//                actiontarget.setFill(Color.FIREBRICK);
//                actiontarget.setText("Sign in button pressed");
//            }
        });
    }
}

Answer 1

In the variation below, createGrid() returns a copy of your layout and createButton() returns a button that adds the copy to the enclosing grid , which is itself enclosed in a ScrollPane . Click the Add Sample button to see the effect. Note that because the labels and text fields are member variables, they will reference only the most recently created grid. You'll have to refactor them to meet your application's goals.

import javafx.application.Application;
import javafx.event.ActionEvent;
import javafx.event.EventHandler;
import javafx.geometry.Insets;
import javafx.geometry.Pos;
import javafx.scene.Scene;
import javafx.scene.control.Button;
import javafx.scene.control.Label;
import javafx.scene.control.ScrollPane;
import javafx.scene.control.ScrollPane.ScrollBarPolicy;
import javafx.scene.control.TextField;
import javafx.scene.layout.BorderPane;
import javafx.scene.layout.GridPane;
import javafx.scene.layout.HBox;
import javafx.stage.Stage;

/**
 * @se http://stackoverflow.com/a/37154103/230513
 */
public class Main extends Application {

    Label sample, USCS, ColorField, DensityLabel, MoistureField,
        startElevationField, endElevationField, BlowCount6Field,
        BlowCount12Field, BlowCount18Field, LabTestField,
        SamplerTypeField;

    TextField sampleTextField, USCSTextField, ColorTextField,
        DensityTextField, MoistureTextField,
        startElevationTextField, endElevationTextField,
        BlowCount6TextField, BlowCount12TextField,
        BlowCount18TextField, LabTestTextField,
        SamplerTypeTextField;

    int rowMod, columnMod;

    GridPane grid = new GridPane();
    private int row;

    public static void main(String[] args) {
        launch(args);
    }

    @Override
    public void start(Stage primaryStage) {
        primaryStage.setTitle("Boring Logger+");
        grid.add(createGrid(), 0, row);
        ScrollPane sp = new ScrollPane(grid);
        sp.setHbarPolicy(ScrollBarPolicy.NEVER);
        sp.setVbarPolicy(ScrollBarPolicy.ALWAYS);
        BorderPane bp = new BorderPane(sp);
        HBox hbox = new HBox(createButton());
        hbox.setAlignment(Pos.CENTER_RIGHT);
        bp.setBottom(hbox);
        Scene scene = new Scene(bp);
        primaryStage.setScene(scene);
        primaryStage.show();
    }

    public GridPane createGrid() {
        GridPane grid = new GridPane();
        grid.setAlignment(Pos.TOP_LEFT);
        grid.setHgap(10);
        grid.setVgap(10);
        grid.setPadding(new Insets(25, 25, 25, 25));

        sample = new Label("Sample Label");
        grid.add(sample, 0, 3);
        sample.setPrefWidth(150);
        sample.setAlignment(Pos.CENTER);

        sampleTextField = new TextField();
        grid.add(sampleTextField, 0, 4);

        USCS = new Label("USCS");
        grid.add(USCS, 1, 0);
        USCS.setPrefWidth(150);
        USCS.setAlignment(Pos.CENTER);

        USCSTextField = new TextField();
        grid.add(USCSTextField, 1, 1);

        ColorField = new Label("Color");
        grid.add(ColorField, 2, 0);
        ColorField.setPrefWidth(150);
        ColorField.setAlignment(Pos.CENTER);

        ColorTextField = new TextField();
        grid.add(ColorTextField, 2, 1);

        DensityLabel = new Label("Density");
        grid.add(DensityLabel, 3, 0);
        DensityLabel.setPrefWidth(150);
        DensityLabel.setAlignment(Pos.CENTER);

        DensityTextField = new TextField();
        grid.add(DensityTextField, 3, 1);

        MoistureField = new Label("Moisture");
        grid.add(MoistureField, 4, 0);
        MoistureField.setPrefWidth(150);
        MoistureField.setAlignment(Pos.CENTER);

        MoistureTextField = new TextField();
        grid.add(MoistureTextField, 4, 1);

        startElevationField = new Label("Start Elevation");
        grid.add(startElevationField, 1, 3);
        startElevationField.setPrefWidth(150);
        startElevationField.setAlignment(Pos.CENTER);

        startElevationTextField = new TextField();
        grid.add(startElevationTextField, 1, 4);

        endElevationField = new Label("End Elevation");
        grid.add(endElevationField, 2, 3);
        endElevationField.setPrefWidth(150);
        endElevationField.setAlignment(Pos.CENTER);

        endElevationTextField = new TextField();
        grid.add(endElevationTextField, 2, 4);

        BlowCount6Field = new Label("Blow Count @ 6in");
        grid.add(BlowCount6Field, 3, 3);
        BlowCount6Field.setPrefWidth(150);
        BlowCount6Field.setAlignment(Pos.CENTER);

        BlowCount6TextField = new TextField();
        grid.add(BlowCount6TextField, 3, 4);

        BlowCount12Field = new Label("Blow Count @ 12in");
        grid.add(BlowCount12Field, 4, 3);
        BlowCount12Field.setPrefWidth(150);
        BlowCount12Field.setAlignment(Pos.CENTER);

        BlowCount12TextField = new TextField();
        grid.add(BlowCount12TextField, 4, 4);

        BlowCount18Field = new Label("Blow Count @ 18in");
        grid.add(BlowCount18Field, 1, 5);
        BlowCount18Field.setPrefWidth(150);
        BlowCount18Field.setAlignment(Pos.CENTER);

        BlowCount18TextField = new TextField();
        grid.add(BlowCount18TextField, 1, 6);

        LabTestField = new Label("Lab Test?");
        grid.add(LabTestField, 2, 5);
        LabTestField.setPrefWidth(150);
        LabTestField.setAlignment(Pos.CENTER);

        LabTestTextField = new TextField();
        grid.add(LabTestTextField, 2, 6);

        SamplerTypeField = new Label("Sampler Type");
        grid.add(SamplerTypeField, 3, 5);
        SamplerTypeField.setPrefWidth(150);
        SamplerTypeField.setAlignment(Pos.CENTER);

        SamplerTypeTextField = new TextField();
        grid.add(SamplerTypeTextField, 3, 6);

        return grid;
    }

    public Button createButton() {
        Button btn = new Button("Add Sample");
        btn.setOnAction(new EventHandler<ActionEvent>() {

            @Override
            public void handle(ActionEvent event) {
                grid.add(createGrid(), 0, ++row);
            }
        });
        return btn;
    }
}

Answer 2

You need to rethink your layout: Your createGrid() method creates the whole grid for you which is fine. All you need to do is to add this grid to another container (like a VBox - I do not see any need to use another GridPane here). So, apply the following modifications:

...
private final VBox mainLayout = new VBox();  // was GridPane grid;
...

In your start method, create the first grid and add it to the main layout which you also set as the Scene's top node:

...
GridPane grid1 = createGrid();
mainLayout.getChildren().add(grid1);
scene = new Scene(mainLayout, 900, 600);
...

In your buttons action handler, you simply create another grid and add it to the main layout. Remove the actiontarget variable completely - you do not need to create another grid.

Then, you need to add the button to your grid - the simplest way would be to pass the destination grid to the Button method as a parameter (this assumes that the button shall be available on each grid). Also, the method should be renamed to something like createButton() . The complete method now looks like this:

public void createButton(GridPane grid){
    //Add new Grid Button
    btn = new Button("Add Sample");
    btn.setPrefWidth(150);
    grid.add(btn, 1, 7);

    btn.setOnAction(new EventHandler<ActionEvent>() {

        @Override
        public void handle(ActionEvent event) {
            GridPane newGrid = createGrid();
            mainLayout.getChildren().add(newGrid); // actiontarget.add(createGrid(), 0, 0, 4, 6);
        }
    });
}