[java] How to set specific window (frame) size in java swing?

Most layout managers work best with a component's preferredSize, and most GUI's are best off allowing the components they contain to set their own preferredSizes based on their content or properties. To use these layout managers to their best advantage, do call pack() on your top level containers such as your JFrames before making them visible as this will tell these managers to do their actions -- to layout their components.

Often when I've needed to play a more direct role in setting the size of one of my components, I'll override getPreferredSize and have it return a Dimension that is larger than the super.preferredSize (or if not then it returns the super's value).

For example, here's a small drag-a-rectangle app that I created for another question on this site:

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

public class MoveRect extends JPanel {
   private static final int RECT_W = 90;
   private static final int RECT_H = 70;
   private static final int PREF_W = 600;
   private static final int PREF_H = 300;
   private static final Color DRAW_RECT_COLOR = Color.black;
   private static final Color DRAG_RECT_COLOR = new Color(180, 200, 255);
   private Rectangle rect = new Rectangle(25, 25, RECT_W, RECT_H);
   private boolean dragging = false;
   private int deltaX = 0;
   private int deltaY = 0;

   public MoveRect() {
      MyMouseAdapter myMouseAdapter = new MyMouseAdapter();
      addMouseListener(myMouseAdapter);
      addMouseMotionListener(myMouseAdapter);
   }

   @Override
   protected void paintComponent(Graphics g) {
      super.paintComponent(g);
      if (rect != null) {
         Color c = dragging ? DRAG_RECT_COLOR : DRAW_RECT_COLOR;
         g.setColor(c);
         Graphics2D g2 = (Graphics2D) g;
         g2.draw(rect);
      }
   }

   @Override
   public Dimension getPreferredSize() {
      return new Dimension(PREF_W, PREF_H);
   }

   private class MyMouseAdapter extends MouseAdapter {

      @Override
      public void mousePressed(MouseEvent e) {
         Point mousePoint = e.getPoint();
         if (rect.contains(mousePoint)) {
            dragging = true;
            deltaX = rect.x - mousePoint.x;
            deltaY = rect.y - mousePoint.y;
         }
      }

      @Override
      public void mouseReleased(MouseEvent e) {
         dragging = false;
         repaint();
      }

      @Override
      public void mouseDragged(MouseEvent e) {
         Point p2 = e.getPoint();
         if (dragging) {
            int x = p2.x + deltaX;
            int y = p2.y + deltaY;
            rect = new Rectangle(x, y, RECT_W, RECT_H);
            MoveRect.this.repaint();
         }
      }
   }

   private static void createAndShowGui() {
      MoveRect mainPanel = new MoveRect();

      JFrame frame = new JFrame("MoveRect");
      frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
      frame.getContentPane().add(mainPanel);
      frame.pack();
      frame.setLocationByPlatform(true);
      frame.setVisible(true);
   }

   public static void main(String[] args) {
      SwingUtilities.invokeLater(new Runnable() {
         public void run() {
            createAndShowGui();
         }
      });
   }
}

Note that my main class is a JPanel, and that I override JPanel's getPreferredSize:

public class MoveRect extends JPanel {
   //.... deleted constants

   private static final int PREF_W = 600;
   private static final int PREF_H = 300;

   //.... deleted fields and constants

   //... deleted methods and constructors

   @Override
   public Dimension getPreferredSize() {
      return new Dimension(PREF_W, PREF_H);
   }

Also note that when I display my GUI, I place it into a JFrame, call pack(); on the JFrame, set its position, and then call setVisible(true); on my JFrame:

   private static void createAndShowGui() {
      MoveRect mainPanel = new MoveRect();

      JFrame frame = new JFrame("MoveRect");
      frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
      frame.getContentPane().add(mainPanel);
      frame.pack();
      frame.setLocationByPlatform(true);
      frame.setVisible(true);
   }

   public static void main(String[] args) {
      SwingUtilities.invokeLater(new Runnable() {
         public void run() {
            createAndShowGui();
         }
      });
   }
}