added a method to insert plates into a specific column

src/de/itsblue/ConnectFour/ConnectFour.java

@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import java.awt.Dimension;
 import javax.swing.JFrame;
 
 import de.itsblue.ConnectFour.GameBoard;
+import de.itsblue.ConnectFour.Plate.PlateType;
 
 public class ConnectFour extends JFrame {
     /**
@@ -29,8 +30,10 @@ public class ConnectFour extends JFrame {
         this.setPreferredSize(new Dimension(600, 600));
 
         GameBoard board = new GameBoard();
+        board.setPreferredSize(new Dimension(600,600));
         this.add(board);
 
+        board.insertPlate(new Plate(PlateType.O), 0);
         
         // finish up
         this.pack();

src/de/itsblue/ConnectFour/GameBoard.java

@@ -11,56 +11,48 @@ public class GameBoard extends JPanel {
      */
     private static final long serialVersionUID = 1L;
 
-    public int r = 6;
+    public int BoardRows = 6;
-    public int c = 7;
+    public int BoardColumns = 7;
-    GridLayout BoardLayout = new GridLayout(c,r+1);
+    JPanel[][] BoardContainers = new JPanel[BoardColumns][BoardRows];
-    JPanel[][] BoardContainers = new JPanel[c][r];
-    int[][] GameBoard = new int[c][r];
-    int[] filllevel = new int[r];
-    int p; // Player
 
-    boolean finish;
+    public boolean insertPlate(Plate plate, int column) {
 
-    public void addComponentsToPane() {
+        // check if the column is out of range
-        final JPanel field = this;
+        if(column > BoardColumns-1)
-        
+            return false;
-        field.setLayout(BoardLayout);
-
-        // Set up components preferred size
-        JButton b = new JButton(" ");
-        Dimension buttonSize = b.getPreferredSize();
-        field.setPreferredSize(new Dimension((int) (buttonSize.getWidth() * 2.5), (int) (buttonSize.getHeight() * 20)));
-
-        // Add buttons to experiment with Grid Layout
-        // field.add(new JButton("Button 2"));
-
-        for (int i = 1; i < 8; i++) {
-            field.add(new JButton("" + i));
-        }
-
-        for (int i = 0; i < r; i++) {
-            // // first column
-
-            for (int j = 0; j < c; j++) {
-                // field.add(new Plate(Plate.PlateType.X));
-
-                this.BoardContainers[j][i] = new JPanel(new GridBagLayout());
-                this.BoardContainers[j][i].setPreferredSize(new Dimension(20, 20));
-
-                if(j == 0)
-                this.BoardContainers[j][i].add(new Plate(Plate.PlateType.O));
-                else
-                this.BoardContainers[j][i].add(new Plate(Plate.PlateType.X));
-                this.add(this.BoardContainers[j][i]);
         
+        // search for an empty row
+        for(int i = BoardRows-1; i >= 0; i--) {
+            if(this.BoardContainers[column][i].getComponents().length == 0) {
+                // if the container is empty -> add the plate
+                this.BoardContainers[column][i].add(plate);
+                return true;
             }
         }
 
-        // Add controls to set up horizontal and vertical gaps
+        return false;
-        //pane.add(field, BorderLayout.CENTER);
     }
 
-    void winningCondition() {
+    public void initBoard() {
+
+        // configure the main layout
+        this.setLayout(new GridLayout(this.BoardColumns,this.BoardRows+1));
+
+        // fill the grid with containers
+        for (int i = 0; i < BoardRows; i++) {
+            for (int j = 0; j < BoardColumns; j++) {
+                // create the container
+                this.BoardContainers[j][i] = new JPanel(new GridBagLayout());
+                this.BoardContainers[j][i].setPreferredSize(new Dimension(20, 20));
+
+                // add the container
+                this.add(this.BoardContainers[j][i]);
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+
+    /*void winningCondition() {
         for (int i = 0; i <= 2; i++)
             for (int j = 0; j <= 6; j++) {
                 if (GameBoard[i][j] == p && GameBoard[i + 1][j] == p && GameBoard[i + 2][j] == p
@@ -88,19 +80,20 @@ public class GameBoard extends JPanel {
                         && GameBoard[i + 3][j - 3] == p)
                     finish = true;
             }
-    }
+            
+    }*/
 
 
 
-     void switchPlayer() {
+     /*void switchPlayer() {
         if (p != 1)
             p = 1;
         else
             p = 1;
-    }
+    }*/
 
     GameBoard() {
-        this.addComponentsToPane();
+        this.initBoard();
 
     }