FULL PRODUCT VERSION :
java version "1.4.2"
Java(TM) 2 Runtime Environment, Standard Edition (build 1.4.2-b28)
Java HotSpot(TM) Client VM (build 1.4.2-b28, mixed mode)

FULL OS VERSION :
Microsoft Windows 2000 [Version 5.00.2195]

A DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM :
There is a bug in mimimumLayoutSize of FlowLayout which doesn't take into account if components were laid out in another column. The code below is from the jdk and is commented were the problem is

 public Dimension minimumLayoutSize(Container target) {
      synchronized (target.getTreeLock()) {
Dimension dim = new Dimension(0, 0);
int nmembers = target.getComponentCount();

for (int i = 0 ; i < nmembers ; i++) {
Component m = target.getComponent(i);
if (m.visible) {
Dimension d = m.getMinimumSize();
dim.height = Math.max(dim.height, d.height);
if (i > 0) {
dim.width += hgap;
}
                
                //problem here
dim.width += d.width;
}
}
Insets insets = target.getInsets();
dim.width += insets.left + insets.right + hgap*2;
dim.height += insets.top + insets.bottom + vgap*2;
return dim;
      }
    }

The problem is that the layoutContainer method moves component into another row if there is not enough place to display all the components. Instead of taking the miminum width of each row it takes the combined minimum width of all component even if they are on different row. This leads to wrong resizing behavior and a bunch of other repercussion when using this layout.


REPRODUCIBILITY :
This bug can be reproduced always.

CUSTOMER SUBMITTED WORKAROUND :
As explained above code would have to be added to remember which component is in which row so that the minimum size of each row can be given instead of the combined minimum size of all the component.