🚀 go-pugleaf

First, I'm rather new to Java - just started developing in it about 3 months 
ago.  So, needless to say, I'm not 100% sure it isn't my *own* fault.  But, 
I've spent the better part of 7 hours *playing* and trying to understand 
what is going on and haven't been able to yet.  So I've decided to seek 
advice.

Configuration:
Using JBuilder2005 on Windows XP (all newest Service Packs) and JDK 1.4.  I 
have recently upgraded from JBuilder X because 2005 seemed to resolve some 
of my outstanding issues with that environment.

Issue:
Adding objects to the JPanel.  I am evaluating a third party Grid component 
(JBGridX if anyone is familar with it).  I've run into some issues while 
using it in the Designer view.  This grid has many different ways to load it 
with data - fine.  I used the 'simplest' (a dataModel) to begin with. 
Things worked perfectly and I was able to design the rest of the JPanel with 
that grid placed in it's approprate sub-JPanel.  I then removed all the 
records from the table that is used to populate that grid.  The JBGrid did 
NOT appreciate that.  It ended up giving me an error something like:  Failed 
to create live visual subcomponent...  It then hit me that I had actually 
seen *live* data in the JBGrid while in the Designer view - I don't recall 
that every happening in JBuilder X. (is that something new in JBuilder 
2005?).  Well, I know it's the grid's problem.  But what I didn't appreciate 
is that when I got that error, the JPanel in Designer view went "Blank".  I 
looked at the structure and everything was still *there* - whew.  I went 
into the Source view and the code looked okay.  Everything had bounds, was 
added to the main JPanel etc.  I tried to switch back and forth between 
Design and Source view hoping the code gods would fix things.  They didn't. 
Now, my first reaction was to dump the grid as a possibility.  But I'm not 
sure I'm ready to do that yet.  So, I started off from scratch again.  New 
Class (extends JPanel), Add second JPanel to put grid into, add GridX to 
second JPanel.  So far so good.  Make sure data is in table - done.  Add 
third JPanel to put Jtextboxes and JLabels into (used to show detail of the 
item selected in the grid).  Added Labels and TextBoxes with little 
incident.  Placed a JButton onto the first JPanel.  BOOM - everything gone 
again.  I selected each object via the Structure menu and resized and 
dragged them all back to where they belong.  Changed the name of the button 
I just put on the form.  BOOM - everything gone again. 
Rinse/Repeat...Rinse/Repeat.. on and on.  I tried to add other objects to 
the first JPanel as well and every time it had to do something (maybe redraw 
the JPanel in the Designer) it took everything but the Grid and the JPanel 
it was in away.  I ended up having three buttons on the JPanel at the end 
and each time I modified a property of any of them, they all got reduced to 
a 1,1 in the upper left corner of the JPanel.  When they (buttons, 
textboxes, lables) were reduced the buttons lost their assigned text and 
font properties.  They did keep their names, but lost everything else.  The 
labels were okay when resized and dragged.

So, I'm *guessing* that the "live visual subcomponent" is doing something 
that when it gets an error is putting the other objects at risk.  I'm hoping 
there is a way to tell the Designer to not use the "live visual" mode so it 
doesn't have to always try to update the information or get to the state 
that I am currently in.  I have the guys working on the grid crashing when 
no data in the supporting table.  But this issue occurs even when there is 
data in the table, so I'm guessing it's more of an issue with the JBuilder 
2005 designer.

Anyone have any ideas on what I can try next, or better yet a way to turn 
off this 'live visual' mode (I don't remember ever seeing that in JBuilderX 
so I think it's a new feature).  The other thing I've noticed is that when 
things 'crash' (switching from Source to Designer view) I have a small 
window open with the 'java icon' and nothing in the title bar. Possibly the 
JRE?  Not really sure.  There have been times when I have 6 - 10 of these 
pesky things loaded at once.  I end up closing them all manually when there 
are too many open at once for my liking.

Thank you in advance.

Todd