A try to use [MigLayout](http://www.migcalendar.com/miglayout/) with tonegodgui as UserData (see original [discussion](http://hub.jmonkeyengine.org/forum/topic/confused-by-validatelayout-setglobaluiscale-and-element-positioning/) )

LayoutMig.java

/// License [CC0](http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)
package tonegod.ext;

import com.jme3.export.JmeExporter;
import com.jme3.export.JmeImporter;
import com.jme3.export.Savable;
import com.jme3.math.Vector2f;
import com.jme3.math.Vector4f;
import com.jme3.scene.Node;
import java.io.IOException;
import java.util.Collection;
import java.util.LinkedHashMap;
import java.util.Map;
import java.util.UUID;
import net.miginfocom.layout.AC;
import net.miginfocom.layout.CC;
import net.miginfocom.layout.ComponentWrapper;
import net.miginfocom.layout.ConstraintParser;
import net.miginfocom.layout.ContainerWrapper;
import net.miginfocom.layout.Grid;
import net.miginfocom.layout.LC;
import net.miginfocom.layout.LayoutUtil;
import static tonegod.ext.LayoutMig.findDimensionMin;
import tonegod.gui.controls.text.Label;
import tonegod.gui.core.Element;
import tonegod.gui.core.Screen;

/**
 * A try to use <a href="www.migcalendar.com/miglayout/">MigLayout</a> with tonegodgui.
 *
 * MigLayout is a powerfull layout lib that allow to layout like a Border, Flow, Grid, ...
 *
 * <pre><code>
 *      LayoutMig container = LayoutMig.newContainer(screen);
 *      container.setConstraints("", "push[]push", "push[]push");
 *      for (int i = 0; i < 5; i++) {
 *          Label l = new Label(screen, Vector2f.ZERO, Vector2f.ZERO);
 *          l.setText("label_" + i);
 *          //l.setColorMap(null);
 *          //l.setTextAlign(BitmapFont.Align.Center);
 *          container.add(l, "cell 0 0, flowy").setPreferredDimensions(findDimensionMin(l));
 *      }
 *      container.layout();
 *      screen.addElement(container.element);
 * </code></pre>
 *
 * @author David Bernard
 */
public class LayoutMig implements ContainerWrapper, Savable {
    ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
    // CLASS
    ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

    public static int pixelUnitFactor = 1;
    public static int horizontalScreenDPI = 72;
    public static int verticalScreenDPI = 72;
    public static int[] visualPadding = new int[]{0, 0, 0, 0};
    public static String udKey = "LayoutMig";

    // basic way to compute dimension (ignore orientation, ignore variable)
    public static Vector2f findDimensionMin(Label label) {
        float size = label.getFontSize();
        return new Vector2f(size * label.getText().length(), size);
    }

    public static LayoutMig newContainer(Screen screen) {
        return new LayoutMig(new Element(screen, UUID.randomUUID().toString(), new Vector2f(0, 0), new Vector2f(screen.getWidth(), screen.getHeight()), Vector4f.ZERO, null));
    }
    ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
    // OBJECT
    ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
    public final Element element;
    public int minimumWidth = 0;
    public int minimumHeight = 0;
    public int preferredWidth = 0;
    public int preferredHeight = 0;
    public int maximumWidth = LayoutUtil.INF;
    public int maximumHeight = LayoutUtil.INF;
    private transient final Map<ComponentWrapper, CC> ccMap = new LinkedHashMap<ComponentWrapper, CC>(8);
    private transient LC lc = null;
    private transient AC colSpecs = null, rowSpecs = null;
    protected boolean needLayout = false;

    public LayoutMig(Element e0) {
        element = e0;
        e0.setUserData(LayoutMig.udKey, this);
        setConstraints("", "", "");
    }

    //-- Mig
    @Override
    public ComponentWrapper[] getComponents() {
        Collection<ComponentWrapper> keys = ccMap.keySet();
        return keys.toArray(new ComponentWrapper[keys.size()]);
    }

    @Override
    public int getComponentCount() {
        return ccMap.size();
    }

    @Override
    public Object getLayout() {
        return this;
    }

    @Override
    public boolean isLeftToRight() {
        return true;
    }

    @Override
    public void paintDebugCell(int i, int i1, int i2, int i3) {
        throw new UnsupportedOperationException("Not supported yet.");
    }

    @Override
    public Object getComponent() {
        return element;
    }

    @Override
    public int getX() {
        return (int) element.getX();
    }

    @Override
    public int getY() {
        return (int) element.getY();
    }

    @Override
    public int getWidth() {
        return (int) element.getWidth();
    }

    @Override
    public int getHeight() {
        return (int) element.getHeight();
    }

    @Override
    public int getScreenLocationX() {
        return (int) element.getAbsoluteX();
    }

    @Override
    public int getScreenLocationY() {
        return (int) element.getAbsoluteY();
    }

    @Override
    public int getMinimumWidth(int i) {
        return minimumWidth;
    }

    @Override
    public int getMinimumHeight(int i) {
        return minimumHeight;
    }

    @Override
    public int getPreferredWidth(int i) {
        return preferredWidth;
    }

    @Override
    public int getPreferredHeight(int i) {
        return preferredHeight;
    }

    @Override
    public int getMaximumWidth(int i) {
        return maximumWidth;
    }

    @Override
    public int getMaximumHeight(int i) {
        return maximumHeight;
    }

    @Override
    public void setBounds(int x, int y, int w, int h) {
        element.setPosition(x, y);
        element.setDimensions(w, h);
        System.out.println("pos : " + element.getPosition() + " // dim : " + element.getDimensions());
//        throw new UnsupportedOperationException("Not supported yet."); //To change body of generated methods, choose Tools | Templates.
    }

    public boolean isVisible() {
        return element.getIsVisible();
    }

    public int getBaseline(int i, int i1) {
        return -1;
    }

    public boolean hasBaseline() {
        return false;
    }

    public ContainerWrapper getParent() {
        Node p = element.getParent();
        return (p == null) ? null : (ContainerWrapper) p.getUserData(LayoutMig.udKey);
    }

    public float getPixelUnitFactor(boolean bln) {
        return pixelUnitFactor;
    }

    public int getHorizontalScreenDPI() {
        return horizontalScreenDPI;
    }

    public int getVerticalScreenDPI() {
        return verticalScreenDPI;
    }

    public int getScreenWidth() {
        return (int) element.getScreen().getWidth();
    }

    public int getScreenHeight() {
        return (int) element.getScreen().getHeight();
    }

    public String getLinkId() {
        throw new UnsupportedOperationException("Not supported yet.");
    }

    public int getLayoutHashCode() {
        throw new UnsupportedOperationException("Not supported yet.");
    }

    public int[] getVisualPadding() {
        return visualPadding;
    }

    public void paintDebugOutline() {
        throw new UnsupportedOperationException("Not supported yet."); //To change body of generated methods, choose Tools | Templates.
    }

    public int getComponetType(boolean bln) {
        throw new UnsupportedOperationException("Not supported yet."); //To change body of generated methods, choose Tools | Templates.
    }

    //-- Savable (TODO)
    public void write(JmeExporter ex) throws IOException {
        throw new UnsupportedOperationException("Not supported yet."); //To change body of generated methods, choose Tools | Templates.
    }

    public void read(JmeImporter im) throws IOException {
        throw new UnsupportedOperationException("Not supported yet."); //To change body of generated methods, choose Tools | Templates.
    }

    //--
    public final void setConstraints(String layoutConstr, String colConstr, String rowConstr) {
        setLayoutConstraints(layoutConstr);
        setColumnConstraints(colConstr);
        setRowConstraints(rowConstr);
    }

    /**
     * Sets the layout constraints for the layout manager instance as a String.
     * <p>
     * See the class JavaDocs for information on how this string is formatted.
     *
     * @param constr The layout constraints as a String representation. <code>null</code> is converted * * * * * * * *
     * to <code>""</code> for storage.
     * @throws RuntimeException if the constraint was not valid.
     */
    public final void setLayoutConstraints(String constr) {
        constr = ConstraintParser.prepare((String) constr);
        lc = ConstraintParser.parseLayoutConstraint((String) constr);
        needLayout = true;
    }

    /**
     * Sets the column layout constraints for the layout manager instance as a String.
     * <p>
     * See the class JavaDocs for information on how this string is formatted.
     *
     * @param constr The column layout constraints as a String representation. <code>null</code> is converted * * * * *
     * to <code>""</code> for storage.
     * @throws RuntimeException if the constraint was not valid.
     */
    public final void setColumnConstraints(String constr) {
        constr = ConstraintParser.prepare((String) constr);
        colSpecs = ConstraintParser.parseColumnConstraints((String) constr);
        needLayout = true;
    }

    /**
     * Sets the row layout constraints for the layout manager instance as a String.
     * <p>
     * See the class JavaDocs for information on how this string is formatted.
     *
     * @param constr The row layout constraints as a String representation. <code>null</code> is converted * * * * * *
     * to <code>""</code> for storage.
     * @throws RuntimeException if the constraint was not valid.
     */
    public final void setRowConstraints(String constr) {
        constr = ConstraintParser.prepare((String) constr);
        rowSpecs = ConstraintParser.parseRowConstraints((String) constr);
        needLayout = true;
    }

    public LayoutMig add(Element child, String constr) {
        LayoutMig cw = child.getUserData(LayoutMig.udKey);
        if (cw == null) {
            cw = new LayoutMig(child);
        }
        String cStr = ConstraintParser.prepare(constr);
        ccMap.put(cw, ConstraintParser.parseComponentConstraint(cStr));
        element.addChild(child, false); // failed to process hidden elements
        needLayout = true;
        return cw;
    }

    public boolean layout() {
        Grid grid = new Grid(this, lc, rowSpecs, colSpecs, ccMap, null);
        int[] b = new int[]{
            10,
            0,
            this.getWidth(),
            this.getHeight()
        };

        needLayout = grid.layout(b, lc.getAlignX(), lc.getAlignY(), false, false);
        System.out.println("layout... : " + element.getUID() + " .. " + needLayout);
        return needLayout;
    }

    public void layoutIfNeeded(float tpf) {
        if (needLayout) {
            if (element instanceof Label) {
                Vector2f dim = findDimensionMin((Label) element);
                minimumHeight = (int) dim.y;
                minimumWidth = (int) dim.x;
            }
            layout();
            // need to notify parent, because controlUpdate is called parent first and Layout need child first
            LayoutMig p = (LayoutMig) getParent();
            if (p != null) {
                p.needLayout = true;
            }
        }
    }

    public void setPreferredDimensions(Vector2f dim) {
        preferredWidth = (int) Math.ceil(dim.x);
        preferredHeight = (int) Math.ceil(dim.y);
    }
}