bar.add(message);
   bar.add(cursorLocIndicator);
   JPanel progPanel = new JPanel();
   progPanel.add(progress);
   bar.add(progPanel);
   ...
   /* causes the "cell" to disappear, and everything
      to be layed out */
   cursorLocIndicator.setVisible(false);
   ...
   /* causes the "cell" to reappear, in the same place
      it used to be */
   cursorLocIndicator.setVisible(true);
   ...
   /* causes the progress bar to disappear, but keeps
      the cell where it is -- no layout changes */
   progress.setVisible(false);

   bar.add(message);
   bar.add(cursorLocIndicator);
   bar.add(progress);
   ...
   /* causes the "cell" to disappear, and everything
      to be layed out */
   bar.remove(1);
   ...
   /* causes the "cell" to reappear, in the same place
      it used to be */
   bar.add(cursorLocIndicator, 1);
   ...
   /* causes the progress bar to disappear, but keeps
      the cell where it is -- no layout changes */
   progress.setVisible(false);

   bar.add(message);
   bar.add(cursorLocIndicator);
   bar.add(progress);
   ...
   /* causes the "cell" to disappear, and everything
      to be layed out */
   bar.getCell(cursorLocIndicator).setVisible(false);
   ...
   /* causes the "cell" to reappear, in the same place
      it used to be */
   bar.getCell(cursorLocIndicator).setVisible(true);
   ...
   /* causes the progress bar to disappear, but keeps
      the cell where it is -- no layout changes */
   progress.setVisible(false);

    /*create the status bar*/
    JXStatusBar bar = new JXStatusBar();
        
    /*create and add the message label*/
    JLabel messageLabel = new JLabel("Ready");
    bar.add(messageLabel, JXStatusBar.Constraint.ResizeBehavior.FILL);
        
    /*create and add the progress bar*/
    JProgressBar progress = new JProgressBar();
    bar.add(progress);

    l1 = new JLabel("In progress");
    Dimension d = l1.getPreferredSize();
    Dimension d2 = new Dimension(100, d.height);
    l1.setPreferredSize(d2);

    public WindowsStatusBarUI() {
        try {
            // filthy hack to get correct color match for XP silver color scheme
            String pngprefix = "resources/" + 
                    (OS.getWindowsVisualStyle().contains("etallic")
                    ? "silver-"
                    : "");
            leftImage = ImageIO.read(getClass().getResource(pngprefix+"statusbar-left.png"));
            middleImage = ImageIO.read(getClass().getResource(pngprefix+"statusbar-middle.png"));
            rightImage = ImageIO.read(getClass().getResource(pngprefix+"statusbar-right.png"));
        } catch (Exception e) {
            //hmmmm... should log this I guess
        }
    }

----------------------------------------------
        |
                           |
Label whose text got longer|other label
                           |
        |
----------------------------------------------

/** 
 * StatusBarBugs.java 
 * Created on 2 November 2006, 16:40 
 **/
import java.awt.BorderLayout;
import java.awt.Dimension;
import java.awt.EventQueue;
import java.awt.event.ActionEvent;
import java.awt.event.ActionListener;
import java.util.Enumeration;
import javax.swing.AbstractAction;
import javax.swing.AbstractButton;
import javax.swing.Action;
import javax.swing.BoxLayout;
import javax.swing.ButtonGroup;
import javax.swing.JButton;
import javax.swing.JFrame;
import javax.swing.JLabel;
import javax.swing.JPanel;
import javax.swing.JRadioButton;
import javax.swing.SwingUtilities;
import javax.swing.UIManager;
import org.jdesktop.swingx.JXStatusBar;
 
/** @author JohnM */
 
public class StatusBarBugs extends JFrame{
 
    public StatusBarBugs() {
        setTitle("Status Bar Bugs");
        setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
        setLayout(new BorderLayout());
        
        final String MSG1 = "message";
        final String MSG2 = "longer message";
        final JLabel msg1 = new JLabel(MSG1);
        JButton b = new JButton("Press me to change status label text");
        b.addActionListener(new ActionListener(){
            public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e){
                msg1.setText(msg1.getText().equals(MSG1) ? MSG2 : MSG1);
            }
        });
        
        ButtonGroup lafsGroup = new ButtonGroup();
        UIManager.LookAndFeelInfo[] lafs = UIManager.getInstalledLookAndFeels();
        String uiName = UIManager.getLookAndFeel().getName();
        for (int j=0; j<lafs.length; j++){
            if (!lafs[j].getName().startsWith("CDE")){
                final UIManager.LookAndFeelInfo LAF = lafs[j];
                Action anAction = new AbstractAction(LAF.getName()) {
                    public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {
                        try {
                            String laf = LAF.getClassName();
                            UIManager.setLookAndFeel(laf);
                            SwingUtilities.updateComponentTreeUI(StatusBarBugs.this);
                            StatusBarBugs.this.validate();
                        }  catch (Exception ex) {
                            ex.printStackTrace();
                        }
                    }
                };
                JRadioButton anItem = new JRadioButton(anAction);
                lafsGroup.add(anItem);
                anItem.setSelected(uiName.equals(LAF.getName()));
            }
        }
 
        JPanel p = new JPanel();
        p.setLayout(new BoxLayout(p, BoxLayout.Y_AXIS));
        add(p, BorderLayout.CENTER);
        p.add(b);
        
        for (Enumeration<AbstractButton>e = lafsGroup.getElements(); e.hasMoreElements(); ){
            p.add(e.nextElement());
        }
        
        JXStatusBar bar = new JXStatusBar();
        bar.add(msg1);
        bar.add(new JLabel("another message"));
        add(bar, BorderLayout.SOUTH);
 
        setLocation(100,100);
        pack();
    }        
    
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        try {
            UIManager.setLookAndFeel(UIManager.getSystemLookAndFeelClassName());
        }
        catch (Exception ex) {
            ex.printStackTrace();
        }
        final StatusBarBugs sbb = new StatusBarBugs();
        EventQueue.invokeLater(new Runnable(){
            public void run(){
                sbb.setVisible(true);
            }
        });
    }
}