title: define container minimum size using java layouts
body: <p>i am writing a stand alone app in java using a couple of JPanel with different layouts in order to arrange the user interface.
  now my problem is that when i take the upper side of the window (its a pannel in a border layout which is inside another panel which using border layout),im tring to add a class that extends panel is order to paint an icon on the top of my window (draw on the panel) . the problem is that the layout is cuting a part of the icon, or in other words, minimazing the panel to a certain size. 
  i tried changing to flowlayout and others but is does the same...
  so i wanted to ask if an option which tells the layout that a container (panel or others) can not be set to a size lower then a given size exists? other suggestions will allso help but keep in mind that i am tring to add the icon with mininal change to the GUI.</p>
  
  <p>thanks for reading this and helping
  moshe</p>