Here is a small example for using the form geometry manager, maybe it will be useful for someone. I used -padleft to stick with the subject of the thread but -padx will do the same in this case.

#!/usr/bin/perl

use strict;
use warnings;

use Tk;
use Tk::widgets qw{ LabFrame };

my $main = MainWindow->new;

#--- Frame 1

my $frame1 = $main->LabFrame(
    -foreground => 'blue',
    -label      => 'Frame 1',
    -labelside  => 'acrosstop',
);
$frame1->grid(
    $frame1,
    -row    => 0,
    -column => 0,
    -ipadx  => 3,
    -ipady  => 3,
);

#-- column1

my $lcolumn1 = $frame1->Label( -text => 'Label 1', );
$lcolumn1->form(
    -left    => [ %0, 0 ],
    -top     => [ %0, 0 ],
    -padleft => 5,
);

my $ecolumn1 = $frame1->Entry( -width => 15, );
$ecolumn1->form(
    -top  => [ '&', $lcolumn1, 0 ],
    -left => [ %0,  60 ],
);

#-- column2

my $lcolumn2 = $frame1->Label( -text => 'Label 2', );
$lcolumn2->form(
    -top     => [ $lcolumn1, 8 ],
    -left    => [ %0,        0 ],
    -padleft => 5,
);
my $ecolumn2 = $frame1->Entry( -width => 35, );
$ecolumn2->form(
    -top  => [ '&', $lcolumn2, 0 ],
    -left => [ %0,  60 ],
);

#-- column3

my $lcolumn3 = $frame1->Label( -text => 'Label 3', );
$lcolumn3->form(
    -top     => [ $lcolumn2, 8 ],
    -left    => [ %0,        0 ],
    -padleft => 5,
);

my $ecolumn3 = $frame1->Entry( -width => 10, );
$ecolumn3->form(
    -top  => [ '&', $lcolumn3, 0 ],
    -left => [ %0,  60 ],
);

#-+ column4

my $ecolumn4 = $frame1->Entry( -width => 10, );
$ecolumn4->form(
    -top   => [ '&',  $lcolumn3 ],
    -right => [ %100, -6 ],
);

my $lcolumn4 = $frame1->Label( -text => 'Label 4', );
$lcolumn4->form(
    -top     => [ '&',       $lcolumn3, 0 ],
    -right   => [ $ecolumn4, -10 ],
    -padleft => 5,
);

MainLoop;
[download]

The advantage of form manager is that the positioning of the widgets is precise.

You are right, it has resizing problems, but I see no other drawbacks. The spring option(s) would be a nice feature but it doesn't work unfortunately, I wish I could implement them but:

"I'm not really a 'programmer', but I play one on earth."

Best regards to all Monks, Stefan :-)

Thank you for your answers. The form manager can solve my problems.

It was a very simple program. I have a parent frame. In this frame I put two widgets.

The first widget shall start directly at the top of the parent frame. Then there shall be a gap of 5 pixels. The second widget shall be the next.

Greetings Dirk