Drawing a simple line graph in Java

Problems with your code and suggestions:

• Again you need to change the preferredSize of the component (here the Graph JPanel), not the size
• Don't set the JFrame's bounds.
• Call pack() on your JFrame after adding components to it and before calling setVisible(true)
• Your foreach loop won't work since the size of your ArrayList is 0 (test it to see that this is correct). Instead use a for loop going from 0 to 10.
• You should not have program logic inside of your paintComponent(...) method but only painting code. So I would make the ArrayList a class variable and fill it inside of the class's constructor.

For example:

import java.awt.BasicStroke;
import java.awt.Color;
import java.awt.Dimension;
import java.awt.Graphics;
import java.awt.Graphics2D;
import java.awt.Point;
import java.awt.RenderingHints;
import java.awt.Stroke;
import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.util.List;
import java.util.Random;
import javax.swing.*;

@SuppressWarnings("serial")
public class DrawGraph extends JPanel {
   private static final int MAX_SCORE = 20;
   private static final int PREF_W = 800;
   private static final int PREF_H = 650;
   private static final int BORDER_GAP = 30;
   private static final Color GRAPH_COLOR = Color.green;
   private static final Color GRAPH_POINT_COLOR = new Color(150, 50, 50, 180);
   private static final Stroke GRAPH_STROKE = new BasicStroke(3f);
   private static final int GRAPH_POINT_WIDTH = 12;
   private static final int Y_HATCH_CNT = 10;
   private List<Integer> scores;

   public DrawGraph(List<Integer> scores) {
      this.scores = scores;
   }

   @Override
   protected void paintComponent(Graphics g) {
      super.paintComponent(g);
      Graphics2D g2 = (Graphics2D)g;
      g2.setRenderingHint(RenderingHints.KEY_ANTIALIASING, RenderingHints.VALUE_ANTIALIAS_ON);

      double xScale = ((double) getWidth() - 2 * BORDER_GAP) / (scores.size() - 1);
      double yScale = ((double) getHeight() - 2 * BORDER_GAP) / (MAX_SCORE - 1);

      List<Point> graphPoints = new ArrayList<Point>();
      for (int i = 0; i < scores.size(); i++) {
         int x1 = (int) (i * xScale + BORDER_GAP);
         int y1 = (int) ((MAX_SCORE - scores.get(i)) * yScale + BORDER_GAP);
         graphPoints.add(new Point(x1, y1));
      }

      // create x and y axes 
      g2.drawLine(BORDER_GAP, getHeight() - BORDER_GAP, BORDER_GAP, BORDER_GAP);
      g2.drawLine(BORDER_GAP, getHeight() - BORDER_GAP, getWidth() - BORDER_GAP, getHeight() - BORDER_GAP);

      // create hatch marks for y axis. 
      for (int i = 0; i < Y_HATCH_CNT; i++) {
         int x0 = BORDER_GAP;
         int x1 = GRAPH_POINT_WIDTH + BORDER_GAP;
         int y0 = getHeight() - (((i + 1) * (getHeight() - BORDER_GAP * 2)) / Y_HATCH_CNT + BORDER_GAP);
         int y1 = y0;
         g2.drawLine(x0, y0, x1, y1);
      }

      // and for x axis
      for (int i = 0; i < scores.size() - 1; i++) {
         int x0 = (i + 1) * (getWidth() - BORDER_GAP * 2) / (scores.size() - 1) + BORDER_GAP;
         int x1 = x0;
         int y0 = getHeight() - BORDER_GAP;
         int y1 = y0 - GRAPH_POINT_WIDTH;
         g2.drawLine(x0, y0, x1, y1);
      }

      Stroke oldStroke = g2.getStroke();
      g2.setColor(GRAPH_COLOR);
      g2.setStroke(GRAPH_STROKE);
      for (int i = 0; i < graphPoints.size() - 1; i++) {
         int x1 = graphPoints.get(i).x;
         int y1 = graphPoints.get(i).y;
         int x2 = graphPoints.get(i + 1).x;
         int y2 = graphPoints.get(i + 1).y;
         g2.drawLine(x1, y1, x2, y2);         
      }

      g2.setStroke(oldStroke);      
      g2.setColor(GRAPH_POINT_COLOR);
      for (int i = 0; i < graphPoints.size(); i++) {
         int x = graphPoints.get(i).x - GRAPH_POINT_WIDTH / 2;
         int y = graphPoints.get(i).y - GRAPH_POINT_WIDTH / 2;;
         int ovalW = GRAPH_POINT_WIDTH;
         int ovalH = GRAPH_POINT_WIDTH;
         g2.fillOval(x, y, ovalW, ovalH);
      }
   }

   @Override
   public Dimension getPreferredSize() {
      return new Dimension(PREF_W, PREF_H);
   }

   private static void createAndShowGui() {
      List<Integer> scores = new ArrayList<Integer>();
      Random random = new Random();
      int maxDataPoints = 16;
      int maxScore = 20;
      for (int i = 0; i < maxDataPoints ; i++) {
         scores.add(random.nextInt(maxScore));
      }
      DrawGraph mainPanel = new DrawGraph(scores);

      JFrame frame = new JFrame("DrawGraph");
      frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
      frame.getContentPane().add(mainPanel);
      frame.pack();
      frame.setLocationByPlatform(true);
      frame.setVisible(true);
   }

   public static void main(String[] args) {
      SwingUtilities.invokeLater(new Runnable() {
         public void run() {
            createAndShowGui();
         }
      });
   }
}

Which will create a graph that looks like so:

Just complementing Hovercraft Full Of Eels's solution:

I reworked his code, tweaked it a bit, adding a grid, axis labels and now the Y-axis goes from the minimum value present up to the maximum value. I planned on adding a couple of getters/setters but I didn't need them, you can add them if you want.

Here is the Gist link, I'll also paste the code below: GraphPanel on Gist

import java.awt.BasicStroke;
import java.awt.Color;
import java.awt.Dimension;
import java.awt.FontMetrics;
import java.awt.Graphics;
import java.awt.Graphics2D;
import java.awt.Point;
import java.awt.RenderingHints;
import java.awt.Stroke;
import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.util.List;
import java.util.Random;
import javax.swing.JFrame;
import javax.swing.JPanel;
import javax.swing.SwingUtilities;

public class GraphPanel extends JPanel {

    private int width = 800;
    private int heigth = 400;
    private int padding = 25;
    private int labelPadding = 25;
    private Color lineColor = new Color(44, 102, 230, 180);
    private Color pointColor = new Color(100, 100, 100, 180);
    private Color gridColor = new Color(200, 200, 200, 200);
    private static final Stroke GRAPH_STROKE = new BasicStroke(2f);
    private int pointWidth = 4;
    private int numberYDivisions = 10;
    private List<Double> scores;

    public GraphPanel(List<Double> scores) {
        this.scores = scores;
    }

    @Override
    protected void paintComponent(Graphics g) {
        super.paintComponent(g);
        Graphics2D g2 = (Graphics2D) g;
        g2.setRenderingHint(RenderingHints.KEY_ANTIALIASING, RenderingHints.VALUE_ANTIALIAS_ON);

        double xScale = ((double) getWidth() - (2 * padding) - labelPadding) / (scores.size() - 1);
        double yScale = ((double) getHeight() - 2 * padding - labelPadding) / (getMaxScore() - getMinScore());

        List<Point> graphPoints = new ArrayList<>();
        for (int i = 0; i < scores.size(); i++) {
            int x1 = (int) (i * xScale + padding + labelPadding);
            int y1 = (int) ((getMaxScore() - scores.get(i)) * yScale + padding);
            graphPoints.add(new Point(x1, y1));
        }

        // draw white background
        g2.setColor(Color.WHITE);
        g2.fillRect(padding + labelPadding, padding, getWidth() - (2 * padding) - labelPadding, getHeight() - 2 * padding - labelPadding);
        g2.setColor(Color.BLACK);

        // create hatch marks and grid lines for y axis.
        for (int i = 0; i < numberYDivisions + 1; i++) {
            int x0 = padding + labelPadding;
            int x1 = pointWidth + padding + labelPadding;
            int y0 = getHeight() - ((i * (getHeight() - padding * 2 - labelPadding)) / numberYDivisions + padding + labelPadding);
            int y1 = y0;
            if (scores.size() > 0) {
                g2.setColor(gridColor);
                g2.drawLine(padding + labelPadding + 1 + pointWidth, y0, getWidth() - padding, y1);
                g2.setColor(Color.BLACK);
                String yLabel = ((int) ((getMinScore() + (getMaxScore() - getMinScore()) * ((i * 1.0) / numberYDivisions)) * 100)) / 100.0 + "";
                FontMetrics metrics = g2.getFontMetrics();
                int labelWidth = metrics.stringWidth(yLabel);
                g2.drawString(yLabel, x0 - labelWidth - 5, y0 + (metrics.getHeight() / 2) - 3);
            }
            g2.drawLine(x0, y0, x1, y1);
        }

        // and for x axis
        for (int i = 0; i < scores.size(); i++) {
            if (scores.size() > 1) {
                int x0 = i * (getWidth() - padding * 2 - labelPadding) / (scores.size() - 1) + padding + labelPadding;
                int x1 = x0;
                int y0 = getHeight() - padding - labelPadding;
                int y1 = y0 - pointWidth;
                if ((i % ((int) ((scores.size() / 20.0)) + 1)) == 0) {
                    g2.setColor(gridColor);
                    g2.drawLine(x0, getHeight() - padding - labelPadding - 1 - pointWidth, x1, padding);
                    g2.setColor(Color.BLACK);
                    String xLabel = i + "";
                    FontMetrics metrics = g2.getFontMetrics();
                    int labelWidth = metrics.stringWidth(xLabel);
                    g2.drawString(xLabel, x0 - labelWidth / 2, y0 + metrics.getHeight() + 3);
                }
                g2.drawLine(x0, y0, x1, y1);
            }
        }

        // create x and y axes 
        g2.drawLine(padding + labelPadding, getHeight() - padding - labelPadding, padding + labelPadding, padding);
        g2.drawLine(padding + labelPadding, getHeight() - padding - labelPadding, getWidth() - padding, getHeight() - padding - labelPadding);

        Stroke oldStroke = g2.getStroke();
        g2.setColor(lineColor);
        g2.setStroke(GRAPH_STROKE);
        for (int i = 0; i < graphPoints.size() - 1; i++) {
            int x1 = graphPoints.get(i).x;
            int y1 = graphPoints.get(i).y;
            int x2 = graphPoints.get(i + 1).x;
            int y2 = graphPoints.get(i + 1).y;
            g2.drawLine(x1, y1, x2, y2);
        }

        g2.setStroke(oldStroke);
        g2.setColor(pointColor);
        for (int i = 0; i < graphPoints.size(); i++) {
            int x = graphPoints.get(i).x - pointWidth / 2;
            int y = graphPoints.get(i).y - pointWidth / 2;
            int ovalW = pointWidth;
            int ovalH = pointWidth;
            g2.fillOval(x, y, ovalW, ovalH);
        }
    }

//    @Override
//    public Dimension getPreferredSize() {
//        return new Dimension(width, heigth);
//    }
    private double getMinScore() {
        double minScore = Double.MAX_VALUE;
        for (Double score : scores) {
            minScore = Math.min(minScore, score);
        }
        return minScore;
    }

    private double getMaxScore() {
        double maxScore = Double.MIN_VALUE;
        for (Double score : scores) {
            maxScore = Math.max(maxScore, score);
        }
        return maxScore;
    }

    public void setScores(List<Double> scores) {
        this.scores = scores;
        invalidate();
        this.repaint();
    }

    public List<Double> getScores() {
        return scores;
    }

    private static void createAndShowGui() {
        List<Double> scores = new ArrayList<>();
        Random random = new Random();
        int maxDataPoints = 40;
        int maxScore = 10;
        for (int i = 0; i < maxDataPoints; i++) {
            scores.add((double) random.nextDouble() * maxScore);
//            scores.add((double) i);
        }
        GraphPanel mainPanel = new GraphPanel(scores);
        mainPanel.setPreferredSize(new Dimension(800, 600));
        JFrame frame = new JFrame("DrawGraph");
        frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
        frame.getContentPane().add(mainPanel);
        frame.pack();
        frame.setLocationRelativeTo(null);
        frame.setVisible(true);
    }

    public static void main(String[] args) {
      SwingUtilities.invokeLater(new Runnable() {
         public void run() {
            createAndShowGui();
         }
      });
   }
}

It looks like this:

Or simply use the JFreechart library - http://www.jfree.org/jfreechart/ .

There exist many open source projects that handle all the drawing of line charts for you with a couple of lines of code. Here's how you can draw a line chart from data in a couple text (CSV) file with the XChart library. Disclaimer: I'm the lead developer of the project.

In this example, two text files exist in ./CSV/CSVChartRows/. Notice that each row in the files represents a data point to be plotted and that each file represents a different series. series1 contains x, y, and error bar data, whereas series2 contains just x and y, data.

series1.csv

1,12,1.4
2,34,1.12
3,56,1.21
4,47,1.5

series2.csv

1,56
2,34
3,12
4,26

Source Code

public class CSVChartRows {

  public static void main(String[] args) throws Exception {

    // import chart from a folder containing CSV files
    XYChart chart = CSVImporter.getChartFromCSVDir("./CSV/CSVChartRows/", DataOrientation.Rows, 600, 400);

    // Show it
    new SwingWrapper(chart).displayChart();
  }
}

Resulting Plot