swing - How to implement checkbox list java

Question

Probably a noob question, but im new to java. I have a need for a checkbox list which I found is not supported in swing, but I found this custom control here

http://www.devx.com/tips/Tip/5342

So I created a class file named CheckBoxList, and copied the code from the link into it:

import javax.swing.*;
import javax.swing.border.*;
import java.awt.*;
import java.awt.event.*;

public class CheckBoxList extends JList
{
   protected static Border noFocusBorder =
                                 new EmptyBorder(1, 1, 1, 1);

   public CheckBoxList()
   {
      setCellRenderer(new CellRenderer());

      addMouseListener(new MouseAdapter()
         {
            public void mousePressed(MouseEvent e)
            {
               int index = locationToIndex(e.getPoint());

               if (index != -1) {
                  JCheckBox checkbox = (JCheckBox)
                              getModel().getElementAt(index);
                  checkbox.setSelected(
                                     !checkbox.isSelected());
                  repaint();
               }
            }
         }
      );

      setSelectionMode(ListSelectionModel.SINGLE_SELECTION);
   }

   protected class CellRenderer implements ListCellRenderer
   {
      public Component getListCellRendererComponent(
                    JList list, Object value, int index,
                    boolean isSelected, boolean cellHasFocus)
      {
         JCheckBox checkbox = (JCheckBox) value;
         checkbox.setBackground(isSelected ?
                 getSelectionBackground() : getBackground());
         checkbox.setForeground(isSelected ?
                 getSelectionForeground() : getForeground());
         checkbox.setEnabled(isEnabled());
         checkbox.setFont(getFont());
         checkbox.setFocusPainted(false);
         checkbox.setBorderPainted(true);
         checkbox.setBorder(isSelected ?
          UIManager.getBorder(
           "List.focusCellHighlightBorder") : noFocusBorder);
         return checkbox;
      }
   }
}

The problem is I don't know how to implement it in my GUI file. I tried a lot of code, but they never showed an example. Just

To use the class, simply instantiate it, then pass it an array of JCheckBox objects (or subclasses of JCheckBox objects) by calling setListData

So does that mean that I will not see the control in the Graphical Design view? My client wants to be able to edit it himself and add stuff so I want it to be easy and graphical if possible. If someone could show an example of instantiating it or give a good hint I would appreciate it. Thanks!

Answer 1

Can you just tell me how?

Use a one column JTable and an appropriate renderer and editor. Based on this example, the code below relies on the default renderer for a data value of type Boolean.Class. A more general example is cited here.

import java.awt.Component;
import java.awt.Dimension;
import java.awt.EventQueue;
import java.awt.GridLayout;
import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.util.List;
import java.util.Set;
import java.util.TreeSet;
import javax.swing.BorderFactory;
import javax.swing.DefaultListModel;
import javax.swing.JCheckBox;
import javax.swing.JFrame;
import javax.swing.JList;
import javax.swing.JPanel;
import javax.swing.JScrollPane;
import javax.swing.JTable;
import javax.swing.event.TableModelEvent;
import javax.swing.event.TableModelListener;
import javax.swing.table.AbstractTableModel;
import javax.swing.table.TableCellRenderer;

/** @see https://stackoverflow.com/a/13919878/230513 */
public class CheckTable {

    private static final CheckModel model = new CheckModel(5000);
    private static final JTable table = new JTable(model) {

        @Override
        public Dimension getPreferredScrollableViewportSize() {
            return new Dimension(150, 300);
        }

        @Override
        public Component prepareRenderer(TableCellRenderer renderer, int row, int column) {
            JCheckBox jcb = (JCheckBox) super.prepareRenderer(renderer, row, column);
            jcb.setHorizontalTextPosition(JCheckBox.LEADING);
            jcb.setText(String.valueOf(row));
            return jcb;
        }
    };

    public static void main(String[] args) {
        EventQueue.invokeLater(new Runnable() {

            @Override
            public void run() {
                JFrame f = new JFrame("CheckTable");
                f.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
                f.setLayout(new GridLayout(1, 0));
                f.add(new JScrollPane(table));
                f.add(new DisplayPanel(model));
                f.pack();
                f.setLocationRelativeTo(null);
                f.setVisible(true);
            }
        });
    }

    private static class DisplayPanel extends JPanel {

        private DefaultListModel dlm = new DefaultListModel();
        private JList list = new JList(dlm);

        public DisplayPanel(final CheckModel model) {
            super(new GridLayout());
            this.setBorder(BorderFactory.createTitledBorder("Checked"));
            this.add(new JScrollPane(list));
            model.addTableModelListener(new TableModelListener() {

                @Override
                public void tableChanged(TableModelEvent e) {
                    dlm.removeAllElements();
                    for (Integer integer : model.checked) {
                        dlm.addElement(integer);
                    }
                }
            });
        }
    }

    private static class CheckModel extends AbstractTableModel {

        private final int rows;
        private List<Boolean> rowList;
        private Set<Integer> checked = new TreeSet<Integer>();

        public CheckModel(int rows) {
            this.rows = rows;
            rowList = new ArrayList<Boolean>(rows);
            for (int i = 0; i < rows; i++) {
                rowList.add(Boolean.FALSE);
            }
        }

        @Override
        public int getRowCount() {
            return rows;
        }

        @Override
        public int getColumnCount() {
            return 1;
        }

        @Override
        public String getColumnName(int col) {
            return "Column " + col;
        }

        @Override
        public Object getValueAt(int row, int col) {
                return rowList.get(row);
        }

        @Override
        public void setValueAt(Object aValue, int row, int col) {
            boolean b = (Boolean) aValue;
            rowList.set(row, b);
            if (b) {
                checked.add(row);
            } else {
                checked.remove(row);
            }
            fireTableRowsUpdated(row, row);
        }

        @Override
        public Class<?> getColumnClass(int col) {
            return getValueAt(0, col).getClass();
        }

        @Override
        public boolean isCellEditable(int row, int col) {
            return true;
        }
    }
}