How to make JTable column contain checkboxes?

Question

Preface: I am horrible with java, and worse with java ui components.

I have found several different tutorials on how to add buttons to tables, however I am struggling with adding checkboxes. I need to have a column that draws a text box ticked on default (cell renderer i think handles that), then on click of tickbox, unticks the box, redraws said box, and fires off an event somewhere I can track.

currently I have a custom cellrenderer:

public class GraphButtonCellRenderer extends JCheckBox implements TableCellRenderer {
public GraphButtonCellRenderer() {
}
public Component getTableCellRendererComponent(JTable table, Object value, boolean isSelected, boolean hasFocus, int row, int column) {
    if(isSelected)
        setSelected(true);
    else
        setSelected(false);
    setMargin(new Insets(0, 16, 0, 0));
    setIconTextGap(0);

    setBackground(new Color(255,255,255,0));
    return this;
}}

Which currently handles drawing the tick box, but only ticks and unticks the box if that row is selected. But I don't know how to handle the events. Really what I am asking is possibly a link to a good tutorial on how to add checkboxes cleanly to a JTable. Any assist is greatly appreciated :)

Judicial

Answer 1

There's no need to create your own table renderer. Here's a simpler example. Just create a custom table model and for a given column return the class Boolean for:

public Class getColumnClass(int column)

If you want the column to be editable, return true for

public boolean isCellEditable(int row, int column)

JTable takes care of the rendering for you.

Another example is here.

Clematis

+1 Good point; simpler may suffice. The tutorial describes several default renderers for specific classes. – Cocky

Accepted. Thank you very much for the links, these are simple enough for me to follow/integrate with my current project – Judicial

Answer 2

As Peter say, its easy using extended DefaultTableModel class, ex:

class NewTableModel extends DefaultTableModel{
        public Class<?> getColumnClass(int columnIndex) {
            return getValueAt(0, columnIndex).getClass();
        }
    }

Maness

Answer 3

Here's a simple rather elaborate example using a TableCellRenderer and TableCellEditor. See also, Concepts: Editors and Renderers.

Addendum: @Jay Askren's point is well taken. The default renderer for Boolean.class, as described in the tutorial, may be all you need.

Cocky

Thank you. I hadn't come across that particular example. So much stuff going on... I'll give it a crack – Judicial

Answer 4

The easiest solution is to use the DefaultTableModel and use Boolean object as values.

Sher

yeah that's true @Peter, But could we enhance more by adding some value (ID) to that checkbox if we want the TRUE value become an ID value, and FALSE still FALSE value? – Highboy

Answer 5

In the Swing Designer set column type to boolean

Mam

this solution assumes the OP is using a UI builder of some type – Bilabial