Can't get focus in JTabbedPane

Question

I have several tabs in a JTabbedPane. Each tabb is hotkeyed to "1","2","3", etc. The left and right arrows keys are remapped in this way:
mainTabbPane.registerKeyboardAction (PrintHi, KeyStroke.getKeyStroke (KeyEvent.VK_LEFT, 0), JComponent.WHEN_FOCUSED);
And I have an AbstractAction like this:
AbstractAction PrintHi = new AbstractAction ()
public void actionPerformed (ActionEvent e)
System.out.print ("Hi");
The problem is this. On each tabb I have several JTables, JLabels, JTextAreas and other stuff showing information. When I select/edit something, like a JTable, the arrow hotkeys stop function. It seems to me as the last selected JTable still has the focus and won't let it go. So when I press arrow keys, the arrow keys is directed into the JTable instead? Dont know if it so, but that is the impression I get.
The weird thing is, the hotkeys for the different tabs works. If I press ALT + 1, the first tabb pops up. But the JTable is still selected. And the arrow keys is directed into the JTable.
Anyone has pointers and hints?

Answer 1

Ok, I apologize for not having explained my question completely. This is exactly what I am trying to do:
When I press the arrow keys, they will print out a message. After I go to the 3rd panel and choose a combobox, I go back to the first panel and the arrow keys suddenly stop working. Why???
(It is as if the 1st tabbpane has lost the focus, and cant get it. The focus is stuck on the JComboBox. When I switch back to 1st panel from comboboxpanel, I want the 1st panel to get focus, and hence the arrow keys will work again. When I choose the 3rd panel the arrow keys can stop work, that is ok. The important thing is that when I switch back to the first panel, the arrow key must work again. In an ideal world, the arrow keys are tied to panel 1 and panel 2. Hence, when I switch to panel 3, the arrow keys will stop work. When I choose panel 1 again, the arrow keys must work.)
Sorry for making it difficult for you to help me. I really appreciate your effort. The thing is, I am starting a software company and am supposed to deliver the first version tomorrow monday. And everything works ok, except this CENSORED hot keys. Making me really stressed. Well, anyway I have specified the question better now. I really hope you can point me in the right direction on how to solve this problem.
Is there a way for the shown panel to get focus? When I switch to panel 1, it gets the focus? Or should I try to tie the arrow keys to panel 1? Or should I tell the combobox to not respond to arrow keys? Which way to go?
Please execute the program and see if it is only me having a problem?
package test;
import java.awt.event.ActionEvent;
import java.awt.event.KeyEvent;
import javax.swing.AbstractAction;
import javax.swing.JComboBox;
import javax.swing.JComponent;
import javax.swing.JFrame;
import javax.swing.JPanel;
import javax.swing.JTabbedPane;
import javax.swing.JTable;
import javax.swing.KeyStroke;
public class SSCCEE extends JFrame {
     private static final long serialVersionUID = 1L;
     JTabbedPane tabbpane = null;
     public static void main(String args[]) {
          new SSCCEE();
     public SSCCEE() {
          tabbpane = new JTabbedPane();
          tabbpane.insertTab("tabb 1", null, new MyTablePane(), "tooltip1", 0);
          tabbpane.setMnemonicAt(0, KeyEvent.VK_1);
          tabbpane.insertTab("tabb 2", null, new MyTablePane(), "tooltip2", 1);
          tabbpane.setMnemonicAt(1, KeyEvent.VK_2);
          tabbpane.insertTab("tabb 3", null, new MyComboboxPane(), "tooltip3", 2);
          tabbpane.setMnemonicAt(2, KeyEvent.VK_3);
          this.add(tabbpane);
          setHotKeys();
          this.pack();
          this.setVisible(true);
     private void setHotKeys() {
          AbstractAction PrintHi = new AbstractAction() {
               private static final long serialVersionUID = 1L;
               public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {
                    System.out.print("Hi ");
          AbstractAction PrintHo = new AbstractAction() {
               private static final long serialVersionUID = 1L;
               public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {
                    System.out.print("Ho ");
          tabbpane.registerKeyboardAction(PrintHi, KeyStroke.getKeyStroke(
                    KeyEvent.VK_LEFT, 0), JComponent.WHEN_FOCUSED);
          tabbpane.registerKeyboardAction(PrintHo, KeyStroke.getKeyStroke(
                    KeyEvent.VK_RIGHT, 0), JComponent.WHEN_FOCUSED);
class MyComboboxPane extends JPanel {
     private static final long serialVersionUID = 1L;
     private JComboBox aCombobox = null;
     MyComboboxPane() {
          aCombobox = new JComboBox();
          aCombobox.addItem("Meow");
          aCombobox.addItem("Voff");
          this.add(aCombobox);
          aCombobox.addActionListener(new java.awt.event.ActionListener() {
               public void actionPerformed(java.awt.event.ActionEvent e) {
                    JComboBox cb = (JComboBox) e.getSource();
                    System.out.println((String) cb.getSelectedItem());
class MyTablePane extends JPanel {
     private static final long serialVersionUID = 1L;
     private JTable aTable = null;
     MyTablePane() {
          aTable = new JTable(
                    new String[][] { { "This", "is", "cell 13" },
                              { "a", "Test", "cell 23" },
                              { "cell 31", "cell 32", "cell 33" } }, new String[] {
                              "Col 1", "Col 2", "Col 3" });
          this.add(aTable);
}