Custom combobox problem

Question

Hi,
With the help of JDC i am able to finish the work of creating the customized comobo but I'm stuck at the edge.
I have a customized comobobox, which can show multiple columns in its combo popup, but only one item of column should be shown as selected in combo, This i achieved when combobox status is editable. but not working when combo is non editable.
kindly see( can execute too ) the code and let me know where i'am going wrong.
public class TestCoeusComboBox2 extends javax.swing.JFrame {
/** Creates new form TestCoeusComboBox2 */
public TestCoeusComboBox2() {
initComponents();
private void initComponents() {
jPanel1 = new javax.swing.JPanel();
//jPanel1.setLayout( new java.awt.GridLayout(2,4,10,10));
jPanel1.setLayout( new java.awt.FlowLayout());
java.util.Vector people = new java.util.Vector();
for( int i= 0 ; i< 15 ; i++ ){           
people.add(new ComboBoxBean(""+i,"Yaman kumar-"+i));
javaEditable = new javax.swing.JLabel("java-Editable");
javaNonEditable = new javax.swing.JLabel("java-NON Editable");
coeusEditable = new javax.swing.JLabel("Coeus - Editable ");
coeusNonEditable = new javax.swing.JLabel("Coeus - NON Editable");
coeusComboEditable = new CoeusComboBox(people,true);
coeusComboEditable.setPopupSelectionBackground(Color.yellow);
coeusComboEditable.setPopupBackground(Color.white);
coeusComboNonEditable = new CoeusComboBox(people,false);
coeusComboNonEditable.setPopupSelectionBackground(Color.gray);
coeusComboNonEditable.setPopupBackground(Color.white);
javaComboEditable = new javax.swing.JComboBox(people);
javaComboEditable.setEditable(true);
javaComboNonEditable = new javax.swing.JComboBox(people);
javaComboNonEditable.setEditable(false);
addWindowListener(new java.awt.event.WindowAdapter() {
public void windowClosing(java.awt.event.WindowEvent evt) {
exitForm(evt);
jPanel1.setPreferredSize(new java.awt.Dimension(1000, 200));
jPanel1.add(javaEditable); jPanel1.add(javaComboEditable);
jPanel1.add(javaNonEditable); jPanel1.add(javaComboNonEditable);
jPanel1.add(coeusEditable); jPanel1.add(coeusComboEditable);
jPanel1.add(coeusNonEditable); jPanel1.add(coeusComboNonEditable);
getContentPane().add(jPanel1, java.awt.BorderLayout.CENTER);
pack();
/** Exit the Application */
private void exitForm(java.awt.event.WindowEvent evt) {
System.exit(0);
* @param args the command line arguments
public static void main(String args[]) {
new TestCoeusComboBox2().show();
private javax.swing.JPanel jPanel1;
private CoeusComboBox coeusComboEditable;
private CoeusComboBox coeusComboNonEditable;
private javax.swing.JComboBox javaComboEditable;
private javax.swing.JComboBox javaComboNonEditable;
private javax.swing.JLabel javaEditable;
private javax.swing.JLabel javaNonEditable;
private javax.swing.JLabel coeusEditable;
private javax.swing.JLabel coeusNonEditable;
* @(#)CoeusComboBox.java 08/29/2002, 5:06 AM
import java.awt.*;
import javax.swing.*;
import javax.swing.plaf.basic.*;
import javax.swing.plaf.metal.*;
import javax.swing.event.*;
import java.util.Vector;
import javax.swing.border.*;
public class CoeusComboBox extends JComboBox {
private boolean editable = false;
private Color popupSelBackground ;
private Color popupBackGround;
* Initializes the properties of CoeusComboBox as it needs to set custom Renderers
* and Editors for CoeusComboBox
private void initProperties(){       
CoeusComboBoxRenderer renderer= new CoeusComboBoxRenderer();
CoeusComboCellEditor editor = new CoeusComboCellEditor();
setBorder(new LineBorder(Color.black,1));
setRenderer(renderer);
setEditor(editor);
//setEditable(true);
/** Creates a new instance of CoeusComboBox */
public CoeusComboBox() {
super();
setUI(new StateComboBoxUI());
initProperties();
* Constructor with default ComboBoxModel
public CoeusComboBox(ComboBoxModel aModel) {
super(aModel);
setUI(new StateComboBoxUI());
initProperties();
* Constructor with default items that are shown in popup when the combo is selected
public CoeusComboBox(final Object[] items) {
super(items);
setUI(new StateComboBoxUI());
initProperties();
* Constructor with default items that are shown in popup when the combo is selected
* @param items An array of elements that are shown in popup
* @param editable Status of ComboBox, If true the combobox value can be modified.
public CoeusComboBox(final Object[] items, boolean editable) {
super( items);
this.editable =editable;
setEditable(editable);
setUI(new StateComboBoxUI());
initProperties();
* Constructor with default items that are shown in popup when the combo is selected
* @param items a Vector of combobox items.
public CoeusComboBox(Vector items) {
super(items);
setUI(new StateComboBoxUI());
initProperties();
* Constructor with default items that are shown in popup when the combo is selected
* @param items A vector of items that are shown in popup
* @param editable Status of ComboBox, If true the combobox value can be modified.
public CoeusComboBox(Vector items, boolean editable){
super( items);
this.editable = editable;
setEditable(editable);
setUI(new StateComboBoxUI());
initProperties();
* Sets combobox Popup Background Color
* @param color background color of Combobox popup.
public void setPopupBackground( Color color){
this.popupBackGround = color;
* Sets combobox Popup Selection Background Color
* @param color Selected Item background color of Combobox popup.
public void setPopupSelectionBackground( Color color){
this.popupSelBackground = color;
* Sets the Status(Editable/NonEditable) of combobox, Based on which the combo
* value can be changed. Default is not editable
* @param flag If true the combobox is editable.
// public void setEditable( boolean flag){
// editable = flag;
* An inner class to set the Default renderer for CoeusComboBox. As this combobox
* can show multiple columns in combo popup, so add number columns to this panel, like
* that as many as number panel will be added to panel as many items available in combobox.
* that is rendered in every cell.
class CoeusComboBoxRenderer extends JPanel implements ListCellRenderer {
private JLabel left;
private JLabel right;
private JLabel middle;
* Constructor to set the layout and border for this panel.
public CoeusComboBoxRenderer() {
//setLayout(new GridLayout(1, 2,0,0));
BoxLayout boxLayout =new BoxLayout(this,BoxLayout.X_AXIS);
setLayout( boxLayout);
setBorder(BorderFactory.createEmptyBorder(3, 3, 3, 3));
left = new JLabel();
middle= new JLabel();
right = new JLabel();
add(left);
add(middle);
add(right);
* An overridden method to render this component in desired cell.
public Component getListCellRendererComponent(JList list, Object value, int index, boolean isSelected, boolean cellHasFocus) {
if (isSelected) {
if(popupSelBackground == null ){
popupSelBackground = list.getSelectionBackground();
setBackground(popupSelBackground);
setForeground(list.getSelectionForeground());
} else {
if( popupBackGround == null){
popupBackGround = list.getBackground();
setBackground(popupBackGround);
setForeground(list.getForeground());
if( value instanceof ComboBoxBean ){
ComboBoxBean comboBoxBean = (ComboBoxBean) value;
left.setText(comboBoxBean.getCode());
middle.setText(" ");
right.setText(comboBoxBean.getDescription());
return this;
}// end of CoeusComboBoxRenderer class
* An inner class to set the editor of CoeusComboBox when it gets focus and about to be
* selected by the user
class CoeusComboCellEditor extends javax.swing.plaf.basic.BasicComboBoxEditor {
public CoeusComboCellEditor() {
super();
System.out.println(" editable "+editable);
editor.setEditable(true);
//editor.setBackground(editorSelBackground);
}// end of CoeusComboCellEditor
}// end of CoeusComboBox
* @(#)StateComboBoxUI.java 08/20/2002 9:21 AM
import javax.swing.plaf.basic.*;
import javax.swing.*;
public class StateComboBoxUI extends BasicComboBoxUI{
* Creates the ComboBox popup that is displayed when the implemented combobox is selected.
* As in Basic LAF the combobox does not provide the horizontal scrollbar for popup this
* method is overridden with that property.
protected ComboPopup createPopup(){
BasicComboPopup popup = new BasicComboPopup(comboBox){
protected JScrollPane createScroller() {
return new JScrollPane( list, ScrollPaneConstants.VERTICAL_SCROLLBAR_AS_NEEDED,
ScrollPaneConstants.HORIZONTAL_SCROLLBAR_AS_NEEDED );
}//end of method createScroller
return popup;
}//end of method createPopup
* The Class is used to populate any combo box
public class ComboBoxBean implements java.io.Serializable{
private String code;
private String description="";
/** Default Constructor */
public ComboBoxBean() {
/** Constructor with parameters */
     public ComboBoxBean(String code, String description) {
               this.code = code;               this.description = description;
* This method gets the Code
* @return String code
public String getCode() {
return code;
* This method sets the Code
* @param String code
public void setCode(String code) {
this.code = code;
* This method gets the Description
* @return String description
public String getDescription() {
return description;
* This method sets the Description
* @param String description
public void setDescription(String description) {
this.description = description;
public String toString(){
return getDescription();

Answer 1

Gregor,
          As an alternative way i did take "selectedItem" away from MXML and used it on "creationComplete". But not i am running in to different problem which i am going to open as new discussion.
Between i have documented this issue on my blog @ http://www.srinivaskusunam.com/2009/05/13/flex-combobox-selecteditem-problem/
Thanks,
Srini