How to use keys to position to in JTable

Question

Hi
If i have a JTable showing names in alphabetical order, how do i make it possible to allow user to press key on keyboard and jump to the first name starting with that letter,
for example if the user clicks 'N' jump to first name starting with N
Ashish

Answer 1

* JumpingTable.java
import java.awt.*;
import java.awt.event.*;
import java.awt.event.KeyEvent;
import javax.swing.*;
import javax.swing.table.*;
public class JumpingTable extends JFrame {
    public JumpingTable() {
        initComponents();
    private void initComponents() {
        setDefaultCloseOperation(WindowConstants.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
        setTitle("Jumping Table: press Alt+J to jump to first name starting with J");
        setSize(600, 300);
        setLocationRelativeTo(null);
        table = new JTable();
        tableModel = new DefaultTableModel();
        table.setModel(tableModel);
        for( int j=0; j<4; j++ ){
            tableModel.addColumn( "Column "+(j+1) );
        for( int j=0; j<names.length; j++ ){
            tableModel.addRow( new Object[]{ names[j], null, null, null } );
        table.addKeyListener(new KeyAdapter() {
            public void keyPressed(KeyEvent evt) {
                tableKeyPressed(evt);
        getContentPane().add(new JScrollPane(table), BorderLayout.CENTER);
    private void tableKeyPressed(KeyEvent evt) {
        if( evt.getModifiers()==KeyEvent.ALT_MASK
                && evt.getKeyCode()>=KeyEvent.VK_A && evt.getKeyCode()<=KeyEvent.VK_Z ){
            for( int j=0; j<table.getRowCount(); j++ ){
                if( ((String)table.getValueAt(j, 0)).startsWith(evt.getKeyText(evt.getKeyCode())) ){
                    table.changeSelection(j, 0, false, false);
                    break;
    public static void main(String args[]) {
        EventQueue.invokeLater(new Runnable() {
            public void run() {
                new JumpingTable().setVisible(true);
    private JTable table;
    private DefaultTableModel tableModel;
    private String[] names = new String[]{
        "A1", "A2", "A3", "B1", "B2", "B3", "C1", "C2", "C3", "D1", "D2", "D3", "E1", "E2", "E3",
                "F1", "F2", "F3", "G1", "G2", "G3", "H1", "H2", "H3", "J1", "J2", "J3", "K1", "K2", "K3"
}