JTable used as a JList

Question

I am using a JTable as a JList (because it displays two columns). Above the JTable is an entry field when the user selects an item in the list with the mouse it adds it the entry field, I use a ListSelectionlistener This is fine.
I then tested it using the keyboard. As I scroll down the list with the up/down cursor keys it adds each entry to the entry field. This is not what I was expecting I thought you would be able to scroll down the list and then press Enter/Space to select the record and add it to the list.
I could add a button that the user has to select after selecting from the list before it is added to the entry field, but that creates an extra uneccessary stepo for mouse users. And one of my design goals for this project was to minimize the number of steps needed to complete any task.
Does anybody know how to do what i want, or its it a bad idea ?

Answer 1

Tables don't support the concept of an ActionEvent when you press the enter key. You could use a JList with a custom renderer to display two columns:
import java.awt.*;
import java.awt.event.*;
import javax.swing.*;
import javax.swing.text.*;
public class ListMultiColumn extends JFrame
     public ListMultiColumn()
          String[] tabs =
               "123456\tone",
               "2\ta really really long description goes here",
               "3\tthree",
               "41\tfour"
          JList list = new JList( tabs );
//          list.setCellRenderer( new TextAreaRenderer() );
          list.setCellRenderer( new TextPaneRenderer() );
          list.setSelectedIndex(2);
          getContentPane().add( list );
     public static void main(String[] args)
          JFrame frame = new ListMultiColumn();
          frame.setDefaultCloseOperation( EXIT_ON_CLOSE );
          frame.pack();
          frame.setVisible( true );
     **  Tabs are easier to use in a JTextArea, but not very flexible
     class TextAreaRenderer extends JTextArea implements ListCellRenderer
          public TextAreaRenderer()
               setBackground(Color.blue);
               setTabSize(10);
          public Component getListCellRendererComponent(JList list, Object value,
               int index, boolean isSelected, boolean cellHasFocus)
               System.out.println(getBackground());
               setText(value.toString());
               setBackground(isSelected ? list.getSelectionBackground() : null);
               setForeground(isSelected ? list.getSelectionForeground() : null);
               return this;
     **  Tabs are harder to use in a JTextPane, but much more flexible
     class TextPaneRenderer extends JTextPane implements ListCellRenderer
          private final int TAB_COLUMN = 10;
          public TextPaneRenderer()
               setMargin( new Insets(0, 0, 0, 0) );
               FontMetrics fm = getFontMetrics( getFont() );
               int width = fm.charWidth( 'w' ) * TAB_COLUMN;
               TabStop[] tabs = new TabStop[1];
               tabs[0] = new TabStop( width, TabStop.ALIGN_LEFT, TabStop.LEAD_NONE );
               TabSet tabSet = new TabSet(tabs);
               SimpleAttributeSet attributes = new SimpleAttributeSet();
               StyleConstants.setTabSet(attributes, tabSet);
               getStyledDocument().setParagraphAttributes(0, 0, attributes, false);
          public Component getListCellRendererComponent(JList list, Object value,
               int index, boolean isSelected, boolean cellHasFocus)
               setText( value.toString() );
               setBackground(isSelected ? list.getSelectionBackground() : null);
               setForeground(isSelected ? list.getSelectionForeground() : null);
               return this;
}