Programmatically selecting a Tree node

Question

Hi there,
Given a TreePath object, I need to know how to programmatically select a tree node on a JTree.
Here's the situation:
I have a simple text editor project which has a JTree on its interface representing the local file system. The program has a SaveAs dialog box which also has a duplicate JTree as the one on the main interface (directories only). As the user selects the directory in which they wish to save the open file in the SaveAs dialog box, I need somehow to programmatically cause the JTree on the main interface to correspondingly select the same directory. How is this done?
The whole point of this is so that I can then add a new leaf node to the tree at the specified directory location. I've tried simply setting the jTree1.setSelectionPath(...) method and even tried to call the valueChanged(...) method of the TreeSelectionListener object as you can see from the code snippet below, but none of these approaches have been successful.
Please advise,
Alan
public void createLeafNode()
     jTree1.repaint();
     if(path == null)
        return;
     jTree1.setSelectionPath(path);
     //SelectionListener.valueChanged(new TreeSelectionEvent(jTree1, path, true, oldLeadPath, newLeadPath));
     //System.out.println("path is: " + path.toString());
     DefaultTreeNode parent = getTreeNode(path);
     //System.out.println("parent is " + parent.toString());
     //Create the child node
     IconData idata = new IconData(ICON_LEAF, new FileNode(new SpecialFile(ref.FileOpen)));
     DefaultTreeNode node = new DefaultTreeNode(idata);
     parent.add(node);
     //Tell the model that the tree structure has changed
     model.nodeStructureChanged(parent);
     path = path.pathByAddingChild(node);
     jTree1.scrollPathToVisible(path);
     //jTree1.repaint();    

Answer 1

Yes, I've tried setSelectionPath(TreePath path) numerous times, but it does nothing to select the node on the tree! You can see from the code I submitted that it is there commented out.
Ordinarily, when you click on a node on the tree it becomes the "active" node, evident because it becomes highlighted. But when I use setSelectionPath(TreePath path) method, giving it the path it needs, the node on the tree doesn't become the "active" node, therefore, not selected! Furthermore and subsequently, the rest of the code in the method createLeafNode() doesn't add a new node to the tree in the location specified by the TreePath object!
If you have used setSelectionPath(TreePath path) before successfully I would be interested in seeing a small sample program demonstrating its use. It would have to prove to me that you can select a node in the tree without physically clicking on any node in the tree with the mouse cursor, and add a new child node to that selected node.
I submit to you a small test program I put together that demonstrates the "typical setup". It requires the user to physically click on a node of the tree, then click on a button that adds a new node in the location of the selected node. If you can alter this program demonstrating that you can add a new node to the tree without my having to click on any node of the tree with my cursor, then I'll assign you the Duke Dollars and be forever humbled by your programming prowess.
Thanks for keeping on top of this thread as I've tried everything I can think of to try and make my program work. If you need to ask any questions please ask away. Perhaps there is something about my program that I've not explained yet that you're not aware of that I should have included. At this point I can't see the forest for the trees.
Alan
import java.awt.*;
import java.awt.event.*;
import javax.swing.*;
import javax.swing.JTree;
import javax.swing.event.*;
import javax.swing.tree.*;
public class AddNodeExample extends JFrame implements ActionListener
  JTree jTree1 = null;
  DefaultTreeModel model = null;
  DefaultMutableTreeNode rootNode = null;
  JScrollPane jScrollPane1 = null;
  JLabel status = new JLabel("Status:");
  TreePath path = null;
  JButton add = new JButton("Add new node");
  public static void main(String[] args)
    AddNodeExample example = new AddNodeExample();
    example.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
  public AddNodeExample()
    super("Add Node To JTree Example");
    setSize(400, 300);
    jScrollPane1 = new JScrollPane();
    add.addActionListener(this);
    DefaultMutableTreeNode[] boys = new DefaultMutableTreeNode[6];
    boys[0] = new DefaultMutableTreeNode("Harry");
    boys[1] = new DefaultMutableTreeNode("Tom");
    boys[2] = new DefaultMutableTreeNode("Jake");
    boys[3] = new DefaultMutableTreeNode("Brian");
    boys[4] = new DefaultMutableTreeNode("Alan");
    boys[5] = new DefaultMutableTreeNode("Guy");
    DefaultMutableTreeNode[] girls = new DefaultMutableTreeNode[6];
    girls[0] = new DefaultMutableTreeNode("Debbie");
    girls[1] = new DefaultMutableTreeNode("Jane");
    girls[2] = new DefaultMutableTreeNode("Sally");
    girls[3] = new DefaultMutableTreeNode("Jessica");
    girls[4] = new DefaultMutableTreeNode("MoonUnit");
    girls[5] = new DefaultMutableTreeNode("Sara");
    rootNode = new DefaultMutableTreeNode("Students");
    DefaultMutableTreeNode Boys = new DefaultMutableTreeNode("Boys");
    DefaultMutableTreeNode Girls = new DefaultMutableTreeNode("Girls");
    //Fill up the node for boys
    for(int i = 0; i < boys.length; i++)
      Boys.add(boys);
//Fill up the node for girls
for(int i = 0; i < girls.length; i++)
Girls.add(girls[i]);
//add Boys and Girls to rootNode
rootNode.add(Boys);
rootNode.add(Girls);
model = new DefaultTreeModel(rootNode);
jTree1 = new JTree(model);
jTree1.getSelectionModel().setSelectionMode(TreeSelectionModel.SINGLE_TREE_SELECTION);
jTree1.putClientProperty("JTree.lineStyle", "Angled");
jTree1.addTreeSelectionListener(new TreeSelectionListener()
public void valueChanged(TreeSelectionEvent event)
     path = event.getPath();
DefaultMutableTreeNode node = getTreeNode(path);
status.setText("Selected: " + (String)node.getUserObject());     
jScrollPane1.getViewport().add(jTree1, null);
getContentPane().add(jScrollPane1, BorderLayout.CENTER);
getContentPane().add(add, BorderLayout.NORTH);
getContentPane().add(status, BorderLayout.SOUTH);
setVisible(true);
public DefaultMutableTreeNode getTreeNode(TreePath path)
return (DefaultMutableTreeNode)(path.getLastPathComponent());
public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e)
jTree1.repaint();
if (path == null || path.getPathCount() < 1)
     return;
DefaultMutableTreeNode treeNode = getTreeNode(path);
DefaultMutableTreeNode newNode = new DefaultMutableTreeNode("My New Node");
treeNode.add(newNode);
model.nodeStructureChanged(treeNode);
path = path.pathByAddingChild(newNode);
jTree1.scrollPathToVisible(path);