Show hidden columns in a JTable

Question

Hi,
I have a requirement for hiding some columns of a JTable and showing them back based on user actions.
I have gone through some topics about hiding columns. which can be done by table.removeColumn();
But when I use table.addColumn(); it adds the column at the end of the table.It should add in the same location as the previous column.
How to show /reveal the hidden column back?.

Answer 1

* Hide_Columns.java
* This code contains a table model that allows you to
* specify the columns to be hidden in a boolean array.
* To use the model:
*       model = new MyTableModel(data, columnNames);
*       table.setModel(model);
* The most important method in the model is "getNumber()", which converts a column number
* into the number corresponding to the data to be displayed.
* Visible columns can be dynamically changed with
* model.setVisibleColumns(0, column0.isSelected());
import java.awt.*;
import java.awt.event.*;
import java.util.*;
import javax.swing.*;
import javax.swing.table.*;
public class Hide_Columns extends JFrame {
    public Hide_Columns() {
        setTitle("Hide columns");
        setDefaultCloseOperation(WindowConstants.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
        model = new MyTableModel(data, columnNames);
        table.setModel(model);
        getContentPane().add(new JScrollPane(table), BorderLayout.CENTER);
        for( int i=0; i<4; i++ ){
            final JCheckBox columnX = new JCheckBox("Column "+i);
            columnX.setSelected(true);
            final int col = i;
            columnX.addActionListener(new ActionListener() {
                public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent evt) {
                    model.setVisibleColumns(col, columnX.isSelected());
            toolBar.add(columnX);
        getContentPane().add(toolBar, BorderLayout.NORTH);
        setSize(400,300);
        setLocationRelativeTo(null);
        model.addRow(new Object[]{null,null,null,null});
        model.setValueAt("test0",0,0);
        model.setValueAt("test1",0,1);
        model.setValueAt("test2",0,2);
        model.setValueAt("test3",0,3);
    public static void main(String args[]) { new Hide_Columns().setVisible(true); }
    private JTable table = new JTable();
    private  JToolBar toolBar = new JToolBar();
    private   MyTableModel model;
    /** This is the data of the table*/
    private  Vector<Object> data = new Vector<Object>();
    /** Column names */
    Vector<String> columnNames = new Vector<String>();{
        columnNames.addElement("0");
        columnNames.addElement("1");
        columnNames.addElement("2");
        columnNames.addElement("3");
class MyTableModel extends DefaultTableModel {
    /** Shows which columns are visible */
    private   boolean[] visibleColumns = new boolean[4];{
        visibleColumns[0] = true;
        visibleColumns[1] = true;
        visibleColumns[2] = true;
        visibleColumns[3] = true;
    public MyTableModel(Vector<Object> data, Vector<String> columnNames){
        super(data, columnNames);
    protected void setVisibleColumns(int col, boolean selection){
        visibleColumns[col] = selection;
        fireTableStructureChanged();
     * This function converts a column number of the table into
     * the right number of the data.
    protected int getNumber(int column) {
        int n = column;    // right number
        int i = 0;
        do {
            if (!(visibleColumns)) n++;
i++;
} while (i < n);
// When we are on an invisible column,
// we must go on one step
while (!(visibleColumns[n])) n++;
return n;
// *** METHODS OF THE TABLE MODEL ***
public int getColumnCount() {
int n = 0;
for (int i = 0; i < 4; i++)
if (visibleColumns[i]) n++;
return n;
public Object getValueAt(int row, int column) {
return super.getValueAt(row, getNumber(column));
public void setValueAt(Object obj, int row, int column) {
super.setValueAt(obj, row, getNumber(column));
public String getColumnName(int column) {
return super.getColumnName(getNumber(column));