URGENT. JCombobox display problem PLEASE HELP.

Question

I have a jcombobox that i am populating with data. What I want to be able to do is this: When the user selects an item from the popup, I want to display the text in the combobox as abbreviated. Example:
AL - Alabama ( this would be an option in the popup list)
if I select this option i want the combo box only to display AL
I've tried many methods to get this work work but nothing seems to be working. Can someone please help

Answer 1

never say die,
import java.awt.*;
import java.awt.event.*;
import javax.swing.*;
import java.util.*;
public class DoTheComboBoxThing extends JFrame {
      public DoTheComboBoxThing() {
      initCompponents();
      public void initCompponents() {
      jcb1 = new JComboBox(states);
      jcb2 = new JComboBox(state_ab);
      jp = new JPanel();
      jp.add(jcb1);
      jp.add(jcb2);
      getContentPane().add(jp, BorderLayout.CENTER);
      addWindowListener(new java.awt.event.WindowAdapter() {
            public void windowClosing(java.awt.event.WindowEvent we) {
               exitForm(we);
      jcb1.addActionListener(new java.awt.event.ActionListener() {
            public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent ae) {
               jcb1ActionPerformed(ae);
      pack();
      public void exitForm(WindowEvent we) {
      System.exit(0);
      public void jcb1ActionPerformed(ActionEvent ae) {
      jcb2.setSelectedIndex(jcb1.getSelectedIndex());
      jcb1.setEditable( true );
      StringTokenizer st = new StringTokenizer( (String) jcb1.getSelectedItem(), " " );
      ( (JTextField) jcb1.getEditor().getEditorComponent() ).setEditable( true );
      ( (JTextField) jcb1.getEditor().getEditorComponent() ).setText( st.nextToken() );
      ( (JTextField) jcb1.getEditor().getEditorComponent() ).setEditable( false );
      public static void main(String [] args) {
      DoTheComboBoxThing doThe = new DoTheComboBoxThing();
      doThe.show();
      JPanel jp;
      JComboBox jcb1;
      JComboBox jcb2;
      String[] states = {"AL - Alabama", "CT - Connecticut", "NY - New York", "SATW - Sleeping at the wheel"};
      String[] state_ab = {"AL","CT","NY","SATW"};
      }