jcombobox filter in java - Look and feel independe

Question

I have a simple JComboBox filter code like this :

import java.awt.event.KeyAdapter;
import java.awt.event.KeyEvent;
import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.util.List;

import javax.swing.DefaultComboBoxModel;
import javax.swing.JComboBox;
import javax.swing.JFrame;
import javax.swing.JTextField;
import javax.swing.SwingUtilities;
import javax.swing.UIManager;

public class FilterComboBox extends JComboBox {
    private List<String> array;

    public FilterComboBox(List<String> array) {
        super(array.toArray());
        this.array = array;
        this.setEditable(true);
        final JTextField textfield = (JTextField) this.getEditor().getEditorComponent();
        textfield.addKeyListener(new KeyAdapter() {
            public void keyReleased(KeyEvent ke) {
                SwingUtilities.invokeLater(new Runnable() {
                    public void run() {
                        comboFilter(textfield.getText());
                    }
                });
            }
        });

    }

    public void comboFilter(String enteredText) {
        List<String> filterArray= new ArrayList<String>();
        for (int i = 0; i < array.size(); i++) {
            if (array.get(i).toLowerCase().contains(enteredText.toLowerCase())) {
                filterArray.add(array.get(i));
            }
        }
        if (filterArray.size() > 0) {
            this.setModel(new DefaultComboBoxModel(filterArray.toArray()));
            this.setSelectedItem(enteredText);
            this.showPopup();
        }
        else {
            this.hidePopup();
        }
    }

    /* Testing Codes */
    public static List<String> populateArray() {
        List<String> test = new ArrayList<String>();
        test.add("");
        test.add("Mountain Flight");
        test.add("Mount Climbing");
        test.add("Trekking");
        test.add("Rafting");
        test.add("Jungle Safari");
        test.add("Bungie Jumping");
        test.add("Para Gliding");
        return test;
    }

    public static void makeUI() {
        JFrame frame = new JFrame("Adventure in Nepal - Combo Filter Test");
        FilterComboBox acb = new FilterComboBox(populateArray());
        frame.getContentPane().add(acb);
        frame.pack();
        frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
        frame.setVisible(true);
    }

    public static void main(String[] args) throws Exception {

        //UIManager.setLookAndFeel("com.sun.java.swing.plaf.windows.WindowsLookAndFeel");
        makeUI();
    }
}

The performance of the combo filter is not so good but it is fine for few data set. My problem is - when I remove the comment UIManager.setLookAndFeel("com.sun.java.swing.plaf.windows.WindowsLookAndFeel"); to change look and feel, the filter doesn't work. In WindowsLookAndFeel, the combo box only takes single character in it by replacing the previously entered character.

Can you please tell me whats going on? Manoj Shrestha's answer below helps in some way but , can you please provide some other suggestions to achieve combo box filter in Java?

Answer 1

very long answer, I think that exelent example about how different Look and Feel have got implemented methods in API and works

• KeyListener isn't proper Listener for Swing JComponents, you really to have bothering with KeyBindings,

• KeyListener is simple asynchronous,

• JComboBox is Compound JComponent, then there is required override internal JComponents, all output from KeyListener must be wrapped into invokeLater(), notice I can create event from coumpond JComponents that twice invokeLater() doesn't returns expected output to the GUI, only Swing Timer with Swing Action can do that correctly, simple why to bothering wiht that example about wrong way,

code

import java.awt.Component;
import java.awt.event.*;
import javax.swing.*;
import javax.swing.plaf.basic.BasicComboBoxRenderer;

public class ComboBoxHoverOver {

    private JComboBox combo = new JComboBox();

    public ComboBoxHoverOver() {
        combo.setPrototypeDisplayValue("XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX");
        combo.setRenderer(new ComboToolTipRenderer(combo));
        combo.addItemListener(new ItemListener() {

            @Override
            public void itemStateChanged(ItemEvent e) {
                //System.out.println(combo.getSelectedItem().toString());
            }
        });
        combo.addActionListener(new ActionListener() {

            @Override
            public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {
                //System.out.println(combo.getSelectedItem().toString());
            }
        });
        combo.addItem("");
        combo.addItem("Long text 4");
        combo.addItem("Long text 3");
        combo.addItem("Long text 2");
        combo.addItem("Long text 1");
        JFrame f = new JFrame();
        f.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
        f.add(combo);
        f.pack();
        f.setVisible(true);
    }

    private class ComboToolTipRenderer extends BasicComboBoxRenderer {

        private static final long serialVersionUID = 1L;
        private JComboBox combo;
        private JList comboList;

        ComboToolTipRenderer(JComboBox combo) {
            this.combo = combo;
        }

        @Override
        public Component getListCellRendererComponent(JList list, Object value,
                int index, boolean isSelected, boolean cellHasFocus) {
            super.getListCellRendererComponent(
                    list, value, index, isSelected, cellHasFocus);
            if (comboList == null) {
                comboList = list;
                KeyAdapter listener = new KeyAdapter() {

                    @Override
                    public void keyReleased(KeyEvent e) {
                        if (e.getKeyCode() == KeyEvent.VK_DOWN || e.getKeyCode() == KeyEvent.VK_UP) {
                            int x = 5;
                            int y = comboList.indexToLocation(comboList.getSelectedIndex()).y;
                            System.out.println(comboList.getSelectedIndex());
                        }
                    }
                };
                combo.addKeyListener(listener);
                combo.getEditor().getEditorComponent().addKeyListener(listener);
            }
            if (isSelected) {
                //System.out.println(value.toString());
            }
            return this;
        }
    }

    public static void main(String[] args) throws ClassNotFoundException,
            InstantiationException, IllegalAccessException, UnsupportedLookAndFeelException {
        UIManager.setLookAndFeel("com.sun.java.swing.plaf.windows.WindowsLookAndFeel");
        java.awt.EventQueue.invokeLater(new Runnable() {

            @Override
            public void run() {
                ComboBoxHoverOver comboBoxHoverOver = new ComboBoxHoverOver();
            }
        });
    }
}

• JComboBox is Compound JComponent, then there is required override BasicComboBoxUI, please sorry I lazy to write and simulating too much longer code as code from first point

• otherwise all effort from above two point are useless and contraproductive, nothing else, only DOT

---

please can someone to test follows code in *nix and apple OS X

from my Java6 WinXP compo (all important is hidden in the used methods, enless kudos for anonymous author from former Sun Microsystems)

Substance L&F

WindowsLookAndFeel L&F

Nimbus L&F

Metal L&F

from Java Classes

main

import java.awt.*;
import java.util.ArrayList;
import javax.swing.*;
import javax.swing.UIManager.LookAndFeelInfo;
import org.pushingpixels.substance.api.skin.SubstanceOfficeSilver2007LookAndFeel;

public class AutoCompleteTextField {

    private static JFrame frame = new JFrame();
    private ArrayList<String> listSomeString = new ArrayList<String>();
    private Java2sAutoTextField someTextField = new Java2sAutoTextField(listSomeString);
    private ArrayList<String> listSomeAnotherString = new ArrayList<String>();
    private Java2sAutoComboBox someComboBox = new Java2sAutoComboBox(listSomeAnotherString);

    public AutoCompleteTextField() {
        listSomeString.add("-");
        listSomeString.add("Snowboarding");
        listSomeString.add("Rowing");
        listSomeString.add("Knitting");
        listSomeString.add("Speed reading");
        listSomeString.add("Pool");
        listSomeString.add("None of the above");
//
        listSomeAnotherString.add("-");
        listSomeAnotherString.add("XxxZxx Snowboarding");
        listSomeAnotherString.add("AaaBbb Rowing");
        listSomeAnotherString.add("CccDdd Knitting");
        listSomeAnotherString.add("Eee Fff Speed reading");
        listSomeAnotherString.add("Eee Fff Pool");
        listSomeAnotherString.add("Eee Fff None of the above");
//
        someTextField.setFont(new Font("Serif", Font.BOLD, 16));
        someTextField.setForeground(Color.black);
        someTextField.setBackground(Color.orange);
        someTextField.setName("someTextField");
        someTextField.setDataList(listSomeString);
//
        someComboBox.setPrototypeDisplayValue("xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx");
        someComboBox.setFont(new Font("Serif", Font.BOLD, 16));
        someComboBox.setForeground(Color.black);
        someComboBox.setBackground(Color.YELLOW);
        someComboBox.getEditor().selectAll();
        someComboBox.getEditor().getEditorComponent().setBackground(Color.YELLOW);
        ((JTextField) someComboBox.getEditor().getEditorComponent()).setDisabledTextColor(Color.black);
        someComboBox.setName("someComboBox");
        someComboBox.setDataList(listSomeAnotherString);
//
        frame.setLayout(new GridLayout(0, 1, 10, 10));
        frame.add(someTextField);
        frame.add(someComboBox);
        frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
        frame.setLocation(100, 100);
        frame.pack();
        frame.setVisible(true);
//
        SwingUtilities.invokeLater(new Runnable() {

            @Override
            public void run() {
                someTextField.setText("-");
                someComboBox.getEditor().setItem(0);
                someComboBox.getEditor().selectAll();
                someTextField.grabFocus();
                someTextField.requestFocus();
                someTextField.setText(someTextField.getText());
                someTextField.selectAll();
            }
        });

    }

    public static void main(String[] args) {
        /*SwingUtilities.invokeLater(new Runnable() {

            public void run() {
                try {
                    UIManager.setLookAndFeel(new SubstanceOfficeSilver2007LookAndFeel());
                    SwingUtilities.updateComponentTreeUI(frame);
                } catch (UnsupportedLookAndFeelException e) {
                    throw new RuntimeException(e);
                }
            }
        });*/
        /*try {
            UIManager.setLookAndFeel("com.sun.java.swing.plaf.windows.WindowsLookAndFeel");
            for (LookAndFeelInfo info : UIManager.getInstalledLookAndFeels()) {
            System.out.println(info.getName());
            if ("Nimbus".equals(info.getName())) {
            UIManager.setLookAndFeel(info.getClassName());
            break;
            }
            }
        } catch (UnsupportedLookAndFeelException e) {
            // handle exception
        } catch (ClassNotFoundException e) {
            // handle exception
        } catch (InstantiationException e) {
            // handle exception
        } catch (IllegalAccessException e) {
            // handle exception
        }*/
        SwingUtilities.invokeLater(new Runnable() {

            @Override
            public void run() {
                AutoCompleteTextField aCTF = new AutoCompleteTextField();
            }
        });
    }
}

AutoComboBox

import java.awt.event.ItemEvent;
import javax.swing.DefaultComboBoxModel;
import javax.swing.JComboBox;
import javax.swing.plaf.basic.BasicComboBoxEditor;

public class Java2sAutoComboBox extends JComboBox {

    private static final long serialVersionUID = 1L;
    private AutoTextFieldEditor autoTextFieldEditor;
    private boolean isFired;

    private class AutoTextFieldEditor extends BasicComboBoxEditor {

        private Java2sAutoTextField getAutoTextFieldEditor() {
            return (Java2sAutoTextField) editor;
        }

        AutoTextFieldEditor(java.util.List<String> list) {
            editor = new Java2sAutoTextField(list, Java2sAutoComboBox.this);
        }
    }

    public Java2sAutoComboBox(java.util.List<String> list) {
        isFired = false;
        autoTextFieldEditor = new AutoTextFieldEditor(list);
        setEditable(true);
        setModel(new DefaultComboBoxModel(list.toArray()) {

            private static final long serialVersionUID = 1L;

            @Override
            protected void fireContentsChanged(Object obj, int i, int j) {
                if (!isFired) {
                    super.fireContentsChanged(obj, i, j);
                }
            }
        });
        setEditor(autoTextFieldEditor);
    }

    public boolean isCaseSensitive() {
        return autoTextFieldEditor.getAutoTextFieldEditor().isCaseSensitive();
    }

    public void setCaseSensitive(boolean flag) {
        autoTextFieldEditor.getAutoTextFieldEditor().setCaseSensitive(flag);
    }

    public boolean isStrict() {
        return autoTextFieldEditor.getAutoTextFieldEditor().isStrict();
    }

    public void setStrict(boolean flag) {
        autoTextFieldEditor.getAutoTextFieldEditor().setStrict(flag);
    }

    public java.util.List<String> getDataList() {
        return autoTextFieldEditor.getAutoTextFieldEditor().getDataList();
    }

    public void setDataList(java.util.List<String> list) {
        autoTextFieldEditor.getAutoTextFieldEditor().setDataList(list);
        setModel(new DefaultComboBoxModel(list.toArray()));
    }

    void setSelectedValue(Object obj) {
        if (isFired) {
            return;
        } else {
            isFired = true;
            setSelectedItem(obj);
            fireItemStateChanged(new ItemEvent(this, 701, selectedItemReminder, 1));
            isFired = false;
            return;
        }
    }

    @Override
    protected void fireActionEvent() {
        if (!isFired) {
            super.fireActionEvent();
        }
    }
}

AutoTextField

import java.util.List;
import javax.swing.JTextField;
import javax.swing.text.*;

public class Java2sAutoTextField extends JTextField {

    private static final long serialVersionUID = 1L;
    private List<String> dataList;
    private boolean isCaseSensitive;
    private boolean isStrict;
    private Java2sAutoComboBox autoComboBox;

    public class AutoDocument extends PlainDocument {

        private static final long serialVersionUID = 1L;

        @Override
        public void replace(int i, int j, String s, AttributeSet attributeset)
                throws BadLocationException {
            super.remove(i, j);
            insertString(i, s, attributeset);
        }

        @Override
        public void insertString(int i, String s, AttributeSet attributeset)
                throws BadLocationException {
            if (s == null || "".equals(s)) {
                return;
            }
            String s1 = getText(0, i);
            String s2 = getMatch(s1 + s);
            int j = (i + s.length()) - 1;
            if (isStrict && s2 == null) {
                s2 = getMatch(s1);
                j--;
            } else if (!isStrict && s2 == null) {
                super.insertString(i, s, attributeset);
                return;
            }
            if (autoComboBox != null && s2 != null) {
                autoComboBox.setSelectedValue(s2);
            }
            super.remove(0, getLength());
            super.insertString(0, s2, attributeset);
            setSelectionStart(j + 1);
            setSelectionEnd(getLength());
        }

        @Override
        public void remove(int i, int j) throws BadLocationException {
            int k = getSelectionStart();
            if (k > 0) {
                k--;
            }
            String s = getMatch(getText(0, k));
            if (!isStrict && s == null) {
                super.remove(i, j);
            } else {
                super.remove(0, getLength());
                super.insertString(0, s, null);
            }
            if (autoComboBox != null && s != null) {
                autoComboBox.setSelectedValue(s);
            }
            try {
                setSelectionStart(k);
                setSelectionEnd(getLength());
            } catch (Exception exception) {
            }
        }
    }

    public Java2sAutoTextField(List<String> list) {
        isCaseSensitive = false;
        isStrict = true;
        autoComboBox = null;
        if (list == null) {
            throw new IllegalArgumentException("values can not be null");
        } else {
            dataList = list;
            init();
            return;
        }
    }

    Java2sAutoTextField(List<String> list, Java2sAutoComboBox b) {
        isCaseSensitive = false;
        isStrict = true;
        autoComboBox = null;
        if (list == null) {
            throw new IllegalArgumentException("values can not be null");
        } else {
            dataList = list;
            autoComboBox = b;
            init();
            return;
        }
    }

    private void init() {
        setDocument(new AutoDocument());
        if (isStrict && dataList.size() > 0) {
            setText(dataList.get(0).toString());
        }
    }

    private String getMatch(String s) {
        for (int i = 0; i < dataList.size(); i++) {
            String s1 = dataList.get(i).toString();
            if (s1 != null) {
                if (!isCaseSensitive
                        && s1.toLowerCase().startsWith(s.toLowerCase())) {
                    return s1;
                }
                if (isCaseSensitive && s1.startsWith(s)) {
                    return s1;
                }
            }
        }

        return null;
    }

    @Override
    public void replaceSelection(String s) {
        AutoDocument _lb = (AutoDocument) getDocument();
        if (_lb != null) {
            try {
                int i = Math.min(getCaret().getDot(), getCaret().getMark());
                int j = Math.max(getCaret().getDot(), getCaret().getMark());
                _lb.replace(i, j - i, s, null);
            } catch (Exception exception) {
            }
        }
    }

    public boolean isCaseSensitive() {
        return isCaseSensitive;
    }

    public void setCaseSensitive(boolean flag) {
        isCaseSensitive = flag;
    }

    public boolean isStrict() {
        return isStrict;
    }

    public void setStrict(boolean flag) {
        isStrict = flag;
    }

    public List<String> getDataList() {
        return dataList;
    }

    public void setDataList(List<String> list) {
        if (list == null) {
            throw new IllegalArgumentException("values can not be null");
        } else {
            dataList = list;
            return;
        }
    }
}

EDIT

output from Win7 64b / Java7

Metal L&F

Windows L&F (funny empty white space near Button in JComboBox)

Nimbus L&F

feel free for edit(s)

Answer 2

This component is called autocomplete and is included in a so called swing extensions porject.

Just have a look at: http://swingx.java.net/
There is a webstart: http://swinglabs-demos.java.net/demos/swingxset6/swingxset.jnlp

Autocomplete is the Menu to select. Have fun and less error prone code :)

Answer 3

Firstly you are creating new model everytime and then invoking show popup from code which leads to flickering etc. We can modify the model itself. Secondly you set the currently entered text as selected item which seems to have selectAll behavior as noted by others. I have modified the code as follows:

public void comboFilter(String enteredText) {
    if (!this.isPopupVisible()) {
        this.showPopup();
    }

    List<String> filterArray= new ArrayList<String>();
    for (int i = 0; i < array.size(); i++) {
        if (array.get(i).toLowerCase().contains(enteredText.toLowerCase())) {
            filterArray.add(array.get(i));
        }
    }
    if (filterArray.size() > 0) {
        DefaultComboBoxModel model = (DefaultComboBoxModel) this.getModel();
        model.removeAllElements();
        for (String s: filterArray)
            model.addElement(s);

        JTextField textfield = (JTextField) this.getEditor().getEditorComponent();
        textfield.setText(enteredText);
    }
}

Hope it works for you.

Answer 4

obviously the glitch is in the textfield component used. What happens is, when windows look and feel is used , the text in this component is selected just as using the line "textfield.selectAll();", and hence when you type anything else the selected text is cleared form the textfield component. So in the below code the caret position of this component is adjusted. This is how it works, first store the current caret position of text field in a variable "currentCaretPosition", then move the caret position to the beginning in the text in the component. After filtering restoring the caret position back to the "currentCaretPosition" variable value. I hope it works as you want it to.

The refined code is given below:-

                                       /****Beginning of code****/
import java.awt.event.KeyAdapter;
import java.awt.event.KeyEvent;
import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.util.List;

import javax.swing.DefaultComboBoxModel;
import javax.swing.JComboBox;
import javax.swing.JFrame;
import javax.swing.JTextField;
import javax.swing.SwingUtilities;
import javax.swing.UIManager;

public class FilterComboBox extends JComboBox {
    private List<String> array;
    private int currentCaretPosition=0;


    public FilterComboBox(List<String> array) {
        super(array.toArray());
        this.array = array;
        this.setEditable(true);
        final JTextField textfield = (JTextField) this.getEditor().getEditorComponent();
        textfield.addKeyListener(new KeyAdapter() {
            public void keyPressed(KeyEvent ke) {
                SwingUtilities.invokeLater(new Runnable() {
                    public void run() {
                        currentCaretPosition=textfield.getCaretPosition();
                        if(textfield.getSelectedText()==null)
                        {
                        textfield.setCaretPosition(0);
                        comboFilter(textfield.getText());
                        textfield.setCaretPosition(currentCaretPosition);
                        }
                     }
                });
            }

        });

    }

    public void comboFilter(String enteredText) {
        List<String> filterArray= new ArrayList<String>();
        for (int i = 0; i < array.size(); i++) {
            if (array.get(i).toLowerCase().contains(enteredText.toLowerCase())) {
                filterArray.add(array.get(i));
            }


        }
        if (filterArray.size() > 0) {

            this.setModel(new DefaultComboBoxModel(filterArray.toArray()));
            this.setSelectedItem(enteredText);
            this.showPopup();
        }
        else {
            this.hidePopup();
        }
    }

    /* Testing Codes */
    public static List<String> populateArray() {
        List<String> test = new ArrayList<String>();
        test.add("");
        test.add("Mountain Flight");
        test.add("Mount Climbing");
        test.add("Trekking");
        test.add("Rafting");
        test.add("Jungle Safari");
        test.add("Bungie Jumping");
        test.add("Para Gliding");
        return test;
    }

    public static void makeUI() {
        JFrame frame = new JFrame("Adventure in Nepal - Combo Filter Test");
        FilterComboBox acb = new FilterComboBox(populateArray());
        frame.getContentPane().add(acb);
        frame.pack();
        frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
        frame.setVisible(true);
    }

    public static void main(String[] args) throws Exception {

        UIManager.setLookAndFeel("com.sun.java.swing.plaf.windows.WindowsLookAndFeel");
        makeUI();
    }
}


                                       /******* End of code**********/

Answer 5

It looks like, as you mentioned, when user inputs any texts in combobox, the Windows Look & Feel selects (highlights) the entered text. So, when you press another key, it replaces the previous one. So, the solution is not to highlight the entered texts. You can achieve this by adding any one of the following statements in your keylistener.

textfield.setCaretPosition(textfield.getText().length());

OR

textfield.setSelectionStart(textfield.getText().length());

So, your keylistener should look like this :

final JTextField textfield = (JTextField) this.getEditor().getEditorComponent();
    textfield.addKeyListener(new KeyAdapter() {
        public void keyReleased(KeyEvent ke) {
            SwingUtilities.invokeLater(new Runnable() {
                public void run() {
                    comboFilter(textfield.getText());
                    textfield.setCaretPosition(textfield.getText().length());
                }
            });
        }
    });