JTable dates

[Mike Lipay]

Is there a way to allow a user to edit a date in a JTable? All of the columns I have in my table are open for editing, but when I click on the date column I cannot open it for editing. Is there something special that needs to be done for dates, or are dates not editable?

[Rob Camick]

Is there something special that needs to be done for dates

No.

but when I click on the date column I cannot open it for editing

Where is your SSCCE that demonstrates this?

[Rob Spoor]

Mike Lipay wrote:Is there something special that needs to be done for dates, or are dates not editable?

All you need to do is make your model's getColumnClass method return Date.class for the column. But something tells me you've already done that.

[Mike Lipay]

Ok, I didn't want to post the code if editing dates wasn't possible.

Ever other field in the table edits with no problem, and I can't see what I missed for the date.

import java.awt.*;
import java.io.*;
import java.text.*;
import java.util.*;

import javax.swing.*;
import javax.swing.event.ListSelectionEvent;
import javax.swing.event.ListSelectionListener;
import javax.swing.table.*;


/**
 * Service Form
 * @author	Mike Lipay
 * @version	1.0
*/
public class Service
{
	public static void main (String[] args)
	{
		JFrame MainFrame = new JFrame();
		MainFrame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
		MainFrame.pack();
		MainFrame.setLocationRelativeTo(null);
		MainFrame.setVisible(true);
		Service.Service(MainFrame);
	}


	public static void Service (JFrame frame)
	{ displayMenu(frame); }


	/**
	 * Display main window to the user
	*/
	public static void displayMenu(JFrame aFrame)
	{
		final JFrame frame = aFrame;

		EventQueue.invokeLater (new Runnable()
		{
			public void run()
			{
				ServiceDialog dialog = new ServiceDialog(frame);
				dialog.setDefaultCloseOperation (JFrame.DISPOSE_ON_CLOSE);
				dialog.setVisible(true);
			}
		});
	}
}



/**
* Create the window frame
*/
class ServiceDialog extends JDialog implements Serializable
{
	/**
	 * Create the main frame which enables the selection of or addition of
	 * vehicles to the Vehicle Identification File (VIF.obj)
	*/
	public ServiceDialog(JFrame owner)
	{
		super (owner, "Vehicle Specifications", true);
		

	// Main window setup
		setLocationByPlatform(true);
		setSize(windowWidth, windowHeight);
		setTitle("Vehicle Service");
		GridBagLayout layout = new GridBagLayout();
		setLayout(layout);


	// Add Service Table to panel
		table = new JTable(model);

		PopulateTable();
		add (new JScrollPane(table), gbcTablField);
		table.setAutoCreateRowSorter(true);
		table.setFillsViewportHeight(true);
		table.setSelectionMode(ListSelectionModel.SINGLE_SELECTION);
		table.getSelectionModel().addListSelectionListener(new RowListener());
		table.getSelectionModel().addListSelectionListener(new ColumnListener());

		TableColumn tcol = table.getColumnModel().getColumn(clmnMileage);
		tcol.setCellRenderer(new CustomTableCellRenderer());
		tcol = table.getColumnModel().getColumn(clmnInvoice);
		tcol.setCellRenderer(new CustomTableCellRenderer());
		tcol = table.getColumnModel().getColumn(clmnSvcDate);
		tcol.setCellRenderer(new CustomTableCellRenderer());
		tcol = table.getColumnModel().getColumn(clmnCost);
		tcol.setCellRenderer(new CustomTableCellRenderer());
	}


// Table values
	final String[] columnNames = {
		"Mileage", 
		"Service Date", 
		"Shop", 
		"Invoice Nbr", 
		"Labor", 
		"Parts", 
		"Cost", 
	};

	Date date1 = new GregorianCalendar(2009,0,26).getTime();
	Date date2 = new GregorianCalendar(2008,2,20).getTime();

	private Object[][] serviceTable = {
		{ 97300, 
		date1, 
		"McElhinney's Service", 
		4798, 
		"Check alternator and oil pressure", 
		"Battery, Alternator, Serpentine Belt, Oil Pressure Sensor", 
		707.68},
		{ 0, 
		date2, 
		"McElhinney's Service", 
		11112, 
		"Replace engine", 
		"Motor, cables, fluids", 
		4534.61}
	};


	private JTable table;

	private void PopulateTable()
	{
		for ( int r = 0; r < serviceTable.length; r++ )
			for ( int c = 0; c < serviceTable[r].length; c++ )
				model.setValueAt(serviceTable[r][c], r, c);
	}


	public class CustomTableCellRenderer extends DefaultTableCellRenderer
	{
		public Component getTableCellRendererComponent
			(JTable table, Object obj, boolean isSelected, boolean hasFocus,
				int row, int col)
		{
			setHorizontalAlignment(SwingConstants.RIGHT);

			if (col == clmnMileage)
				return super.getTableCellRendererComponent
					(table, mf.format(obj), isSelected, hasFocus, row, col);
			if (col == clmnSvcDate)
				return super.getTableCellRendererComponent
					(table, df.format(obj), isSelected, hasFocus, row, col);
			if (col == clmnSvcDate)
				System.out.println(obj);
			if (col == clmnCost)
				return super.getTableCellRendererComponent
					(table, cf.format(obj), isSelected, hasFocus, row, col);

			return super.getTableCellRendererComponent
				(table, obj, isSelected, hasFocus, row, col);
		}
	}


	private DefaultTableModel model = new DefaultTableModel(columnNames, serviceTable.length)
	{
		public Class<?> getColumnClass(int c)
		{
			if (c == clmnMileage || c == clmnInvoice)
				return Integer.class;
			if (c == clmnSvcDate)
				return GregorianCalendar.class;
			if (c == clmnCost)
				return Double.class;
			return String.class;
		}
	};


	private class RowListener implements ListSelectionListener
	{
		public void valueChanged(ListSelectionEvent e) 
		{
			if (!e.getValueIsAdjusting())
			{
				int[] selected = table.getSelectedRows();
				selRow = selected[0];
			}
		}
	}


	private class ColumnListener implements ListSelectionListener
	{
		public void valueChanged(ListSelectionEvent e) 
		{
			if (!e.getValueIsAdjusting())
			{
				int[] selected = table.getSelectedColumns();
				selCol = selected[clmnMileage];
			}
		}
	}


// Field formatting
	final NumberFormat  cf = NumberFormat.getCurrencyInstance();
	final DateFormat	df = DateFormat.getDateInstance(DateFormat.MEDIUM);
	final DecimalFormat mf = new DecimalFormat ("000,000");


// Main panel fields
	final  int windowWidth  = 600;
	final  int windowHeight = 350;

	private JPanel servicePanel	= new JPanel();

	private int selRow;
	private int selCol;
	final int clmnMileage = 0;
	final int clmnSvcDate = 1;
	final int clmnShop    = 2;
	final int clmnInvoice = 3;
	final int clmnLabor   = 4;
	final int clmnParts   = 5;
	final int clmnCost    = 6;


// Field locations in panel
	private GBC gbcTablField = new GBC(0,5,5,1).setFill(GBC.BOTH).setWeight(100, 100);
}

[Rob Camick]

I didn't want to post the code if editing dates wasn't possible.

Yes, well the problem is that people don't know how to ask meaningfull questions with all the relevant informationand we end up wasting time guessing what you might be talking about. That is why we ALWAYS need a SSCCE so we can tell exactly what you are talking about.

Your question was about "dates" for which both Rob's assumed you where talking about the Date class, not the GregorianCalendar class. There is a big difference. The default editor needs to be able to take the data entered into the the text field and create a new Object of the column class type. The Date class does have a constructor that takes a String as a parameter and therefore you can create a new Date object.

The GregorianCalendar class does NOT take a string as a parameter for creating an object, therefore the default editor doesn't work. You need to create a custom GregorianCalendar editor and override the approriate method to make sure you can create and return a GregorianCalendar object based on the date information entered in the editor. The Swing tutorial gives an example of creating a custom editor.

[Mike Lipay]

I tried using the Date class first, but received a warning from the compiler about Date being deprecated. Is there a way around that other than using GregorianCalendar?

[Paul Clapham]

The Date class isn't deprecated, so I expect your compiler error didn't really say that. Posting the actual error message also helps, whereas posting crude paraphrases of the error message is just distracting.

[Mike Lipay]

Paul Clapham wrote:The Date class isn't deprecated, so I expect your compiler error didn't really say that. Posting the actual error message also helps, whereas posting crude paraphrases of the error message is just distracting.

Here is the message:

C:\Documents and Settings\pmll42\Desktop\Java\Test>javac Service.java
Note: Service.java uses or overrides a deprecated API.
Note: Recompile with -Xlint:deprecation for details.

C:\Documents and Settings\pmll42\Desktop\Java\Test>javac -Xlint:deprecation Serv
ice.java
Service.java:110: warning: [deprecation] Date(int,int,int) in java.util.Date has
 been deprecated
        Date date1 = new Date(2009,0,26);
                     ^
Service.java:111: warning: [deprecation] Date(int,int,int) in java.util.Date has
 been deprecated
        Date date2 = new Date(2008,2,20);
                     ^
2 warnings

C:\Documents and Settings\pmll42\Desktop\Java\Test>

[Paul Clapham]

Okay. So what does that error message actually tell you about the Date class? And what does the API documentation recommend you should do instead?

[Mike Lipay]

Paul Clapham wrote:Okay. So what does that error message actually tell you about the Date class? And what does the API documentation recommend you should do instead?

It tells me that Date is on the way out, what I could find tells me to use Calendar instead. Tried that:

	Calendar date1 = new Calendar.getInstance();
	date1.set(2009,0,26);

Tossed this error during compile:

C:\Documents and Settings\pmll42\Desktop\Java\Test>java Service.java
Service.java:113: <identifier> expected
        date1.set(2009,0,26);
                 ^
Service.java:113: illegal start of type
        date1.set(2009,0,26);
                  ^
Service.java:113: illegal start of type
        date1.set(2009,0,26);
                       ^
Service.java:113: illegal start of type
        date1.set(2009,0,26);
                         ^
4 errors

C:\Documents and Settings\pmll42\Desktop\Java\Test>

According to the examples on java.sun.com what I coded was correct. Looking elsewhere for solutions is what led me to GregorianCalendar.

[Paul Clapham]

Okay. So the API documentation tells you to use a Calendar object if you want to create a new Date like that. But using the Calendar object as part of your data model, and not just as a tool for creating a Date, is going beyond what I see the documentation saying. You will notice that the Date class itself isn't deprecated; everything which is deprecated in Date is methods which deal with components of the Date, like month or year. The rest is fine and I would still use Date objects in my data model. In fact I do.

[Rob Camick]

You where asked to post a SSCCE for a reason.

Where in your SSCCE do you get a compile warning? You do create a Date class properly and then in fact add the Date to the TableModel. So why does your getColumnClass() method say you are adding a GregorianCalendar to the model? Why do you think the editor will be able to convert a Date to a GregorianCalendar?

[Rob Spoor]

I know exactly what the problem is. Your model says it returns instances of GregorianCalendar, but the model contains instances of Date. Change the model to return Date.class and you can edit those cells. I most certainly can.

Oh, and that code is not an SSCCE. I don't have class GBC on my system so I needed to translate it into a regular GridBagConstraints object first.

[pete stein]

Mike Lipay wrote:
It tells me that Date is on the way out, ...

It says nothing of the kind. Instead it states that the constructor you are using is deprecated not that Date class itself is not deprecated, and in fact, it is not. This may seem like nitpicking, but it's actually a very important distinction that you must understand.

[Mike Lipay]

Sorry, but a lot of this just doesn't make sense. I see nowhere where I would get the idea that I have to use a mixture of Date and Calendar. From the Calendar API I would assume that this code should work:

	Calendar date1 = new Calendar();
	date1.set(2009,0,26);
	Calendar date1 = new Calendar();
	date1.set(2009,0,26);

Calendar() Constructs a Calendar with the default time zone and locale.
set(int year, int month, int date) Sets the values for the fields year, month, and date.

It doesn't.

Service.java:113: <identifier> expected	date1.set(2009,0,26);
                                                    ^

[Rob Camick]

Well I give up, since you are obviously paying no attention to what I've said in this posting or others.

Why did you last reply include code for a Calendar object? This posting is about using the Date class not the Calendar class. The SSCCE you posted demonstrated your problem and you only need to change one line to fix it. Both Rob's have told you how to fix it.

[Mike Lipay]

Rob Camick wrote:Well I give up, since you are obviously paying no attention to what I've said in this posting or others.

Why did you last reply include code for a Calendar object? This posting is about using the Date class not the Calendar class. The SSCCE you posted demonstrated your problem and you only need to change one line to fix it. Both Rob's have told you how to fix it.

Yes, I am paying attention, to several different conversations here. I changed GregorianCalendar to Date, after which I started receiving the deprecation error. Then I was told to see why, the API said to use Calendar because Date(int,int,int) was no longer supported. So I started explaining the problems I had using the Calendar class, i.e., the .set(int,int,int) method is returning errors, which is what sent me to GregorianCalendar to begin with.

I am paying attention to everyone here, and trying to answer and test what everyone suggests. And believe me, I am more confused than ever with trying to follow everything at the same time.

[Rob Camick]

I changed GregorianCalendar to Date,

Why? Did I not already state once before that your code was correct and the problem was with the getColumnClass() method?

In fact both Rob's stated the same problem. So I have no idea why you can't fix your original SSCCE to get it working. Its a one line change.

[Mike Lipay]

I'm sorry, mistyped, I did correct the code:

	Date date1 = new GregorianCalendar(2009,0,26).getTime();
	Date date2 = new GregorianCalendar(2008,2,20).getTime();

	private DefaultTableModel model = new DefaultTableModel(columnNames, serviceTable.length)
	{
		public Class<?> getColumnClass(int c)
		{
			if (c == clmnMileage || c == clmnInvoice)	return Integer.class;
			if (c == clmnSvcDate) return Date.class;
			if (c == clmnCost)	return Double.class;
			return String.class;
		}

I was trying to answer questions that people were asking.