JCombobox string item (visible) and integer key (inherent)

Question

I have a database schema = which will be shown in a JCombobox as a JTable column to select a name. But I want the ID field to insert (as a foreign key) in another table.

Usually, selecting an Item in drop down, bring the selected item to the shown area of the combo box.

What I want to do is, when select any item (string) in the combo box its corresponding integer key (can be kept in a sorted map) should be shown in the combobox placeholder area, so that when take the value of the JTable.getValueAt(row, column), I get the integer key, not the string item value. Please help me how can I do that?

Answer 1

You should store an Object in the TableModel that contains both the string value to display and the Integer value for the key. Then you you access table.getValueAt(...) you have access to the object which contain both pieces of information.

Here is an example for a standalone combo box:

import java.awt.*;
import java.awt.event.*;
import java.util.*;
import javax.swing.*;
import javax.swing.plaf.basic.*;

public class ComboBoxItem extends JFrame implements ActionListener
{
    public ComboBoxItem()
    {
        Vector model = new Vector();
        model.addElement( new Item(1, "car" ) );
        model.addElement( new Item(2, "plane" ) );
        model.addElement( new Item(3, "train" ) );
        model.addElement( new Item(4, "boat" ) );
        model.addElement( new Item(5, "boat aadf asfsdf a asd asd" ) );

        JComboBox comboBox;

        //  Easiest approach is to just override toString() method
        //  of the Item class

        comboBox = new JComboBox( model );
        comboBox.addActionListener( this );
        getContentPane().add(comboBox, BorderLayout.NORTH );

        //  Most flexible approach is to create a custom render
        //  to diplay the Item data

        comboBox = new JComboBox( model );
        comboBox.setRenderer( new ItemRenderer() );
        comboBox.addActionListener( this );
        getContentPane().add(comboBox, BorderLayout.SOUTH );
    }

    public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e)
    {
        JComboBox comboBox = (JComboBox)e.getSource();
        Item item = (Item)comboBox.getSelectedItem();
        System.out.println( item.getId() + " : " + item.getDescription() );
    }

    class ItemRenderer extends BasicComboBoxRenderer
    {
        public Component getListCellRendererComponent(
            JList list, Object value, int index,
            boolean isSelected, boolean cellHasFocus)
        {
            super.getListCellRendererComponent(list, value, index,
                isSelected, cellHasFocus);

            if (value != null)
            {
                Item item = (Item)value;
                setText( item.getDescription().toUpperCase() );
            }

            if (index == -1)
            {
                Item item = (Item)value;
                setText( "" + item.getId() );
            }


            return this;
        }
    }

    class Item
    {
        private int id;
        private String description;

        public Item(int id, String description)
        {
            this.id = id;
            this.description = description;
        }

        public int getId()
        {
            return id;
        }

        public String getDescription()
        {
            return description;
        }

        public String toString()
        {
            return description;
        }
    }

    public static void main(String[] args)
    {
        JFrame frame = new ComboBoxItem();
        frame.setDefaultCloseOperation( EXIT_ON_CLOSE );
        frame.pack();
        frame.setVisible( true );
     }

}