I mamaged to figure out something that works with the help of ChatGPT.
It’s an ugly proof of concept but I’m still playing around.
If anyone would like to see I can put it up on Github.
I’m sure some of the seasoned Platform developers here have something more
polished ;-)
> On May 29, 2025, at 2:20 PM, Tim Mullé <tmu...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Hi,
>
> Can anyone please tell me what I’m doing wrong below?
>
> I need to use legacy JTables in our application because we have very
> customized renderers and dynamic column add/remove features and for the time
> being I
> have to keep what we have. Besides, from my limited research it seems the
> TableView and OutlineView are limited in their customization of renderers and
> being able to dynamically add/remove custom columns, etc? At least out of the
> box..
>
> So, I thought I could basically make an adapter/bridge between the JTable
> selection and the ExplorerManager API so other components (ie. Properties,
> selection handling) can work elsewhere.
>
> But, for some reason I’m not getting my node published. I see the debug
> statements saying things SHOULD be published, but the Properties window isn’t
> showing anything.
>
>
> This is my TopComponent as a test:
>
> Thanks!
>
> — CODE ——
> /*
> * Click nbfs://nbhost/SystemFileSystem/Templates/Licenses/license-default.txt
> to change this license
> * Click
> nbfs://nbhost/SystemFileSystem/Templates/NetBeansModuleDevelopment-files/templateTopComponent637.java
> to edit this template
> */
> package org.mullet.tables;
>
> import java.awt.BorderLayout;
> import java.awt.event.MouseAdapter;
> import java.awt.event.MouseEvent;
> import java.util.List;
> import javax.swing.JButton;
> import javax.swing.JMenuItem;
> import javax.swing.JOptionPane;
> import javax.swing.JPopupMenu;
> import javax.swing.JScrollPane;
> import javax.swing.JTable;
> import javax.swing.ListSelectionModel;
> import javax.swing.SwingUtilities;
> import javax.swing.event.ListSelectionEvent;
> import javax.swing.table.TableRowSorter;
> import org.netbeans.api.settings.ConvertAsProperties;
> import org.openide.awt.ActionID;
> import org.openide.awt.ActionReference;
> import org.openide.explorer.ExplorerManager;
> import org.openide.explorer.ExplorerUtils;
> import org.openide.nodes.AbstractNode;
> import org.openide.nodes.Children;
> import org.openide.nodes.Node;
> import org.openide.windows.TopComponent;
> import org.openide.util.NbBundle.Messages;
>
> /**
> * Top component which displays something.
> */
> @ConvertAsProperties(
> dtd = "-//org.mullet.tables//Tims//EN",
> autostore = false
> )
> @TopComponent.Description(
> preferredID = "TimsTopComponent",
> //iconBase="SET/PATH/TO/ICON/HERE",
> persistenceType = TopComponent.PERSISTENCE_ALWAYS
> )
> @TopComponent.Registration(mode = "explorer", openAtStartup = false)
> @ActionID(category = "Window", id = "org.mullet.tables.TimsTopComponent")
> @ActionReference(path = "Menu/Window" /*, position = 333 */)
> @TopComponent.OpenActionRegistration(
> displayName = "#CTL_TimsAction",
> preferredID = "TimsTopComponent"
> )
> @Messages({
> "CTL_TimsAction=Tims",
> "CTL_TimsTopComponent=Tims Window",
> "HINT_TimsTopComponent=This is a Tims window"
> })
> public final class TimsTopComponent extends TopComponent implements
> ExplorerManager.Provider {
>
> private final ExplorerManager em = new ExplorerManager();
> private final JTable table;
> private final PersonTableModel model;
>
> public TimsTopComponent() {
> // initComponents();
> setLayout(new BorderLayout());
> setName(Bundle.CTL_TimsTopComponent());
> setToolTipText(Bundle.HINT_TimsTopComponent());
>
> // Create a JTableModel
> List<Person> peopleList = List.of(
> new Person("Alice", 25),
> new Person("Bob", 30),
> new Person("Carol", 22)
> );
>
> // Add the model to the JTable
> model = new PersonTableModel(peopleList);
> table = new JTable(model);
>
> // Set selection and sorting
> table.setSelectionMode(ListSelectionModel.SINGLE_SELECTION);
> TableRowSorter<PersonTableModel> sorter = new TableRowSorter<>(model);
> table.setRowSorter(sorter);
>
> // Hookup the JTable selection with explorer manager
> syncSelectionWithExplorer();
>
> // Right-click menu on header for "Add Column..."
> JPopupMenu headerMenu = new JPopupMenu();
> JMenuItem addColumnItem = new JMenuItem("Add Column…");
> addColumnItem.addActionListener(e -> showAddColumnDialog());
> headerMenu.add(addColumnItem);
>
> table.getTableHeader().addMouseListener(new MouseAdapter() {
> public void mousePressed(MouseEvent e) {
> if (SwingUtilities.isRightMouseButton(e)) {
> headerMenu.show(table.getTableHeader(), e.getX(),
> e.getY());
> }
> }
> });
>
> // Clicking the button doesn't do anything
> // I don't see anything in the Properties window
> JButton debugButton = new JButton("Force Node");
> debugButton.addActionListener(e -> {
> Person p = new Person("Zed", 99);
> PersonNode node = new PersonNode(p);
> try {
> em.setSelectedNodes(new Node[]{node});
> } catch (Exception ex) {
> ex.printStackTrace();
> }
> });
> add(debugButton, BorderLayout.SOUTH);
>
> // Hookup the explorer manager
> associateLookup(ExplorerUtils.createLookup(em, getActionMap()));
>
> // Set the nodes
> em.setRootContext(new AbstractNode(new PersonChildren(peopleList)));
>
> // Add the table
> add(new JScrollPane(table), BorderLayout.CENTER);
>
> }
>
> /**
> * Sync the JTable selection to publish using the explorer manager
> * so we can use built in components/selection management
> *
> * NOTE: I see all the debug come out but nothing shows up in the
> Properties window
> */
> private void syncSelectionWithExplorer() {
> table.getSelectionModel().addListSelectionListener((ListSelectionEvent
> e) -> {
> if (!e.getValueIsAdjusting()) {
> int viewRow = table.getSelectedRow();
> if (viewRow >= 0) {
> int modelRow = table.convertRowIndexToModel(viewRow);
> Person selected = model.getPersonAt(modelRow);
> System.out.println("[DEBUG] Table row selected: " +
> selected.getName());
>
> Node selectedNode = new PersonNode(selected);
> System.out.println("[DEBUG] Created node: " +
> selectedNode.getDisplayName());
> System.out.println("[DEBUG] Node properties:");
> for (Node.PropertySet ps : selectedNode.getPropertySets())
> {
> for (Node.Property<?> prop : ps.getProperties()) {
> try {
> System.out.println(" - " + prop.getName() + "
> = " + prop.getValue());
> } catch (Exception ex) {
> System.out.println(" - " + prop.getName() + "
> [ERROR getting value]");
> }
> }
> }
>
> try {
> em.setSelectedNodes(new Node[] { selectedNode });
> System.out.println("[DEBUG] ExplorerManager
> setSelectedNodes() called");
> } catch (Exception ex) {
> ex.printStackTrace();
> }
> } else {
> System.out.println("[DEBUG] Table row deselected");
> try {
> em.setSelectedNodes(new Node[0]);
> } catch (Exception ex) {
> ex.printStackTrace();
> }
> }
> }
> });
> }
>
> private void showAddColumnDialog() {
> String name = JOptionPane.showInputDialog(this, "Enter column name:");
> if (name != null && !name.isBlank()) {
> model.addComputedColumn(name.trim(), p -> {
> System.out.println("[DEBUG] Computing value for: " +
> p.getName() + " with column: " + name);
> return "[" + p.getName().toUpperCase() + ":" + name.length() +
> "]";
> });
> }
> }
>
> @Override
> public ExplorerManager getExplorerManager() {
> return em;
> }
>
> /**
> * This method is called from within the constructor to initialize the
> form.
> * WARNING: Do NOT modify this code. The content of this method is always
> * regenerated by the Form Editor.
> */
> // <editor-fold defaultstate="collapsed" desc="Generated Code">
>
> private void initComponents() {
>
> javax.swing.GroupLayout layout = new javax.swing.GroupLayout(this);
> this.setLayout(layout);
> layout.setHorizontalGroup(
>
> layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.LEADING)
> .addGap(0, 400, Short.MAX_VALUE)
> );
> layout.setVerticalGroup(
>
> layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.LEADING)
> .addGap(0, 300, Short.MAX_VALUE)
> );
> }// </editor-fold>
>
> // Variables declaration - do not modify
> // End of variables declaration
> @Override
> public void componentOpened() {
> // TODO add custom code on component opening
> }
>
> @Override
> public void componentClosed() {
> // TODO add custom code on component closing
> }
>
> void writeProperties(java.util.Properties p) {
> // better to version settings since initial version as advocated at
> // http://wiki.apidesign.org/wiki/PropertyFiles
> p.setProperty("version", "1.0");
> // TODO store your settings
> }
>
> void readProperties(java.util.Properties p) {
> String version = p.getProperty("version");
> // TODO read your settings according to their version
> }
> }
>
>
> — PersonNode
> package org.mullet.tables;
>
> import org.openide.nodes.AbstractNode;
> import org.openide.nodes.Children;
> import org.openide.nodes.Sheet;
> import org.openide.util.lookup.Lookups;
> import org.openide.nodes.PropertySupport;
>
> public class PersonNode extends AbstractNode {
>
> private final Person person;
>
> public PersonNode(Person person) {
> // Explorer views rely on the Node to be lookup-aware (for Properties
> window)
> super(Children.LEAF, Lookups.singleton(person));
> this.person = person;
> setDisplayName(person.getName()); // Optional: name shown in tree
> column
> }
>
> @Override
> protected Sheet createSheet() {
> Sheet sheet = Sheet.createDefault(); // creates root Sheet object
> Sheet.Set set = Sheet.createPropertiesSet(); // default "properties"
> set
>
> try {
> // These must match getName() / getAge() in your Person class
> set.put(new PropertySupport.Reflection<>(person, String.class,
> "getName", null));
> set.put(new PropertySupport.Reflection<>(person, int.class,
> "getAge",null));
> } catch (NoSuchMethodException e) {
> throw new RuntimeException("Failed to reflect on Person bean", e);
> }
>
> sheet.put(set);
> return sheet;
> }
> }
>
> — PersonChildren
> package org.mullet.tables;
>
> import java.util.List;
> import org.openide.nodes.Children;
> import org.openide.nodes.Node;
>
> public class PersonChildren extends Children.Keys<Person> {
>
> private final List<Person> data;
>
> public PersonChildren(List<Person> people) {
> this.data = people;
> }
>
> @Override
> protected void addNotify() {
> setKeys(data);
> }
>
> @Override
> protected Node[] createNodes(Person person) {
> System.out.println("DEBUG => Creating a person Node");
> return new Node[] { new PersonNode(person) };
> }
> }
>
>
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