Java: Swing: Components: Displaying list data

Displaying list data

A study of inconsistencies in Swing.

	JList	JTable	JTree
Data setup	ListModel	ListModel -> TableModel wrapper or TableModel from the beginning possible to use multiple-column TableModel by putting only a one column into the TableColumnModel	ListModel -> TreeModel (only root with children) wrapper or TreeModel from the beginning TreeModel has a different set of events (no replace, but arbitrary adding/removal) No multiple equal items. Items must be immutable.
Component setup		no header	hide root
Wrapping (though it distorts the idea of ordered data)	yes (1.4)	no	no
Cell bounds	based on width/height pixel values based on a prototype based on renderer preferred size	always based on width/height pixel values columns may be horizontally resized if not enough space (depending on auto resize mode)	width based on preferred renderer width height based on pixel values or preferred renderer height cells are not grown to have all the same width
Spacing between cells	no	yes	no
Grid between cells	no	yes (but somewhat broken)	maybe (not generally configurable)
Selection		easily configurable (allow, change behaviour), possibly confusing
User selection	broken	better (mouse dragging, change of anchor cell)	different
User editing	no	yes (each cell maybe editable or not)	yes (less than JTable, partly better?)
Border support	yes	no (bug)	yes
Selection color management	yes	yes	no
Tool tip based on renderer	yes (1.4)	yes	yes
Default renderer problems	always paints background	1.3: background painting needed care color configuration doesn't handle LAF switching	always paints background (not even in the JTree's color), low level paint code doesn't handle LAF switching
Overhead	cell size management needs memory	column layout needs time	possibly high (converting rows/paths/bounds)
Special		won't be higher than its cells (by default) numerous bugs no getNextMatch (simple keyboard management)