Tables - The Definitive Guide to Java Swing - page 702

EventQueue.invokeLater(runner);
}
}
TableColumn Class
TableColumn is another important class that lives behind the scenes. Swing tables consist of
a group of columns, which are made up of cells. Each of those columns is described by a
TableColumn instance. Each instance of the TableColumn class stores the appropriate editor,
renderer, name, and sizing information. TableColumn objects are then grouped together into a
TableColumnModel to make up the current set of columns to be displayed by a JTable . One useful
trick to remember is if you don't want a column to be displayed, remove its TableColumn from
the TableColumnModel but leave it in the TableModel .
Creating a TableColumn
If you choose to create your TableColumn objects yourself, you can use any one of four constructors.
They cascade by adding more constructor arguments.
public TableColumn()
TableColumn column = new TableColumn()
public TableColumn(int modelIndex)
TableColumn column = new TableColumn(2)
public TableColumn(int modelIndex, int width)
TableColumn column = new TableColumn(2, 25)
public TableColumn(int modelIndex, int width, TableCellRenderer
renderer, TableCellEditor editor)
TableColumn column = new TableColumn(2, 25, aRenderer, aEditor)
■ Note All column settings start at zero. Therefore, new TableColumn(2) uses column 3 from the
TableModel .
With no arguments, such as in the first constructor in this list, you get an empty column
with a default width (75 pixels), a default editor, and a default renderer. The modelIndex argu-
ment allows you to specify which column from the TableModel you would like the TableColumn
to display within the JTable . You can also specify a width, a renderer, or an editor if you don't
like the defaults. If you like one default but not the other, you can also specify null for the
renderer or editor.