How do I make a list with checkboxes in Java Swing?

What would be the best way to have a list of items with a checkbox each in Java Swing?

I.e. a JList with items that have some text and a checkbox each?

Solution 1:

A wonderful answer is this CheckBoxList. It implements Telcontar's answer (though 3 years before :)... I'm using it in Java 1.6 with no problems. I've also added an addCheckbox method like this (surely could be shorter, haven't used Java in a while):

public void addCheckbox(JCheckBox checkBox) {
    ListModel currentList = this.getModel();
    JCheckBox[] newList = new JCheckBox[currentList.getSize() + 1];
    for (int i = 0; i < currentList.getSize(); i++) {
        newList[i] = (JCheckBox) currentList.getElementAt(i);
    }
    newList[newList.length - 1] = checkBox;
    setListData(newList);
}

I tried out the demo for the Jidesoft stuff, playing with the CheckBoxList I encountered some problems (behaviors that didn't work). I'll modify this answer if I find problems with the CheckBoxList I linked to.

Solution 2:

Create a custom ListCellRenderer and asign it to the JList.

This custom ListCellRenderer must return a JCheckbox in the implementantion of getListCellRendererComponent(...) method.

But this JCheckbox will not be editable, is a simple paint in the screen is up to you to choose when this JCheckbox must be 'ticked' or not,

For example, show it ticked when the row is selected (parameter isSelected), but this way the check status will no be mantained if the selection changes. Its better to show it checked consulting the data below the ListModel, but then is up to you to implement the method who changes the check status of the data, and notify the change to the JList to be repainted.

I Will post sample code later if you need it

ListCellRenderer

Solution 3:

Just implement a ListCellRenderer

public class CheckboxListCellRenderer extends JCheckBox implements ListCellRenderer {

    public Component getListCellRendererComponent(JList list, Object value, int index, 
            boolean isSelected, boolean cellHasFocus) {

        setComponentOrientation(list.getComponentOrientation());
        setFont(list.getFont());
        setBackground(list.getBackground());
        setForeground(list.getForeground());
        setSelected(isSelected);
        setEnabled(list.isEnabled());

        setText(value == null ? "" : value.toString());  

        return this;
    }
}

and set the renderer

JList list = new JList();
list.setCellRenderer(new CheckboxListCellRenderer());

this will result in

Details at Custom swing component renderers.

PS: If you want radio elements just replace extends JCheckbox with extends JRadioButton.

Solution 4:

I'd probably be looking to use a JTable rather than a JList and since the default rendering of a checkbox is rather ugly, I'd probably be looking to drop in a custom TableModel, CellRenderer and CellEditor to represent a boolean value. Of course, I would imagine this has been done a bajillion times already. Sun has good examples.

Solution 5:

Better solution for Java 7 and newer

I stumbled upon this question and realized that some of the answers are pretty old and outdated. Nowadays, JList is generic and thus there are better solutions.

My solution of the generic JCheckBoxList:

import java.awt.Component;

import javax.swing.*;
import javax.swing.border.*;

import java.awt.event.*;

@SuppressWarnings("serial")
public class JCheckBoxList extends JList<JCheckBox> {
  protected static Border noFocusBorder = new EmptyBorder(1, 1, 1, 1);

  public JCheckBoxList() {
    setCellRenderer(new CellRenderer());
    addMouseListener(new MouseAdapter() {
      public void mousePressed(MouseEvent e) {
        int index = locationToIndex(e.getPoint());
        if (index != -1) {
          JCheckBox checkbox = (JCheckBox) getModel().getElementAt(index);
          checkbox.setSelected(!checkbox.isSelected());
          repaint();
        }
      }
    });
    setSelectionMode(ListSelectionModel.SINGLE_SELECTION);
  }

  public JCheckBoxList(ListModel<JCheckBox> model){
    this();
    setModel(model);
  }

  protected class CellRenderer implements ListCellRenderer<JCheckBox> {
    public Component getListCellRendererComponent(
        JList<? extends JCheckBox> list, JCheckBox value, int index,
        boolean isSelected, boolean cellHasFocus) {
      JCheckBox checkbox = value;

      //Drawing checkbox, change the appearance here
      checkbox.setBackground(isSelected ? getSelectionBackground()
          : getBackground());
      checkbox.setForeground(isSelected ? getSelectionForeground()
          : getForeground());
      checkbox.setEnabled(isEnabled());
      checkbox.setFont(getFont());
      checkbox.setFocusPainted(false);
      checkbox.setBorderPainted(true);
      checkbox.setBorder(isSelected ? UIManager
          .getBorder("List.focusCellHighlightBorder") : noFocusBorder);
      return checkbox;
    }
  }
}

For dynamically adding JCheckBox lists you need to create your own ListModel or add the DefaultListModel.

DefaultListModel<JCheckBox> model = new DefaultListModel<JCheckBox>();
JCheckBoxList checkBoxList = new JCheckBoxList(model);

The DefaultListModel are generic and thus you can use methods specified by JAVA 7 API here like this:

model.addElement(new JCheckBox("Checkbox1"));
model.addElement(new JCheckBox("Checkbox2"));
model.addElement(new JCheckBox("Checkbox3"));