Java Swing - Nimbus L&F overrides custom icon in JTable header after sort is applied

Question

I'm trying to create a custom cell renderer that will display an image in JTable's header cell. I've gotten the source code to work with the Metal L&F but I am encountering problems with Nimbus. Under normal circumstances, Nimbus displays the image just fine. However, when a table is sorted, Nimbus will draw the sort icon instead of the icon I've specified. This is different than the Metal L&F, as that will always draw the icon I've provided.

Does anyone know of a way to have Nimbus draw the image even if a column is sorted?

I'm using Java 6.29 & Nimbus. I can't change the Java release or the L&F.

Also, I've tried to do some other workarounds, like changing the label to use HTML and and img tag to display the image, but this produces a weird visual effect. EDIT The text and image aren't aligned well (even with a HTML align tag on the img tag) Here is a picture, notice how the text in the Temp Hi column doesn't align:

import java.awt.Component;
import javax.swing.ImageIcon;
import javax.swing.JFrame;
import javax.swing.JLabel;
import javax.swing.JScrollPane;
import javax.swing.JTable;
import javax.swing.table.DefaultTableCellRenderer;
import javax.swing.table.TableCellRenderer;


public class ImageChangeDemo extends JFrame {
    public static void main(String args[]) {
        //comment out the code below to try in Metal L&F
        try {
            for(javax.swing.UIManager.LookAndFeelInfo info : javax.swing.UIManager.
                    getInstalledLookAndFeels()) {
                if("Nimbus".equals(info.getName())) {
                    javax.swing.UIManager.setLookAndFeel(info.getClassName());
                    break;
                }
            }
        }
        catch(Exception ex) {
            ex.printStackTrace();
        }

        java.awt.EventQueue.invokeLater(new Runnable() {
            @Override
            public void run() {
                new ImageChangeDemo().setVisible(true);
            }
        });
    }

    public ImageChangeDemo(){
        setDefaultCloseOperation(javax.swing.WindowConstants.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
        JScrollPane pane = new javax.swing.JScrollPane();
        JTable table = new javax.swing.JTable();
        table.setAutoCreateRowSorter(true);
        table.setModel(new javax.swing.table.DefaultTableModel(
            new Object [][] {
                {"a", "q", "h", "v"},
                {"b", "m", "l", "h"},
                {"d", "c", "a", "d"},
                {"j", "o", "y", "e"}
            },
            new String [] {
                "Col 1", "Col 2", "Col 3", "Col 4"
            }
        ) {
            Class[] types = new Class [] {
                String.class, String.class, String.class, String.class
            };
            @Override
            public Class getColumnClass(int columnIndex) {
                return types [columnIndex];
            }
        });
        pane.setViewportView(table);
        this.add(pane);

        table.getTableHeader().setDefaultRenderer(new ImageRenderer(table));

        pack();
    }

    public class ImageRenderer extends DefaultTableCellRenderer{
        TableCellRenderer orig;
        ImageIcon icon;
        ImageRenderer(JTable table){
            orig = table.getTableHeader().getDefaultRenderer();
        }
        @Override
        public Component getTableCellRendererComponent(final JTable table, Object value, boolean isSelected, boolean hasFocus, int row, int column) {
            Component c = 
                    orig.getTableCellRendererComponent(
                        table, value, isSelected, hasFocus, row, column);
            if(c instanceof JLabel){
                if(true){
                    JLabel label = (JLabel)c;
                    label.setIcon(makeIcon());
                }
            }
            return c;
        }

        public ImageIcon makeIcon(){
            if(icon == null)
            icon = new ImageIcon(
                    ImageChangeDemo.class.getResource("/resources/green_triangle_down.png"));
            return icon;
        }
    }
}

EDIT: Here is an example scenario of what my real application should do: If the table column contains certain data (such as any strings beginning with a certain word) display a warning icon next to the column name in the table header. I've gotten this to work fine. Now, if the user sorts a column with the image, Nimbus is removing the image and replacing it with a sort icon - I still want the original warning icon to display.

Answer 1

• don't recreate an Icon inside Renderer, prepare that before, otherwise you'll recreating Icon in the crazy periods

• not to add Icon to the Component / JComponent / JLabel returns Renderer

• put to the Renderer

code made by Darryl or Rob

protected Icon getIcon(JTable table, int column) {
    SortKey sortKey = getSortKey(table, column);
    if (sortKey != null && table.convertColumnIndexToView(
        sortKey.getColumn()) == column) {
        switch (sortKey.getSortOrder()) {
            case ASCENDING:
                return UIManager.getIcon("Table.ascendingSortIcon");
            case DESCENDING:
                return UIManager.getIcon("Table.descendingSortIcon");
        }
    }
    return null;
}

EDIT

thank to Renderer by @trashgod, UNSORTED isn't required to override for Renderer, try & enjoy

initial view

ASCENDING

DESCENDING

UNSORTED

import java.awt.Component;
import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.util.List;
import javax.swing.Icon;
import javax.swing.JFrame;
import javax.swing.JScrollPane;
import javax.swing.JTable;
import javax.swing.RowSorter;
import javax.swing.SortOrder;
import javax.swing.UIManager;
import javax.swing.table.TableCellRenderer;
import javax.swing.table.TableModel;
import javax.swing.table.TableRowSorter;

public class ImageChangeDemo extends JFrame {

    private static final long serialVersionUID = 1L;
    private JTable table = new javax.swing.JTable();

    public static void main(String args[]) {
        //comment out the code below to try in Metal L&F
        try {
            for (javax.swing.UIManager.LookAndFeelInfo info : javax.swing.UIManager.getInstalledLookAndFeels()) {
                if ("Nimbus".equals(info.getName())) {
                    javax.swing.UIManager.setLookAndFeel(info.getClassName());
                    break;
                }
            }
        } catch (Exception ex) {
            ex.printStackTrace();
        }
        java.awt.EventQueue.invokeLater(new Runnable() {

            @Override
            public void run() {
                new ImageChangeDemo().setVisible(true);
            }
        });
    }

    public ImageChangeDemo() {
        setDefaultCloseOperation(javax.swing.WindowConstants.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
        JScrollPane pane = new javax.swing.JScrollPane();



        table.setModel(new javax.swing.table.DefaultTableModel(
                new Object[][]{
                    {"a", "q", "h", "v"},
                    {"b", "m", "l", "h"},
                    {"d", "c", "a", "d"},
                    {"j", "o", "y", "e"}
                },
                new String[]{
                    "Col 1", "Col 2", "Col 3", "Col 4"
                }) {

            private static final long serialVersionUID = 1L;
            Class[] types = new Class[]{
                String.class, String.class, String.class, String.class
            };

            @Override
            public Class getColumnClass(int columnIndex) {
                return types[columnIndex];
            }
        });
        TableRowSorter<TableModel> sorter = new TableRowSorter<TableModel>(table.getModel()) {

            @Override
            public void toggleSortOrder(int column) {
                if (column >= 0 && column < getModelWrapper().getColumnCount() && isSortable(column)) {
                    List<SortKey> keys = new ArrayList<SortKey>(getSortKeys());
                    if (!keys.isEmpty()) {
                        SortKey sortKey = keys.get(0);
                        if (sortKey.getColumn() == column && sortKey.getSortOrder() == SortOrder.DESCENDING) {
                            setSortKeys(null);
                            return;
                        }
                    }
                }
                super.toggleSortOrder(column);
            }
        };
        table.setRowSorter(sorter);
        table.setPreferredScrollableViewportSize(table.getPreferredSize());
        table.setDefaultRenderer(ImageChangeDemo.class, new HeaderRenderer(table));
        pane.setViewportView(table);
        add(pane);
        pack();
    }

    class HeaderRenderer implements TableCellRenderer {

       final TableCellRenderer renderer;

        public HeaderRenderer(JTable table) {
            renderer = table.getTableHeader().getDefaultRenderer();
        }

        @Override
        public Component getTableCellRendererComponent(
                JTable table, Object value, boolean isSelected,
                boolean hasFocus, int row, int col) {
            return renderer.getTableCellRendererComponent(
                    table, value, isSelected, hasFocus, row, col);
        }

        public Icon getIcon(JTable table, int column) {
            for (RowSorter.SortKey sortKey : table.getRowSorter().getSortKeys()) {
                if (sortKey.getColumn() == column) {
                    switch (sortKey.getSortOrder()) {
                        case ASCENDING:
                            return (UIManager.getIcon("Table.ascendingSortIcon"));
                        case DESCENDING:
                            return (UIManager.getIcon("Table.descendingSortIcon"));
                    }
                }
            }
            return null;
        }
    }
}

EDIT 2

then to set Icon directly to the UIManager

import java.awt.Color;
import java.awt.Component;
import java.awt.Graphics;
import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.util.List;
import javax.swing.Icon;
import javax.swing.JFrame;
import javax.swing.JScrollPane;
import javax.swing.JTable;
import javax.swing.RowSorter.SortKey;
import javax.swing.SortOrder;
import javax.swing.UIManager;
import javax.swing.table.TableModel;
import javax.swing.table.TableRowSorter;

public class ImageChangeDemo extends JFrame {

    private static final long serialVersionUID = 1L;
    private JTable table = new javax.swing.JTable();

    public static void main(String args[]) {
        //comment out the code below to try in Metal L&F
        try {
            for (javax.swing.UIManager.LookAndFeelInfo info : javax.swing.UIManager.getInstalledLookAndFeels()) {
                if ("Nimbus".equals(info.getName())) {
                    javax.swing.UIManager.setLookAndFeel(info.getClassName());
                    UIManager.getLookAndFeelDefaults().put("Table.ascendingSortIcon", new BevelArrowIcon(BevelArrowIcon.UP, false, false));
                    UIManager.getLookAndFeelDefaults().put("Table.descendingSortIcon", new BevelArrowIcon(BevelArrowIcon.DOWN, false, false));
                    break;
                }
            }
        } catch (Exception ex) {
            ex.printStackTrace();
        }
        java.awt.EventQueue.invokeLater(new Runnable() {

            @Override
            public void run() {
                new ImageChangeDemo().setVisible(true);
            }
        });
    }

    public ImageChangeDemo() {
        setDefaultCloseOperation(javax.swing.WindowConstants.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
        JScrollPane pane = new javax.swing.JScrollPane();
        //table.setAutoCreateRowSorter(true);
        table.setModel(new javax.swing.table.DefaultTableModel(
                new Object[][]{
                    {"a", "q", "h", "v"},
                    {"b", "m", "l", "h"},
                    {"d", "c", "a", "d"},
                    {"j", "o", "y", "e"}
                },
                new String[]{
                    "Col 1", "Col 2", "Col 3", "Col 4"
                }) {

            private static final long serialVersionUID = 1L;
            Class[] types = new Class[]{
                String.class, String.class, String.class, String.class
            };

            @Override
            public Class getColumnClass(int columnIndex) {
                return types[columnIndex];
            }
        });
        TableRowSorter<TableModel> sorter = new TableRowSorter<TableModel>(table.getModel()) {

            @Override
            public void toggleSortOrder(int column) {
                if (column >= 0 && column < getModelWrapper().getColumnCount() && isSortable(column)) {
                    List<SortKey> keys = new ArrayList<SortKey>(getSortKeys());
                    if (!keys.isEmpty()) {

                        SortKey sortKey = keys.get(0);
                        if (sortKey.getColumn() == column && sortKey.getSortOrder() == SortOrder.DESCENDING) {
                            setSortKeys(null);
                            return;
                        }
                    }
                }
                super.toggleSortOrder(column);
            }
        };
        table.setRowSorter(sorter);
        //table.getTableHeader().setDefaultRenderer(new DefaultTableHeaderCellRenderer());
        //table.setDefaultRenderer(ImageChangeDemo.class, new HeaderRenderer(table));
        table.setPreferredScrollableViewportSize(table.getPreferredSize());
        pane.setViewportView(table);
        add(pane);
        pack();
    }

   static class BevelArrowIcon implements Icon {

        public static final int UP = 0;         // direction
        public static final int DOWN = 1;
        private static final int DEFAULT_SIZE = 11;
        private Color edge1;
        private Color edge2;
        private Color fill;
        private int size;
        private int direction;

        public BevelArrowIcon(int direction, boolean isRaisedView, boolean isPressedView) {
            if (isRaisedView) {
                if (isPressedView) {
                    init(UIManager.getColor("controlLtHighlight"), UIManager.getColor("controlDkShadow"), UIManager.getColor("controlShadow"), DEFAULT_SIZE, direction);
                } else {
                    init(UIManager.getColor("controlHighlight"), UIManager.getColor("controlShadow"), UIManager.getColor("control"), DEFAULT_SIZE, direction);
                }
            } else {
                if (isPressedView) {
                    init(UIManager.getColor("controlDkShadow"), UIManager.getColor("controlLtHighlight"), UIManager.getColor("controlShadow"), DEFAULT_SIZE, direction);
                } else {
                    init(UIManager.getColor("controlShadow"), UIManager.getColor("controlHighlight"), UIManager.getColor("control"), DEFAULT_SIZE, direction);
                }
            }
        }

        public BevelArrowIcon(Color edge1, Color edge2, Color fill, int size, int direction) {
            init(edge1, edge2, fill, size, direction);
        }

        @Override
        public void paintIcon(Component c, Graphics g, int x, int y) {
            switch (direction) {
                case DOWN:
                    drawDownArrow(g, x, y);
                    break;
                case UP:
                    drawUpArrow(g, x, y);
                    break;
            }
        }

        @Override
        public int getIconWidth() {
            return size;
        }

        @Override
        public int getIconHeight() {
            return size;
        }

        private void init(Color edge1, Color edge2, Color fill, int size, int direction) {
            edge1 = Color.red;
            edge2 = Color.blue;
            this.edge1 = edge1;
            this.edge2 = edge2;
            this.fill = fill;
            this.size = size;
            this.direction = direction;
        }

        private void drawDownArrow(Graphics g, int xo, int yo) {
            g.setColor(edge1);
            g.drawLine(xo, yo, xo + size - 1, yo);
            g.drawLine(xo, yo + 1, xo + size - 3, yo + 1);
            g.setColor(edge2);
            g.drawLine(xo + size - 2, yo + 1, xo + size - 1, yo + 1);
            int x = xo + 1;
            int y = yo + 2;
            int dx = size - 6;
            while (y + 1 < yo + size) {
                g.setColor(edge1);
                g.drawLine(x, y, x + 1, y);
                g.drawLine(x, y + 1, x + 1, y + 1);
                if (0 < dx) {
                    g.setColor(fill);
                    g.drawLine(x + 2, y, x + 1 + dx, y);
                    g.drawLine(x + 2, y + 1, x + 1 + dx, y + 1);
                }
                g.setColor(edge2);
                g.drawLine(x + dx + 2, y, x + dx + 3, y);
                g.drawLine(x + dx + 2, y + 1, x + dx + 3, y + 1);
                x += 1;
                y += 2;
                dx -= 2;
            }
            g.setColor(edge1);
            g.drawLine(xo + (size / 2), yo + size - 1, xo + (size / 2), yo + size - 1);
        }

        private void drawUpArrow(Graphics g, int xo, int yo) {
            g.setColor(edge1);
            int x = xo + (size / 2);
            g.drawLine(x, yo, x, yo);
            x--;
            int y = yo + 1;
            int dx = 0;
            while (y + 3 < yo + size) {
                g.setColor(edge1);
                g.drawLine(x, y, x + 1, y);
                g.drawLine(x, y + 1, x + 1, y + 1);
                if (0 < dx) {
                    g.setColor(fill);
                    g.drawLine(x + 2, y, x + 1 + dx, y);
                    g.drawLine(x + 2, y + 1, x + 1 + dx, y + 1);
                }
                g.setColor(edge2);
                g.drawLine(x + dx + 2, y, x + dx + 3, y);
                g.drawLine(x + dx + 2, y + 1, x + dx + 3, y + 1);
                x -= 1;
                y += 2;
                dx += 2;
            }
            g.setColor(edge1);
            g.drawLine(xo, yo + size - 3, xo + 1, yo + size - 3);
            g.setColor(edge2);
            g.drawLine(xo + 2, yo + size - 2, xo + size - 1, yo + size - 2);
            g.drawLine(xo, yo + size - 1, xo + size, yo + size - 1);
        }
    }
}

Answer 2

So after much trial and error I was able to figure out a way to have my custom icon in the header row even if the column is sorted. Basically what I did was have the renderer return a custom panel containing 2 children, the image in a JLabel and the component that was originally produced by default renderer. (Note that this workaround is only necessary for Nimbus L&F, and the original example code works fine in the Metal L&F)

This code uses StackLayout created by Romain Guy as demonstrated in his book Filthy Rich Clients - see page p245. Here is the source for StackLayout

Here is the code I created for the renderer. Make sure to download StackLayout else this won't compile.

import java.awt.Component;
import java.awt.Dimension;
import java.awt.FontMetrics;
import javax.swing.ImageIcon;
import javax.swing.JFrame;
import javax.swing.JLabel;
import javax.swing.JPanel;
import javax.swing.JScrollPane;
import javax.swing.JTable;
import javax.swing.table.DefaultTableCellRenderer;
import javax.swing.table.TableCellRenderer;


public class ImageChangeDemo extends JFrame {
    public static void main(String args[]) {
        //comment out the code below to try in Metal L&F
        try {
            for(javax.swing.UIManager.LookAndFeelInfo info : javax.swing.UIManager.
                    getInstalledLookAndFeels()) {
                if("Nimbus".equals(info.getName())) {
                    javax.swing.UIManager.setLookAndFeel(info.getClassName());
                    break;
                }
            }
        }
        catch(Exception ex) {
            ex.printStackTrace();
        }

        java.awt.EventQueue.invokeLater(new Runnable() {
            @Override
            public void run() {
                new ImageChangeDemo().setVisible(true);
            }
        });
    }

    public ImageChangeDemo(){
        setDefaultCloseOperation(javax.swing.WindowConstants.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
        JScrollPane pane = new javax.swing.JScrollPane();
        JTable table = new javax.swing.JTable();
        table.setAutoCreateRowSorter(true);
        table.setModel(new javax.swing.table.DefaultTableModel(
            new Object [][] {
                {"a", "q", "h", "v"},
                {"b", "m", "l", "h"},
                {"d", "c", "a", "d"},
                {"j", "o", "y", "e"}
            },
            new String [] {
                "Col 1", "Col 2", "Col 3", "Col 4"
            }
        ) {
            Class[] types = new Class [] {
                String.class, String.class, String.class, String.class
            };
            @Override
            public Class getColumnClass(int columnIndex) {
                return types [columnIndex];
            }
        });
        pane.setViewportView(table);
        this.add(pane);


        pack();
        //set renderer after pack so header row has correct default height
        table.getTableHeader().setDefaultRenderer(new ImageRenderer(table));


    }

    public class ImageRenderer extends DefaultTableCellRenderer{
        TableCellRenderer orig;
        private final ImageIcon icon = new ImageIcon(
                    ImageChangeDemo.class.getResource("/resources/exclamation-icon.png"));;
        private JPanel jp = new JPanel(new StackLayout());
        private final JLabel pic = new JLabel(icon);
        { //extra initialization for PIC
            pic.setHorizontalAlignment(JLabel.LEADING); //so it isn't centered in stack layout
        }

        ImageRenderer(JTable table){
            orig = table.getTableHeader().getDefaultRenderer();
        }

        @Override
        public Component getTableCellRendererComponent(final JTable table, Object value, boolean isSelected, boolean hasFocus, int row, int column) {
            Component c = 
                    orig.getTableCellRendererComponent(
                        table, value, isSelected, hasFocus, row, column);
            if(true){
                int width  = table.getColumnModel().getColumn(column).getWidth();
                int height = table.getTableHeader().getSize().height;
                System.out.println("height"+height);

                jp.removeAll();                //clean the JPanel

                //move text in label to the left so it isn't covered by the icon
                if(c instanceof JLabel){
                    JLabel l = (JLabel) c;
                    l.setPreferredSize(new Dimension(width, height));

                    FontMetrics fontMetrics = l.getFontMetrics(l.getFont());
                    int sizeOfSpace = fontMetrics.charWidth(' ');
                    int numSpaces = (int)Math.round(icon.getIconWidth() / (double)sizeOfSpace);
                    StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder();
                    for(int i = 0; i < numSpaces; i++)
                        sb.append(' ');

                    //account for HTML in header messages
                    if(l.getText().toLowerCase().startsWith("<html>")){
                        l.setText(  l.getText().substring(0, "<html>".length()) +
                                    sb.toString() +
                                    l.getText().substring("<html>".length()));
                    }
                    else
                        l.setText(sb.toString()+l.getText());
                }


                //Add components to the JPanel & return it.
                jp.add(c, StackLayout.BOTTOM);  //will contain modifications for spacing.
                jp.add(pic, StackLayout.TOP);
                return jp;

            }
            else
                return c;
        }
    }
}