How do I display two columns in my jcombobox?

[Phillip Ankerson]

Windows XP
Netbeans IDE v7
Java newbie (to state the obvious)

This is a Java GUI app. It is working great after much trial, effort, learning, and some great tips from this forum! Now I want the combobox to display two columns from the database instead of just one. I need the combobox to allow selecting only certain rows, depending on the value of the second column.

For example, the list displays:

Corenum | Used_Flag
  1           |      0
  2           |      1
  3           |      0
  4           |      1

I want all to display but you can only select from rows that have Used_Flag = 1.

I have a custom renderer for the combobox:

jCoreCombo = new javax.swing.JComboBox();
jCoreCombo.setRenderer(new DefaultListCellRenderer() {
           @Override
           public Component getListCellRendererComponent(
                   JList list, Object value, int index, boolean isSelected, boolean cellHasFocus) {
               super.getListCellRendererComponent(list, value, index, isSelected, cellHasFocus);
               if (value instanceof Pacor) {
                   Pacor p = (Pacor)value;
                   setText(""+p.getCoreNum());
               }
               return this;
           }
       });

Here is my entity class Pacor:

package upcgenerator;

import java.beans.PropertyChangeListener;
import java.beans.PropertyChangeSupport;
import java.io.Serializable;
import javax.persistence.Basic;
import javax.persistence.Column;
import javax.persistence.Entity;
import javax.persistence.Id;
import javax.persistence.NamedQueries;
import javax.persistence.NamedQuery;
import javax.persistence.Table;
import javax.persistence.Transient;

/**
 *
 * @author PhillipA
 */
@Entity
@Table(name = "pacor", catalog = "productgen", schema = "")
@NamedQueries({
    @NamedQuery(name = "Pacor.findAll", query = "SELECT p FROM Pacor p"),
    @NamedQuery(name = "Pacor.findByCoreNum", query = "SELECT p FROM Pacor p WHERE p.coreNum = :coreNum"),
    @NamedQuery(name = "Pacor.findByUsedFlag", query = "SELECT p FROM Pacor p WHERE p.usedFlag = :usedFlag")})
public class Pacor implements Serializable {
    @Transient
    private PropertyChangeSupport changeSupport = new PropertyChangeSupport(this);
    private static final long serialVersionUID = 1L;
    @Id
    @Basic(optional = false)
    @Column(name = "core_num")
    private Integer coreNum;
    @Column(name = "used_flag")
    private String usedFlag;

    public Pacor() {
    }

    public Pacor(Integer coreNum) {
        this.coreNum = coreNum;
    }

    public Integer getCoreNum() {
        return coreNum;
    }

    public void setCoreNum(Integer coreNum) {
        Integer oldCoreNum = this.coreNum;
        this.coreNum = coreNum;
        changeSupport.firePropertyChange("coreNum", oldCoreNum, coreNum);
    }

    public String getUsedFlag() {
        return usedFlag;
    }

    public void setUsedFlag(String usedFlag) {
        String oldUsedFlag = this.usedFlag;
        this.usedFlag = usedFlag;
        changeSupport.firePropertyChange("usedFlag", oldUsedFlag, usedFlag);
    }

    @Override
    public int hashCode() {
        int hash = 0;
        hash += (coreNum != null ? coreNum.hashCode() : 0);
        return hash;
    }

    @Override
    public boolean equals(Object object) {
        // TODO: Warning - this method won't work in the case the id fields are not set
        if (!(object instanceof Pacor)) {
            return false;
        }
        Pacor other = (Pacor) object;
        if ((this.coreNum == null && other.coreNum != null) || (this.coreNum != null && !this.coreNum.equals(other.coreNum))) {
            return false;
        }
        return true;
    }

    @Override
    public String toString() {
        return ""+coreNum ;
    }

    public void addPropertyChangeListener(PropertyChangeListener listener) {
        changeSupport.addPropertyChangeListener(listener);
    }

    public void removePropertyChangeListener(PropertyChangeListener listener) {
        changeSupport.removePropertyChangeListener(listener);
    }
    
}

[Rob Spoor]

Welcome to the Ranch!

Could you please UseCodeTags next time? I've added them for you this time.

[Phillip Ankerson]

Sure sorry about that!

[Rob Camick]

Here are a few different ways:

import java.awt.*;
import java.awt.event.*;
import java.util.*;
import javax.swing.*;
import javax.swing.text.*;

public class ComboBoxMultiColumn extends JFrame
{
	public ComboBoxMultiColumn()
	{
		getContentPane().setLayout( new GridLayout(0, 2) );

		Vector items = new Vector();
		items.addElement( new Item("123456789", "Car" ) );
		items.addElement( new Item("23", "Plane" ) );
		items.addElement( new Item("345", "Train" ) );
		items.addElement( new Item("4567", "Nuclear Submarine" ) );

		//  Use a JTextArea as a renderer

		JComboBox comboBox1 = new JComboBox( items );
		comboBox1.setRenderer( new TextAreaRenderer(5) );

		getContentPane().add( new JLabel("TextArea Renderer") );
		getContentPane().add( comboBox1 );

		//  Use a JTextPane as a renderer

		JComboBox comboBox2 = new JComboBox( items );
		comboBox2.setRenderer( new TextPaneRenderer(10) );

		getContentPane().add( new JLabel("TextPane Renderer") );
		getContentPane().add( comboBox2 );

		//  Use a JPanel as a renderer

		JComboBox comboBox3 = new JComboBox( items );
		comboBox3.setRenderer( new PanelRenderer(50) );

		getContentPane().add( new JLabel("Panel Renderer") );
		getContentPane().add( comboBox3 );

		//  Using HTML

		JComboBox comboBox4 = new JComboBox( items );
		comboBox4.setRenderer( new HTMLRenderer() );

		getContentPane().add( new JLabel("HTML Renderer") );
		getContentPane().add( comboBox4 );
	}

	class Item
	{
		private String id;
		private String description;

		public Item(String id, String description)
		{
			this.id = id;
			this.description = description;
		}

		public String getId()
		{
			return id;
		}

		public String getDescription()
		{
			return description;
		}

		public String toString()
		{
			return description;
		}
	}

	public static void main(String[] args)
	{
		JFrame frame = new ComboBoxMultiColumn();
		frame.setDefaultCloseOperation( EXIT_ON_CLOSE );
		frame.pack();
		frame.setVisible( true );
	}

	/*
	**  Tabs are easier to use in a JTextArea, but not very flexible
	*/
	class TextAreaRenderer extends JTextArea implements ListCellRenderer
	{
		public TextAreaRenderer(int tabSize)
		{
			setTabSize(tabSize);
		}

		public Component getListCellRendererComponent(JList list, Object value,
			int index, boolean isSelected, boolean cellHasFocus)
		{
			Item item = (Item)value;
			setText(item.getId() + "\t" + item.getDescription());
			setBackground(isSelected ? list.getSelectionBackground() : null);
			setForeground(isSelected ? list.getSelectionForeground() : null);
			return this;
		}
	}

	/*
	**  Tabs are harder to use in a JTextPane, but much more flexible
	*/
	class TextPaneRenderer extends JTextPane implements ListCellRenderer
	{
		public TextPaneRenderer(int tabColumn)
		{
			setMargin( new Insets(0, 0, 0, 0) );

			FontMetrics fm = getFontMetrics( getFont() );
			int width = fm.charWidth( 'w' ) * tabColumn;

			TabStop[] tabs = new TabStop[1];
			tabs[0] = new TabStop( width, TabStop.ALIGN_LEFT, TabStop.LEAD_NONE );
			TabSet tabSet = new TabSet(tabs);

			SimpleAttributeSet attributes = new SimpleAttributeSet();
			StyleConstants.setTabSet(attributes, tabSet);
			getStyledDocument().setParagraphAttributes(0, 0, attributes, false);
		}

		public Component getListCellRendererComponent(JList list, Object value,
			int index, boolean isSelected, boolean cellHasFocus)
		{
			Item item = (Item)value;
			setText(item.getId() + "\t" + item.getDescription());
			setBackground(isSelected ? list.getSelectionBackground() : null);
			setForeground(isSelected ? list.getSelectionForeground() : null);
			return this;
		}
	}

	/*
	**  Use a panel to hold multiple components
	*/
	class PanelRenderer implements ListCellRenderer
	{
		private JPanel renderer;
		private JLabel first;
		private JLabel second;

		public PanelRenderer(int firstColumnWidth)
		{
			renderer = new JPanel();
			renderer.setLayout(new BoxLayout(renderer, BoxLayout.X_AXIS) );

			first = new JLabel(" ");
			Dimension d = first.getPreferredSize();
			d.width = firstColumnWidth;
			first.setMaximumSize(d);
			second = new JLabel();
			renderer.add(first );
			renderer.add(second );
		}

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

			first.setText( item.getId() );
			second.setText( item.getDescription() );

			renderer.setBackground(isSelected ? list.getSelectionBackground() : null);
			renderer.setForeground(isSelected ? list.getSelectionForeground() : null);

			return renderer;
		}
	}

	/*
	**  Use HTML to format the text
	*/
	class HTMLRenderer extends DefaultListCellRenderer
	{
		private static final String START = "<html><table><tr><td width=40>";
		private static final String MIDDLE = "</td><td width=120>";
		private static final String END = "</td></tr></table></html>";

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

			Item item = (Item)value;
			setText(START
				+ item.getId()
				+ MIDDLE
				+ item.getDescription()
				+ END);

			return this;
		}
	}

}

[Phillip Ankerson]

Thanks, I read that in another forum but am unsure how to implement that in my Project.
All of the code for the combobox was generated by Netbeans and I am not sure where I can insert custom code to accomplish this.
One of my goals is to re-code my project manually (like you've done); but I'd like to get it done in the IDE first. Here is the main class:

/*
 * To change this template, choose Tools | Templates
 * and open the template in the editor.
 */

/*
 * UPCGeneratorFrame.java
 *
 * Created on Aug 8, 2011, 12:44:31 PM
 */
package upcgenerator;

import java.awt.Component;
import java.util.Random;
import javax.swing.DefaultListCellRenderer;
import javax.swing.JList;

/**
 *
 * @author PhillipA
 */
public class UPCGeneratorFrame extends javax.swing.JFrame {

    /** Creates new form UPCGeneratorFrame */
    public UPCGeneratorFrame() {
        initComponents();
    }

    /** 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.
     */
    @SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
    // <editor-fold defaultstate="collapsed" desc="Generated Code">                          
    private void initComponents() {
        bindingGroup = new org.jdesktop.beansbinding.BindingGroup();

        productgenPUEntityManager = java.beans.Beans.isDesignTime() ? null : javax.persistence.Persistence.createEntityManagerFactory("productgenPU").createEntityManager();
        pacorQuery = java.beans.Beans.isDesignTime() ? null : productgenPUEntityManager.createQuery("SELECT p FROM Pacor p");
        pacorList = java.beans.Beans.isDesignTime() ? java.util.Collections.emptyList() : pacorQuery.getResultList();
        pacor1 = new upcgenerator.Pacor();
        pacorQuery1 = java.beans.Beans.isDesignTime() ? null : productgenPUEntityManager.createQuery("SELECT p FROM Pacor p");
        pacorList1 = java.beans.Beans.isDesignTime() ? java.util.Collections.emptyList() : pacorQuery1.getResultList();
        jPanel1 = new javax.swing.JPanel();
        jUpcBlockText = new javax.swing.JTextField();
        jLabel1 = new javax.swing.JLabel();
        jLabel2 = new javax.swing.JLabel();
        jLabel3 = new javax.swing.JLabel();
        jLabel4 = new javax.swing.JLabel();
        jTitleText = new javax.swing.JTextField();
        jTypeCombo = new javax.swing.JComboBox();
        goButton = new javax.swing.JButton();
        jCoreCombo = new javax.swing.JComboBox();
        jPanel2 = new javax.swing.JPanel();
        jLabel5 = new javax.swing.JLabel();
        jLabel6 = new javax.swing.JLabel();
        jLabel7 = new javax.swing.JLabel();
        jProductNum = new javax.swing.JTextField();
        jUPCText = new javax.swing.JTextField();
        jProdTitleText = new javax.swing.JTextField();
        jButton1 = new javax.swing.JButton();

        setDefaultCloseOperation(javax.swing.WindowConstants.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);

        jPanel1.setBorder(javax.swing.BorderFactory.createTitledBorder(null, "New Product Information", javax.swing.border.TitledBorder.DEFAULT_JUSTIFICATION, javax.swing.border.TitledBorder.DEFAULT_POSITION, new java.awt.Font("Tahoma", 1, 12))); // NOI18N

        jUpcBlockText.setText("00768");

        jLabel1.setText("UPC Block");

        jLabel2.setText("Title");

        jLabel3.setText("Core");

        jLabel4.setText("Prod Type");

        jTypeCombo.setModel(new javax.swing.DefaultComboBoxModel(new String[] { "0", "1", "2", "3", "4", "5", "6", "7", "8", "9" }));

        goButton.setForeground(new java.awt.Color(255, 0, 0));
        goButton.setText("Generate UPC");
        goButton.addActionListener(new java.awt.event.ActionListener() {
            public void actionPerformed(java.awt.event.ActionEvent evt) {
                goButtonActionPerformed(evt);
            }
        });

        jCoreCombo.setRenderer(new DefaultListCellRenderer() {
            @Override
            public Component getListCellRendererComponent(
                JList list, Object value, int index, boolean isSelected, boolean cellHasFocus) {
                super.getListCellRendererComponent(list, value, index, isSelected, cellHasFocus);
                if (value instanceof Pacor) {
                    Pacor p = (Pacor)value;
                    setText(""+p.getCoreNum());
                }
                return this;
            }
        });

        org.jdesktop.swingbinding.JComboBoxBinding jComboBoxBinding = org.jdesktop.swingbinding.SwingBindings.createJComboBoxBinding(org.jdesktop.beansbinding.AutoBinding.UpdateStrategy.READ_WRITE, pacorList1, jCoreCombo);
        bindingGroup.addBinding(jComboBoxBinding);
        org.jdesktop.beansbinding.Binding binding = org.jdesktop.beansbinding.Bindings.createAutoBinding(org.jdesktop.beansbinding.AutoBinding.UpdateStrategy.READ_WRITE, pacorList, org.jdesktop.beansbinding.ELProperty.create("${coreNum}"), jCoreCombo, org.jdesktop.beansbinding.BeanProperty.create("selectedItem"));
        bindingGroup.addBinding(binding);

        javax.swing.GroupLayout jPanel1Layout = new javax.swing.GroupLayout(jPanel1);
        jPanel1.setLayout(jPanel1Layout);
        jPanel1Layout.setHorizontalGroup(
            jPanel1Layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.LEADING)
            .addGroup(jPanel1Layout.createSequentialGroup()
                .addContainerGap()
                .addGroup(jPanel1Layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.LEADING, false)
                    .addComponent(jLabel1, javax.swing.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, 64, Short.MAX_VALUE)
                    .addComponent(jLabel2, javax.swing.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, javax.swing.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, Short.MAX_VALUE)
                    .addComponent(jLabel3, javax.swing.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, javax.swing.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, Short.MAX_VALUE)
                    .addComponent(jLabel4, javax.swing.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, javax.swing.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, Short.MAX_VALUE))
                .addGap(18, 18, 18)
                .addGroup(jPanel1Layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.LEADING)
                    .addGroup(jPanel1Layout.createSequentialGroup()
                        .addComponent(jCoreCombo, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE, javax.swing.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE)
                        .addContainerGap())
                    .addGroup(jPanel1Layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.LEADING)
                        .addGroup(jPanel1Layout.createSequentialGroup()
                            .addGroup(jPanel1Layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.LEADING)
                                .addComponent(jTitleText, javax.swing.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, 280, Short.MAX_VALUE)
                                .addComponent(jUpcBlockText, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE, 98, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE))
                            .addContainerGap())
                        .addGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.TRAILING, jPanel1Layout.createSequentialGroup()
                            .addComponent(jTypeCombo, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE, javax.swing.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE)
                            .addPreferredGap(javax.swing.LayoutStyle.ComponentPlacement.RELATED, 127, Short.MAX_VALUE)
                            .addComponent(goButton)
                            .addGap(31, 31, 31)))))
        );
        jPanel1Layout.setVerticalGroup(
            jPanel1Layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.LEADING)
            .addGroup(jPanel1Layout.createSequentialGroup()
                .addGroup(jPanel1Layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.BASELINE)
                    .addComponent(jUpcBlockText, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE, javax.swing.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE)
                    .addComponent(jLabel1))
                .addGap(18, 18, 18)
                .addGroup(jPanel1Layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.BASELINE)
                    .addComponent(jLabel2)
                    .addComponent(jTitleText, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE, javax.swing.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE))
                .addGap(18, 18, 18)
                .addGroup(jPanel1Layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.BASELINE)
                    .addComponent(jLabel3)
                    .addComponent(jCoreCombo, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE, javax.swing.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE))
                .addGap(18, 18, 18)
                .addGroup(jPanel1Layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.BASELINE)
                    .addComponent(jLabel4)
                    .addComponent(goButton)
                    .addComponent(jTypeCombo, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE, javax.swing.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE))
                .addContainerGap(javax.swing.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, Short.MAX_VALUE))
        );

        jPanel2.setBorder(javax.swing.BorderFactory.createTitledBorder(null, "Product Code Generator", javax.swing.border.TitledBorder.DEFAULT_JUSTIFICATION, javax.swing.border.TitledBorder.DEFAULT_POSITION, new java.awt.Font("Tahoma", 1, 12))); // NOI18N

        jLabel5.setText("Product Number");

        jLabel6.setText("UPC");

        jLabel7.setText("Product Title");

        jButton1.setText("Exit");
        jButton1.addActionListener(new java.awt.event.ActionListener() {
            public void actionPerformed(java.awt.event.ActionEvent evt) {
                jButton1ActionPerformed(evt);
            }
        });

        javax.swing.GroupLayout jPanel2Layout = new javax.swing.GroupLayout(jPanel2);
        jPanel2.setLayout(jPanel2Layout);
        jPanel2Layout.setHorizontalGroup(
            jPanel2Layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.LEADING)
            .addGroup(jPanel2Layout.createSequentialGroup()
                .addContainerGap()
                .addGroup(jPanel2Layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.LEADING)
                    .addGroup(jPanel2Layout.createSequentialGroup()
                        .addGroup(jPanel2Layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.LEADING)
                            .addComponent(jLabel7)
                            .addComponent(jLabel6)
                            .addComponent(jLabel5, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE, 95, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE))
                        .addPreferredGap(javax.swing.LayoutStyle.ComponentPlacement.RELATED, javax.swing.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, Short.MAX_VALUE)
                        .addGroup(jPanel2Layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.LEADING, false)
                            .addComponent(jProductNum)
                            .addComponent(jProdTitleText, javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.TRAILING)
                            .addComponent(jUPCText, javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.TRAILING, javax.swing.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, 263, Short.MAX_VALUE))
                        .addContainerGap())
                    .addGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.TRAILING, jPanel2Layout.createSequentialGroup()
                        .addComponent(jButton1)
                        .addGap(22, 22, 22))))
        );
        jPanel2Layout.setVerticalGroup(
            jPanel2Layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.LEADING)
            .addGroup(jPanel2Layout.createSequentialGroup()
                .addContainerGap()
                .addGroup(jPanel2Layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.BASELINE)
                    .addComponent(jLabel5)
                    .addComponent(jProductNum, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE, javax.swing.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE))
                .addPreferredGap(javax.swing.LayoutStyle.ComponentPlacement.RELATED)
                .addGroup(jPanel2Layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.BASELINE)
                    .addComponent(jLabel6)
                    .addComponent(jUPCText, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE, javax.swing.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE))
                .addPreferredGap(javax.swing.LayoutStyle.ComponentPlacement.UNRELATED)
                .addGroup(jPanel2Layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.BASELINE)
                    .addComponent(jLabel7)
                    .addComponent(jProdTitleText, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE, javax.swing.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE))
                .addPreferredGap(javax.swing.LayoutStyle.ComponentPlacement.RELATED, 27, Short.MAX_VALUE)
                .addComponent(jButton1)
                .addContainerGap())
        );

        javax.swing.GroupLayout layout = new javax.swing.GroupLayout(getContentPane());
        getContentPane().setLayout(layout);
        layout.setHorizontalGroup(
            layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.LEADING)
            .addGroup(layout.createSequentialGroup()
                .addGap(62, 62, 62)
                .addGroup(layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.LEADING)
                    .addComponent(jPanel2, javax.swing.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, javax.swing.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, Short.MAX_VALUE)
                    .addComponent(jPanel1, javax.swing.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, javax.swing.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, Short.MAX_VALUE))
                .addContainerGap())
        );
        layout.setVerticalGroup(
            layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.LEADING)
            .addGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.TRAILING, layout.createSequentialGroup()
                .addComponent(jPanel1, javax.swing.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, javax.swing.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, Short.MAX_VALUE)
                .addPreferredGap(javax.swing.LayoutStyle.ComponentPlacement.RELATED)
                .addComponent(jPanel2, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE, javax.swing.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE))
        );

        bindingGroup.bind();
    }// </editor-fold>                        

private void goButtonActionPerformed(java.awt.event.ActionEvent evt) {                                         

    String upcBlock, ptext, core, suffix;
    String ld = "0";
    String upcd = "";
    String upcBase = "";
    String prd = "";

    //    String[] coreVals = {"5150", "5151", "5152", "5153", "5154", "5155", "5156"};
    //    String[] prodTypes = {"0", "1", "2", "3", "4", "5", "6", "7", "8", "9"};

    upcBlock = jUpcBlockText.getText();
    ptext = jTitleText.getText();
    core = (String) jCoreCombo.getSelectedItem().toString();
    suffix = (String) jTypeCombo.getSelectedItem();

    //       JComboBox w_core = new JComboBox(coreVals);
    //       JComboBox w_type = new JComboBox(prodTypes);

    // pad core to length of 4
    int cl = core.length();
    while (cl < 4) {
        core = "0" + core;
        cl = core.length();
    }

    upcBase = ld + upcBlock + core + suffix + "" + randomNumber();
    prd = core + suffix;
    upcd = ld + upcBlock + core + suffix + "" + randomNumber() + "" + chkDigit(upcBase);

    jProductNum.setText(String.valueOf(prd));
    jUPCText.setText(String.valueOf(upcd));
    jProdTitleText.setText(String.valueOf(ptext));
}                                        

    public static void main(String args[]) {

//        RunDB runDB = new RunDB();
//        //     jCoreCombo jcc = new JComboBox();
//
//        try {
//            runDB.loadDriver();
//            runDB.makeConnection();
//            runDB.buildStatement();
//            runDB.executeQuery();
//        } catch (Exception e) {
//        }

        java.awt.EventQueue.invokeLater(new Runnable() {

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

            }
        });

    }

    public static int randomNumber() {
        Random rn = new Random();
        int r = rn.nextInt(9);
        return r;
    }

    public static int chkDigit(String u) {
        int c = 0;
        int odds;
        int evens;
        int num1;
        int num2;
        int mymod;

        odds = u.charAt(1) + u.charAt(3) + u.charAt(5) + u.charAt(7) + u.charAt(9) + u.charAt(11);
        num1 = odds * 3;
        evens = u.charAt(2) + u.charAt(4) + u.charAt(6) + u.charAt(8) + u.charAt(10);
        num2 = num1 + evens;
//        System.out.println("Value of num2 = " + num2);
        mymod = num2 % 10;    // 1191 mymod = 1
//        System.out.println("Value of mymod = " + mymod);

        while (mymod != 0) {
            c++;
//            System.out.println("Value of c in loop = " + c);
            num2++;
            mymod = num2 % 10;
//            System.out.println("Value of mymod in loop = " + mymod);

        } //     System.out.println("Value of checkdigit = " + c);

        return c;

    }

private void jButton1ActionPerformed(java.awt.event.ActionEvent evt) {                                         
    System.exit(0);
}                                        
    // Variables declaration - do not modify                     
    private javax.swing.JButton goButton;
    private javax.swing.JButton jButton1;
    private javax.swing.JComboBox jCoreCombo;
    private javax.swing.JLabel jLabel1;
    private javax.swing.JLabel jLabel2;
    private javax.swing.JLabel jLabel3;
    private javax.swing.JLabel jLabel4;
    private javax.swing.JLabel jLabel5;
    private javax.swing.JLabel jLabel6;
    private javax.swing.JLabel jLabel7;
    public javax.swing.JPanel jPanel1;
    private javax.swing.JPanel jPanel2;
    private javax.swing.JTextField jProdTitleText;
    private javax.swing.JTextField jProductNum;
    public javax.swing.JTextField jTitleText;
    private javax.swing.JComboBox jTypeCombo;
    private javax.swing.JTextField jUPCText;
    private javax.swing.JTextField jUpcBlockText;
    private upcgenerator.Pacor pacor1;
    private java.util.List<upcgenerator.Pacor> pacorList;
    private java.util.List<upcgenerator.Pacor> pacorList1;
    private javax.persistence.Query pacorQuery;
    private javax.persistence.Query pacorQuery1;
    private javax.persistence.EntityManager productgenPUEntityManager;
    private org.jdesktop.beansbinding.BindingGroup bindingGroup;
    // End of variables declaration                   
}

A lot of that code is not editable so changes have to be made in the GUI property boxes, but I'm trying to figure that part out!

Thank you!

[Rob Camick]

I have no idea how to do this in an IDE.

I would rather spend my time learnting Java instead of learning the IDE.

[Phillip Ankerson]

Yes, it's a hassle for sure. Much too thick. I'll probably start from scratch.

[Darryl Burke]

Good idea. To repeat once again what I've said many many times before, a visual designer is not a beginners' tool. To be able to use its features, you need to already know the intricacies of Swing coding.

[Maneesh Godbole]

JComboBox? Two Columns? Hmmm.
I think using a JTable would be easier.