Walker Software Weblog

The is the normal TableSorter you have seen floating around the net, but I’ve added some small changes. The normal code allowed for doing complex sorts by control-clicking on column header. Java on the Mac doesn’t read control-click, so this version also accepts command-clicks. The arrows to indicate sorts are slightly larger and filled-in with blue in this version.

TableSorter is a class that provides the user with the ability to click on table column headers to sort a JTable.

Download TableSorter.java

I’ve been toying with look and feels for Java a little lately. It is kinda funny that Sun calls Metal the “Cross-Platform” look and feel but it only looks “at home” on Solaris with CDE. But Metal is the default on Windows as well, which means you you either need a to switch to the Windows LAF (but only on Windows, because it won’t run anywhere else — thank heaven for small favors) or package a custom LAF. The Windows LAF is OK for small apps, however is really matches the true windows system about as well as the Aqua LAF does the Mac System. And lets face it, despite a lot of flap about wanting to look like native apps, how many Windows Apps actually look native? Every-time MS released a new version of Office, the look and feel is different and not available to your standard native Windows App. The most popular Windows apps usually don’t have a truly native look and feel, they are either completely different or look like the current version of office. There is not much benefit from looking native on Windows, but you don’t want to look like CDE either.
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