How to populate TableView dynamically with FXML and JavaFX

Question

How do I define my table in FXML and then use my JavaFX code to populate it dynamically at runtime?

Answer 1

1. Define the TableView in the fxml file. Few things to note:
   • the root should have a controller class associated with it.
   • the TableView and TableColumn should have fx:id attributes specified.

<BorderPane xmlns:fx="http://javafx.com/fxml" fx:controller="com.example.MyController"> <center> <ScrollPane disable="false" visible="true"> <content> <TableView fx:id="myTableView" prefHeight="-1.0" prefWidth="-1.0"> <columns> <TableColumn fx:id="idColumn" prefWidth="100.0" text="Id" /> </columns> </TableView> </content> </ScrollPane> </center> </BorderPane>

2. Define the controller class. Few things to note:

   • the variables should be linked with the @FXML tag and a new object of TableView/TableColumn should not be created.
   • the variables should be named the same as the corresponding attribute value of fx:id as mentioned in the fxml.
   • the controller class should implement javafx.fxml.Initializable and hence should define the method public void initialize(URL location, ResourceBundle resources)

   • a class Data Model class MyDataModel is used to populate the data.

     public class MyController implements Initializable {

     @FXML
     private TableView<MyDataModel> myTableView;
     
     @FXML
     private TableColumn<MyDataModel, String> idColumn;
     
     @Override
     public void initialize(URL location, ResourceBundle resources) {
     idColumn.setCellValueFactory(new PropertyValueFactory<MyDataModel, String>"idColumn"));
     
     myTableView.getItems().setAll(getItemsToAdd());
     }
     
     private List<MyDataModel> getItemsToAdd(){
     // this method would fetch the necessary items from database.
     }
     

     }

3. Define the Data Model class. Few things to note:

   • the variable should be named as idColumnProperty as the string passed for PropertyValueFactory is "idColumn".
   • the variable must be private final SimpleStringProperty as the type mentioned in controller class is String for the column.

   • the model class must have the methods getIdColumn() and setIdColumn(String id)

     public class MyDataModel {

     private final SimpleStringProperty idColumnProperty = new SimpleStringProperty("");
     
     public MyDataModel(){
     this("");
     }
     
     public MyDataModel(String id){
     setIdColumn(id);    
     }
     
     public String getIdColumn(){
     idColumnProperty.get();
     }
     
     public void setIdColumn(String id){
     idColumnProperty.set(id);
     }
     

     }