java - Creating a custom TableModel with multiple column headers and row headers

Question

I'm attempting to create a JTable that looks like the mockup below:

The green corner is basically buffer-space for the red column and row headers. The cells don't need to be rendered in the colours pictured; however they need to be distinguishable from the rest of the 'white' cells in the table.

This table also is not editable or selectable; it's merely viewed by a user whilst it is updated.

I know this can be achieved using a DefaultTableModel with custom renders for rows 1,2 && cols 1,2 and adding +2 when setting and getting table values (accounting for the rows and columns that are being used as headers).

My questions are as follows:

1. Is there a cleaner way of doing this without polluting my table model with these static values used in headers?
2. I've read about extending table models but I'm not sure which class should I extend (DefaultTableModel, AbstractTableModel) and what methods I should override.

Answer 1

Input is limited to 20x20 so including the headers that's 22x22.

Also consider a JScrollPane containing a JPanel having GridLayout and containing 22x22 instances JLabel, or a suitable subclass. This scales easily to several thousand cells.

Addendum: If the need arises, CellRendererPane makes a good flyweight renderer, as suggested here.

If you go with JTable for rendering scalability,

1. This is no abuse; it is exactly how TableModel is intended to be used. TableModel models a rectangular matrix of whatever you decide. JTable is just an (efficiently rendered) view of that model.

2. I prefer AbstractTableModel, shown here, because Vector is rarely the desired data structure. Use whatever container makes your indexing most convenient. DefaultTableModel is handy and serves as a guide to extending AbstractTableModel. In particular, you'll need a setValueAt().

   @Override
   public void setValueAt(Object aValue, int row, int col) {
       ... // update your data structure
       this.fireTableCellUpdated(row, col); // notify the view
   }