The EntityPanel is the base UI class for working with entity instances. It usually consists of an EntityTablePanel, an EntityEditPanel, and a set of detail panels representing the entities having a master/detail relationship with the underlying entity.
1. Basics
You can either extend the EntityPanel class or instantiate one directly, depending on your needs.
public class AddressPanel extends EntityPanel {
public AddressPanel(SwingEntityModel addressModel) {
super(addressModel, new AddressEditPanel(addressModel.editModel()));
}
}SwingEntityModel addressModel =
new SwingEntityModel(Address.TYPE, connectionProvider);
EntityPanel addressPanel =
new EntityPanel(addressModel,
new AddressEditPanel(addressModel.editModel()));2. Detail panels
Adding a detail panel is done with a single method call, but note that the underlying EntityModel must contain the corresponding detail model, see detail models. The detail panel hierarchy typically mirrors the model hierarchy — here the customer panel adds an invoice panel, whose model is the customer model’s detail model:
public final class CustomerPanel extends EntityPanel {
public CustomerPanel(CustomerModel customerModel) {
super(customerModel,
new CustomerEditPanel(customerModel.editModel()),
new CustomerTablePanel(customerModel.tableModel()));
detail().add(new InvoicePanel(customerModel.detail().get(Invoice.TYPE)));
}
}A detail panel is just an EntityPanel — extended or instantiated directly:
public final class AlbumPanel extends EntityPanel {
public AlbumPanel(AlbumModel albumModel) {
super(albumModel,
new AlbumEditPanel(albumModel.editModel()),
new AlbumTablePanel(albumModel.tableModel()));
SwingEntityModel trackModel = albumModel.detail().get(Track.TYPE);
EntityPanel trackPanel = new EntityPanel(trackModel,
new TrackEditPanel((TrackEditModel) trackModel.editModel(), trackModel.tableModel().selection()),
new TrackTablePanel((TrackTableModel) trackModel.tableModel()));
detail().add(trackPanel);
}
}2.1. Detail panel layout
By default, detail panels are laid out by a TabbedDetailLayout: the master panel and its detail panels share a split pane, with the detail panels in a tabbed pane on the right. A detail panel can be expanded, collapsed or torn out into a separate window, with both the mouse and the keyboard (see navigation below).
The layout is configurable per panel — the invoice panel below opts out entirely, since its invoice line panel is embedded in the edit panel itself, while still registering the panel for keyboard navigation:
public final class InvoicePanel extends EntityPanel {
public InvoicePanel(SwingEntityModel invoiceModel) {
super(invoiceModel,
new InvoiceEditPanel(invoiceModel.editModel(),
invoiceModel.detail().get(InvoiceLine.TYPE)),
new InvoiceTablePanel(invoiceModel.tableModel()),
// The InvoiceLine panel is embedded in InvoiceEditPanel,
// so this panel doesn't need a detail panel layout.
config -> config.detailLayout(DetailLayout.NONE));
InvoiceEditPanel editPanel = (InvoiceEditPanel) editPanel();
// We still add the InvoiceLine panel as a detail panel for keyboard navigation
detail().add(editPanel.invoiceLinePanel());
}
}3. Edit panel state
The edit panel can be embedded (the default, above the table), displayed in a separate window, or hidden, toggled via the toolbar or CTRL-ALT-E. The available states — and whether the toggle uses a frame or a dialog — are configurable via the panel’s Config.
4. Navigation and resizing
Entity panels form a keyboard-navigable hierarchy: CTRL-ALT-UP/DOWN moves between master and detail panels, CTRL-ALT-LEFT/RIGHT between sibling panels — with focus following, so the active panel is always the one under the keyboard. SHIFT-ALT-LEFT/RIGHT resizes a master/detail split, and CTRL-SHIFT-ALT-LEFT/RIGHT expands or collapses it. Within a panel, CTRL-E transfers focus to the edit panel, CTRL-T to the table, CTRL-I to the initial input field, CTRL-F to the table search field.
The complete, current shortcut reference is available in any running application via the Help menu (Keyboard shortcuts).