23.16 java.beans.PropertyEditor (JDK 1.1)

The PropertyEditor interface defines the methods that must be implemented by a Java beans property editor intended for use within an application builder or similar tool. PropertyEditor is a complex interface because it defines methods to support several different ways of displaying property values to the user, and it also defines methods to support several different ways of allowing the user to edit the property value.

For a property of type x, the author of a Java bean typically implements a property editor of class xEditor. While the editor is implemented by the bean author, it is usually only instantiated or used by application builders or similar tools (or by a Customizer class for a Bean).

In addition to implementing the PropertyEditor interface, a property editor must have a constructor that expects no arguments, so that it can be easily instantiated by an application builder. Also, it must accept registration and deregistration of PropertyChangeListener objects, and it must send a PropertyChangeEvent to all registered listeners when it changes the value of the property being edited.

The PropertyEditorSupport class is a trivial implementation of PropertyEditor, suitable for subclassing, or for supporting a list of PropertyChangeListener objects.

public abstract interface PropertyEditor {
    // Public Instance Methods
            public abstract void addPropertyChangeListener(PropertyChangeListener listener);
            public abstract String getAsText();
            public abstract Component getCustomEditor();
            public abstract String getJavaInitializationString();
            public abstract String[] getTags();
            public abstract Object getValue();
            public abstract boolean isPaintable();
            public abstract void paintValue(Graphics gfx, Rectangle box);
            public abstract void removePropertyChangeListener(PropertyChangeListener listener);
            public abstract void setAsText(String text) throws IllegalArgumentException;
            public abstract void setValue(Object value);
            public abstract boolean supportsCustomEditor();
}

Implemented By:

PropertyEditorSupport

Returned By:

PropertyEditorManager.findEditor()