The <rich:scrollableDataTable> component is used for the table-like component creation. The component just adds the set of additional features described below in comparison with the standard table.

Figure 6.46.  <rich:scrollableDataTable> component

The component represents on a page as a scrollable table with some fixed (non-scrollable) rows ( with header and footer) and columns. Like other tables <rich:scrollableDataTable> also has optional footer and header that could be implemented using the corresponding facets. Columns of the table are optionally resizable. Resizing is available using "drag and drop" of the column vertical borders. You can define the number of the fixed columns from the left side using the "frozenColCount" attribute that is not scrolled via horizontal scroll.

There is possibility to increase component performance using the "hideWhenScrolling" attribute. If the attribute value is "true" data is hidden during scrolling.

It's possible to select the whole row with onclick on the row or some set of rows. Selection is optional and availability of such feature is defined on the component. There are two ways to select a few rows:

It's possible to sort the table content after clicks on the header. The feature is optional (to disable it, use the "sortable" attribute in <rich:column>). Every column should be pointed to the comparator method that is used for sorting the table. In case the <rich:scrollableDataTable> is already sorted by some column and the header of this column has been clicked again - the sorting is reversed.

The typical variant of using:

...

<rich:scrollableDataTable value="#{modelBuilder.model}" var="issues"

            frozenColCount="1"

            first="0"

            rows="40" 

            width="300px"

            height="396px">

    <rich:column width="100px">

        <f:facet name="header" >

            <h:outputText value="State"/>

        </f:facet>

        <h:outputText value="#{issues.cell1}"/>

        <f:facet name="footer">

            <h:outputText value="State"/>

        </f:facet>

    </rich:column>      

    <!--Set of columns and header/footer facets-->

</rich:scrollableDataTable>

...

The "selection" attribute allows to get the row data when using one and multi-selection rows mode.

This attribute is a reference to object to the instance of org.richfaces.model.selection.Selection interface, containing the current collection of objects selected by you.

In the following example when you submit the form, the current collection of the selected objects is placed in the object's property. Then on complete action the <rich:modalPanel> with selected data is shown.

Example:

...

<h:form>

        <rich:spacer height="30" />

                <rich:scrollableDataTable rowKeyVar="rkv" frozenColCount="1" height="200px" 

                        width="300px" id="carList" rows="40" columnClasses="col"

                        value="#{dataTableScrollerBean.allCars}" var="category" sortMode="single"

                        selection="#{dataTableScrollerBean.selection}">

                        <rich:column id="make">

                                <f:facet name="header"><h:outputText styleClass="headerText" value="Make" /></f:facet>

                                <h:outputText value="#{category.make}" />

                        </rich:column>

                        <rich:column id="model">

                                <f:facet name="header"><h:outputText styleClass="headerText" value="Model" /></f:facet>

                                <h:outputText value="#{category.model}" />

                        </rich:column>

                        <rich:column id="price">

                                <f:facet name="header"><h:outputText styleClass="headerText" value="Price" /></f:facet>

                                <h:outputText value="#{category.price}" />

                        </rich:column>

                </rich:scrollableDataTable>

                <rich:spacer height="20px"/>

                <a4j:commandButton value="Show Current Selection" reRender="table" 

                        action="#{dataTableScrollerBean.takeSelection}" 

                        oncomplete="javascript:Richfaces.showModalPanel('panel');"/>

</h:form>

<rich:modalPanel id="panel" autosized="true">

        <f:facet name="header">

                <h:outputText value="Selected Rows"/>

        </f:facet>

        <f:facet name="controls">

                <span style="cursor:pointer" onclick="javascript:Richfaces.hideModalPanel('panel')">X</span>

        </f:facet>

        <rich:dataTable value="#{dataTableScrollerBean.selectedCars}" var="sel" id="table">

                <rich:column>

                        <f:facet name="header"><h:outputText value="Make" /></f:facet>

                        <h:outputText value="#{sel.make}" />

                </rich:column>

                <rich:column id="model">

                        <f:facet name="header"><h:outputText value="Model" /></f:facet>

                <h:outputText value="#{sel.model}" />

                </rich:column>

                <rich:column id="price">

                        <f:facet name="header"><h:outputText value="Price" /></f:facet>

                        <h:outputText value="#{sel.price}" />

                </rich:column>

        </rich:dataTable>

</rich:modalPanel>

...

This is a result:

Figure 6.47. The "selection" attribute usage

On RichFaces LiveDemo page you can find the fuller example of usage of this attribute as well as the example bean.

The <rich:scrollableDataTable> component has the following extra attributes for event processing on the client:

Starting with the 3.3.1 version of the components framework it becomes possible to switch selection mode with the "selectionMode" attribute.

Information about sorting and filtering you can find in the RichFaces Developer guide section about sorting.

Information on the "process" attribute usage you can find in the "Decide what to process" guide section.

Table of <rich:scrollableDataTable> attributes.

You can find all necessary information about style classes redefinition in Definition of Custom Style Classes section.

On the component LiveDemo page you can see the example of <rich:scrollableDataTable> usage.

Cookbook article Scrollable dataTable Selection Usage provides a simple example of how you can use the "selection" attribute in order to get row selection in <rich:scrollableDataTable>.