How to Add a Button in a JavaFX TableView

Question

What are the steps to add a button to each row in a JavaFX TableView?

TableColumn<ButtonType, Button> buttonColumn = new TableColumn<>("Action");
buttonColumn.setCellValueFactory(new Callback<TableColumn.CellDataFeatures<DataType, Button>, ObservableValue<Button>>() {
    @Override
    public ObservableValue<Button> call(CellDataFeatures<DataType, Button> features) {
        Button btn = new Button("Click Me");
        btn.setOnAction(event -> {  
            // Action to perform on button click
            System.out.println("Button clicked for " + features.getValue());
        });
        return new SimpleObjectProperty<>(btn);
    }
});
tableView.getColumns().add(buttonColumn);

Answer

Adding buttons to rows in a JavaFX TableView can enhance user interaction, allowing actions to be executed directly from the table. This guide walks you through the process to implement buttons in a TableView effectively.

// Import necessary libraries
import javafx.application.Application;
import javafx.scene.Scene;
import javafx.scene.control.*;
import javafx.scene.layout.VBox;
import javafx.stage.Stage;

public class TableViewButtonExample extends Application {
    public void start(Stage primaryStage) {
        TableView<Person> tableView = new TableView<>();
        TableColumn<Person, Button> buttonColumn = new TableColumn<>("Action");
        buttonColumn.setCellValueFactory(new Callback<TableColumn.CellDataFeatures<Person, Button>, ObservableValue<Button>>() {
            @Override
            public ObservableValue<Button> call(CellDataFeatures<Person, Button> features) {
                Button btn = new Button("Click Me");
                btn.setOnAction(event -> {
                    System.out.println("Button clicked for: " + features.getValue().getName());
                });
                return new SimpleObjectProperty<>(btn);
            }
        });
        tableView.getColumns().add(buttonColumn);

        // Add sample data
        tableView.getItems().add(new Person("John Doe"));
        tableView.getItems().add(new Person("Jane Smith"));

        VBox vbox = new VBox(tableView);
        Scene scene = new Scene(vbox);
        primaryStage.setScene(scene);
        primaryStage.show();
    }

    public static void main(String[] args) {
        launch(args);
    }
}

class Person {
    private String name;
    public Person(String name) {
        this.name = name;
    }
    public String getName() { return name; }
}

Causes

Need for interactive UI elements in tabular data.
Improving usability by allowing actions directly from rows.

Solutions

Use a custom TableCell to create button elements.
Utilize the setCellValueFactory to populate each cell with a button.

Common Mistakes

Mistake: Not using a Callback for the CellValueFactory.

Solution: Ensure that you implement a Callback to create buttons for each row.

Mistake: Buttons not responding to clicks.

Solution: Check to ensure the button action is correctly linked to the event handler.

Helpers

JavaFX
TableView
Add button in TableView
JavaFX tutorial
Interactive TableView