Thread: JTable sorter example

I found an example of using DefaultTableModel to sort by columns. I understand all except:

        model = new DefaultTableModel(data, colnames)
        {
            public Class GetColumnClass (int column) {
                if(column >= 0 && column <= getColumnCount())
                    return getValueAt(0, column).getClass();
                else
                    return Object.class;
            }
        };

I'm assuming GetColumnClass is called by one of the constructors, or at least it ensures that there is method defined for it. If I comment out that section, I can still generate a table, and if I click on the column names I can sort the data. Is it necessary to define that method?

My Googling for JTable tablerowsorter came up with this one. It doesn't really explain what the code fragment in question does, other than it says it sorts it and follows the column class. Java Tutorial - Sort a JTable with TableRowSorter and follow column class in Java.

I'm thinking since it seems to sort without it, providing this overriding method has less to do with the actual sorting, and merely provides a method that can be used if you need to learn the class of the column.