Yes. Have your node subclass AbstractNode or whatever else you like.

NB 6 > m9 Specific: Implement ChildFactory. To create the Children object for your Node, pass it to Children.create(). When the child list needs updating, call refresh() on your ChildFactory. Its createKeys method will be called again and you can update the set of key objects as needed; Nodes for objects that remain in the list of keys will simply continue to exist; additions and removals will be handled.

NB 5 And Earlier: Have your Children object subclass Children.Keys. As needed, call setKeys() on the Children.Keys object. Just by passing a larger or smaller (or reordered) list of keys, you will be adding or removing (or reordering) children.

Do not ever try to add/remove children from a node you did not create (unless it has an API that explicitly gives you permission to do that); occasionally people try to add child nodes to nodes for things like Java files. If it works at all it’s by accident.

Applies to: NetBeans 4.0, 4.1, 5.0