java - Why does ComboBoxModel<E> return Object instead of E -

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using swing's comboboxmodel, type casting required when getting selected element, interface defined follows:

public interface comboboxmodel<e> extends listmodel<e> {      void setselecteditem(object anitem);      object getselecteditem();  }

i think return type of getselecteditem e. in fact, done listmodel interface comboboxmodel inherits from, selecting index:

public interface listmodel<e> {     e getelementat(int index);  }

what reason not use e type parameter in comboboxmodel?

because combobox textfield may editable user.

jcombobox.seteditable(true);

if combobox editable user may enter text combobox textfield returned string jcombobox.getselecteditem() no matter type parameter provided model.

if want object of e use:

  e e = jcombobox.getmodel().getelementat(jcombobox.getselectedindex());

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