SearchPopup (String s) { // table with checkboxes may use SPACE-bound action to toggle checkboxes boolean ignoreSpaceTyped = myComponent.getActionForKeyStroke(KeyStroke.getKeyStroke(KeyEvent.VK_SPACE, 0)) != null; return new SearchPopup(s) { @Override public void processKeyEvent(KeyEvent e) { if (ignoreSpaceTyped && e.getModifiersEx() == 0 && e.getID() == KeyEvent.KEY_TYPED && e.getKeyChar() == ' ') { return; } super.processKeyEvent(e); } }; }