The JComboBox.setSelectedIndex() method throws an
IllegalArgumentException if the specified index is out
of bounds.

The JComboBox spec does not specify this.

from : ###@###.###
When the ComboBoxModel of a JComboBox is set to null or a array of
length 0 the propertyChange that is called
in the chain of events tries to call ComboBoxModel.setSelectedIndex(0)
which results in a IllegalArgumentException.
For non editable ComboBoxes this behaviour _may_ be correct but for
editable ComboBoxes not.
In general it is possible to create a DefaultComboBoxModel with a array
of length 0. (It should also be possible to create it with a null value
for a empty list). If the length is zero no selectedObject is set. That
should also be the default behaviour of the propertyChange method.

Exception occurred during event dispatching: