Create dropdown menu in h:dataTable for one specific row - jsf

Question

I have a form that has a few fields that take input from the user. That input is then used to generate a dataTable that is being populated via Hibernate with info from the database, according to the options/fields selected by the user in the initial form.
I need to somehow generate a dropdown menu for a specific record that is being clicked on, and then download that record in a specific file format (I already kind of have a similar method for doing this made by someone else).
Here's how my dataTable looks like:
<h:form id="form2">
<t:dataTable binding="#{table}" rendered="#{searchArhivaUIBean.renderTable}" value="#{searchArhivaUIBean.nonEdiAbstractList}"
var="dataItem" border="0" cellspacing="2" width="100%" id="tdtbl"
headerClass="tableHeader" rowClasses="rowOdd,rowEven" columnClasses="Column">
<t:column>
<!-- display currently selected row number -->
<f:facet name="header">
<t:outputText value="Nr"/>
</f:facet>
<t:outputText value="#{table.rowIndex + 1}"/>
</t:column>
<t:column>
<f:facet name="header">
<t:outputText value="Data Mesaj"/>
</f:facet>
<t:outputText value="#{dataItem.dataMesaj}">
<f:convertDateTime timeZone="#{tzUIBean.tz}" pattern="dd.MM.yyyy" />
</t:outputText>
</t:column>
<t:column>
<f:facet name="header">
<t:outputText value="Numar Mesaj"/>
</f:facet>
<t:outputText value="#{dataItem.numarMesaj}"/>
</t:column>
<t:column>
<f:facet name="header">
<t:outputText value="Societate Sender"/>
</f:facet>
<t:outputText value="#{dataItem.societateSender}"/>
</t:column>
<t:column>
<f:facet name="header">
<t:outputText value="Societate Receiver"/>
</f:facet>
<t:outputText value="#{dataItem.societateReceiver}"/>
</t:column>
</t:dataTable>
</h:form>
This will generate a dataTable, populated with items. Any ideas on how can I make now a dropdown appear as I click a message (either the "Nr" column (the first column in the dataTable)) or the "Numar Mesaj" column? I need the dropdown to appear underneath that specific row in the dataTable, so I can choose the file format from that dropdown and download that specific record as a .pdf, .xls or whatever else type of file.
At least, this is how I thought it to work. Any ideas are appreciated.

Answer 1

Well, it would much easier to do with proper JSF framework like for instance Prime Faces. They have dedicated components for that kind of stuff.
With default JSF it will be a chunk of job. I can imagine something like that:
First you need to make one of your columns clickable with for instance h:commandLink. This (click) action may change special flag(s) which will be used to show an extra row with formats.
Next step is making extra rows for each data row where second row is hidden (by above flags). Clicking the link in your column will show that extra row with formats.
It seems the only difficulty is to show just 1 row, not all of them so the event and flags need to quite clever. You have to track the current row selection and use it when showing an extra row.