ComboBox functionality that is missing, but present in Java, WIndows.forms, and Cocoa

[Mark Jones <mark jones106 verizon net>]

I am trying to do certain things with the combo box, that if done with
Java swing (or Windows.forms, or Cocoa for Mac OS) would be extremely
simple and straightforward.  Specifically I am trying to find an
equivalent to the following:

JComboBox::setSelectedItem(this could be a string that matches one
already in the list)
I don't know if the following code will set the list to an existing
item, and also fire a changed event which is what I would prefer:
gtk_entry_set_text (GTK_ENTRY (GTK_COMBO (combo)->entry), "My String.");

JComboBox::setSelectedIndex(int index of the list)

int JComboBox::getSelectedIndex()

Without these methods (or very similar), it is limited in usability
I think.  In my case I want to make it do something very specific, but
I'm almost sure I have used these methods when I have done Java
programming in the past and used combo boxes.

There just seems to be so much more functionality in the other combo
boxes than the gtk combo box.  I like gtk, and what it is creating for
UNIX and so I am hoping to provide constructive opinions and not just a
complaint.

The big questions I have are:
- Is there a reason these methods were not implemented, because I assume
someone thought of them at the time of planning?  This is not meant to
sound like a reprimand, like when a parent asks a child, "Is there a
reason your room is not clean?"  I'm asking whether there is a technical
reason that prevented it, or whether it violated a design concept or
something like that.
- If they were implemented, would they be included in a future release? 
And if so, would it be the next gtk release (2.2) or could they be added
to a next incremental update, for example 2.0.8?

Thanks,

Mark

PS  Anyone on the gtkmm list may recognize this message a little.  I
realized this is probably a better issue for gtk, because gtkmm usually
stays pretty close to gtk in functionality.  If it is added to gtk, I
assume it will show up in a future release of gtkmm.  So I decided to
bring it up on here.