Java Swing Tutorials - Herong's Tutorial Examples
Dr. Herong Yang, Version 4.00

JCheckBoxMenuItemTest.java - Check Box Menu Item Test Program

This section provides a tutorial example on how to use the javax.swing.JCheckBoxMenuItemTest class to create check box menu items. If a check box menu item is selected, its check box icon will have a check sign.

Swing also supports a special menu item class, javax.swing.JCheckBoxMenuItemTest, which represents check box menu items with following special features:

  • A check box menu item will be listed with a check box icon.
  • The check box icon will be displayed as checked if the check box menu item is selected.
  • The check box icon will be displayed as unchecked if the check box menu item is unselected.

Here is an example program I wrote to test the JCheckBoxMenuItemTest classes:

/**
 * JCheckBoxMenuItemTest.java
 * Copyright (c) 2009 by Dr. Herong Yang, http://www.herongyang.com/
 */
import javax.swing.*;
public class JCheckBoxMenuItemTest {
   JFrame myFrame = null;
   public static void main(String[] a) {
      (new JCheckBoxMenuItemTest()).test();
   }
   private void test() {
      myFrame = new JFrame("Check Box Menu Item Test");
      myFrame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
      myFrame.setBounds(50,50,250,150);
      myFrame.setContentPane(new JDesktopPane());

      JMenuBar myMenuBar = new JMenuBar();
      JMenu myMenu = getFileMenu();
      myMenuBar.add(myMenu);
      myMenu = getColorMenu();
      myMenuBar.add(myMenu);
      myMenu = getOptionMenu();
      myMenuBar.add(myMenu);
      JMenuItem myItem = new JMenuItem("Help");
      myMenuBar.add(myItem);

      myFrame.setJMenuBar(myMenuBar);
      myFrame.setVisible(true);
   }
   private JMenu getFileMenu() {
      JMenu myMenu = new JMenu("File");
      JMenuItem myItem = new JMenuItem("Open");
      myMenu.add(myItem);
      myItem = new JMenuItem("Close");
      myItem.setEnabled(false);
      myMenu.add(myItem);
      myMenu.addSeparator();
      myItem = new JMenuItem("Exit");
      myMenu.add(myItem);
      return myMenu;
   }
   private JMenu getColorMenu() {
      JMenu myMenu = new JMenu("Color");
      JMenuItem myItem = new JMenuItem("Red");
      myMenu.add(myItem);
      myItem = new JMenuItem("Green");
      myMenu.add(myItem);
      myItem = new JMenuItem("Blue");
      myMenu.add(myItem);
      return myMenu;
   }
   private JMenu getOptionMenu() {
      JMenu myMenu = new JMenu("Option");
      JCheckBoxMenuItem myItem = new JCheckBoxMenuItem("Sound");
      myItem.setSelected(true);
      myMenu.add(myItem);
      myItem = new JCheckBoxMenuItem("Auto save");
      myMenu.add(myItem);
      return myMenu;
   }
}

If you run this example, you will see the frame window shows up with the menu bar like this:
Check Box Menu Item Test

Interesting notes about this tutorial example:

  • A check box menu item can be listed as selected by default, if the setSelected(true) method is called on the item. The "Sound" check box menu item selected by default in this example.

Sample programs listed in this section have been tested with JDK 1.6.0.

Last update: 2009.

Sections in This Chapter

JMenuBar, JMenu, and JMenuItem Classes

JMenuBarTest.java - Menu Bar Test Program

JMenuTest.java - Menu Test Program

JMenuItemTest.java - Menu Item Test Program

JRadioButtonMenuItemTest.java - Radio Button Menu Item Test Program

JCheckBoxMenuItemTest.java - Check Box Menu Item Test Program

javax.swing.event.MenuListener - Menu Listener Interface

MenuItemActionListenerTest.java - Menu Item Action Listener Test

Item Listener on Radio Button Menu Items

Item Listener on Check Box Menu Items

javax.swing.event.MenuKeyListener - Menu Key Listener Interface

setMnemonic() - Setting Keyboard Mnemonics on Menu Items

setAccelerator() - Setting Keyboard Accelerators on Menu Items

setMnemonic() - Setting Keyboard Mnemonics on Menus

Dr. Herong Yang, updated in 2009
JCheckBoxMenuItemTest.java - Check Box Menu Item Test Program