AWT CheckboxMenuItem Class

Introduction

The CheckboxMenuItem class represents a check box which can be included in a menu. Selecting the check box in the menu changes control's state from on to off or from off to on.

Class declaration

Following is the declaration for java.awt.CheckboxMenuItem class:

public class CheckboxMenuItem
   extends MenuItem
      implements ItemSelectable, Accessible

Class constructors

Class methods

Methods inherited

This class inherits methods from the following classes:

• java.awt.MenuItem

• java.awt.MenuComponent

• java.lang.Object

CheckboxMenuItem Example

Create the following java program using any editor of your choice in say D:/ > AWT > com > tutorialspoint > gui >

package com.tutorialspoint.gui;

import java.awt.*;
import java.awt.event.*;

public class AWTMenuDemo {
   private Frame mainFrame;
   private Label headerLabel;
   private Label statusLabel;
   private Panel controlPanel;

   public AWTMenuDemo(){
      prepareGUI();
   }

   public static void main(
[] args){
      AWTMenuDemo  awtMenuDemo = new AWTMenuDemo();     
      awtMenuDemo.showMenuDemo();
   }

   private void prepareGUI(){
      mainFrame = new Frame("Java AWT Examples");
      mainFrame.setSize(400,400);
      mainFrame.setLayout(new GridLayout(3, 1));
      mainFrame.addWindowListener(new WindowAdapter() {
         public void windowClosing(WindowEvent windowEvent){
            System.exit(0);
         }        
      });    
      headerLabel = new Label();
      headerLabel.setAlignment(Label.CENTER);
      statusLabel = new Label();        
      statusLabel.setAlignment(Label.CENTER);
      statusLabel.setSize(350,100);

      controlPanel = new Panel();
      controlPanel.setLayout(new FlowLayout());

      mainFrame.add(headerLabel);
      mainFrame.add(controlPanel);
      mainFrame.add(statusLabel);
      mainFrame.setVisible(true);  
   }

   private void showMenuDemo(){
      //create a menu bar
      final MenuBar menuBar = new MenuBar();

      //create menus
      Menu fileMenu = new Menu("File");
      Menu editMenu = new Menu("Edit"); 
      final Menu aboutMenu = new Menu("About");

      //create menu items
      MenuItem newMenuItem = 
         new MenuItem("New",new MenuShortcut(KeyEvent.VK_N));
      newMenuItem.setActionCommand("New");

      MenuItem openMenuItem = new MenuItem("Open");
      openMenuItem.setActionCommand("Open");

      MenuItem saveMenuItem = new MenuItem("Save");
      saveMenuItem.setActionCommand("Save");

      MenuItem exitMenuItem = new MenuItem("Exit");
      exitMenuItem.setActionCommand("Exit");

      MenuItem cutMenuItem = new MenuItem("Cut");
      cutMenuItem.setActionCommand("Cut");

      MenuItem copyMenuItem = new MenuItem("Copy");
      copyMenuItem.setActionCommand("Copy");

      MenuItem pasteMenuItem = new MenuItem("Paste");
      pasteMenuItem.setActionCommand("Paste");
   
      MenuItemListener menuItemListener = new MenuItemListener();

      newMenuItem.addActionListener(menuItemListener);
      openMenuItem.addActionListener(menuItemListener);
      saveMenuItem.addActionListener(menuItemListener);
      exitMenuItem.addActionListener(menuItemListener);
      cutMenuItem.addActionListener(menuItemListener);
      copyMenuItem.addActionListener(menuItemListener);
      pasteMenuItem.addActionListener(menuItemListener);

      final CheckboxMenuItem showWindowMenu = 
         new CheckboxMenuItem("Show About", true);
      showWindowMenu.addItemListener(new ItemListener() {
         public void itemStateChanged(ItemEvent e) {
            if(showWindowMenu.getState()){
               menuBar.add(aboutMenu);
            }else{
               menuBar.remove(aboutMenu);
            }
         }
      });

      //add menu items to menus
      fileMenu.add(newMenuItem);
      fileMenu.add(openMenuItem);
      fileMenu.add(saveMenuItem);
      fileMenu.addSeparator();
      fileMenu.add(showWindowMenu);
      fileMenu.addSeparator();
      fileMenu.add(exitMenuItem);

      editMenu.add(cutMenuItem);
      editMenu.add(copyMenuItem);
      editMenu.add(pasteMenuItem);

      //add menu to menubar
      menuBar.add(fileMenu);
      menuBar.add(editMenu);
      menuBar.add(aboutMenu);

      //add menubar to the frame
      mainFrame.setMenuBar(menuBar);
      mainFrame.setVisible(true);  
   }

   class MenuItemListener implements ActionListener {
      public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {            
         statusLabel.setText(e.getActionCommand() 
            + " MenuItem clicked.");
      }    
   }
}

Compile the program using command prompt. Go to D:/ > AWT and type the following command.

D:\AWT>javac com\tutorialspoint\gui\AWTMenuDemo.java

If no error comes that means compilation is successful. Run the program using following command.

D:\AWT>java com.tutorialspoint.gui.AWTMenuDemo

Verify the following output. (Click on File Menu. Unselect "Show About" menu item.)