add JMenuBar to a JPanel?

Question

I've got a JMenuBar and a JPanel. I'd like to add the JMenuBar to the JPanel. How would I do so?

Solution 1

You can use a BorderLayout for your JPanel and put the JMenuBar into the NORTH area of the panel with

JPanel p = new JPanel();
p.setLayout(new BorderLayout());
p.add(menubar, BorderLayout.NORTH);

JMenuBar is a JComponent and can be added to a Container like any other JComponent.

Solution 2

JMenuBars are set to the JFrame using the setJMenuBar method.

See the following tutorial on how to use them.

http://download.oracle.com/javase/tutorial/uiswing/components/menu.html

Comments

[Skizit]

It's not possible to add them direct to a JPanel? I've got other items on there... if I add a JFrame wont it draw over my Panel items?

[Codemwnci]

Well, a JMenuBar is just another JComponent, so you can add it to your JPanel just like you would anything else. However, as it is designed to be attached to a JFrame, it may not work correctly (or even at all!)

[Enrique]

I thought you can only add JMenuBar's to JFrame's

[Skizit]

Works, won't allow me to add it to the very top but close enough!

[kleopatra]

hmm ... why a JDesktopPane?

[Admin]

I'm building an app where I want to have a menubar in each detachable tab to display multiple World Wind views. This seemed like a good way to do it. Couldn't find any other way to have a separate menubar for each window.

[Mike Bonnell]

BorderLayout.PAGE_START seemed to put it at the top for me.

[Alde]

Is this code outdated? This does not work any more.

[mike3996]

Works perfectly well.

[Stefan Reich]

What's the advantage of using a JRootPane?