java.awt

## Class MenuComponent

- java.lang.Object
- - java.awt.MenuComponent

- All Implemented Interfaces:
    Serializable
  Direct Known Subclasses:
    MenuBar, MenuItem

      public abstract class MenuComponent
      extends Object
      implements Serializable

  The abstract class `MenuComponent` is the superclass of all menu-related components. In this respect, the class `MenuComponent` is analogous to the abstract superclass `Component` for AWT components.

  Menu components receive and process AWT events, just as components do, through the method `processEvent`.

  Since:
    JDK1.0
  See Also:
    Serialized Form

- - ### Nested Class Summary

    Nested Classes
    Modifier and Type | Class | Description
    --- | --- | ---
    `protected class` | `MenuComponent.AccessibleAWTMenuComponent` | Inner class of `MenuComponent` used to provide default support for accessibility.

  - ### Constructor Summary

    Constructors
    Constructor | Description
    --- | ---
    `MenuComponent()` | Creates a `MenuComponent`.

  - ### Method Summary

    All Methods Instance Methods Concrete Methods Deprecated Methods
    Modifier and Type | Method | Description
    --- | --- | ---
    `void` | `dispatchEvent(AWTEvent e)` | Delivers an event to this component or one of its sub components.
    `AccessibleContext` | `getAccessibleContext()` | Gets the `AccessibleContext` associated with this `MenuComponent`.
    `Font` | `getFont()` | Gets the font used for this menu component.
    `String` | `getName()` | Gets the name of the menu component.
    `MenuContainer` | `getParent()` | Returns the parent container for this menu component.
    `java.awt.peer.MenuComponentPeer` | `getPeer()` | Deprecated. As of JDK version 1.1, programs should not directly manipulate peers.
    `protected Object` | `getTreeLock()` | Gets this component's locking object (the object that owns the thread synchronization monitor) for AWT component-tree and layout operations.
    `protected String` | `paramString()` | Returns a string representing the state of this `MenuComponent`.
    `boolean` | `postEvent(Event evt)` | Deprecated. As of JDK version 1.1, replaced by `dispatchEvent`.
    `protected void` | `processEvent(AWTEvent e)` | Processes events occurring on this menu component.
    `void` | `removeNotify()` | Removes the menu component's peer.
    `void` | `setFont(Font f)` | Sets the font to be used for this menu component to the specified font.
    `void` | `setName(String name)` | Sets the name of the component to the specified string.
    `String` | `toString()` | Returns a representation of this menu component as a string.

    - ### Methods inherited from class java.lang.Object

      `clone, equals, finalize, getClass, hashCode, notify, notifyAll, wait, wait, wait`

- - ### Constructor Detail

    - #### MenuComponent

          public MenuComponent()
                        throws HeadlessException

      Creates a `MenuComponent`.
      Throws:
        `HeadlessException` - if `GraphicsEnvironment.isHeadless` returns `true`
      See Also:
        `GraphicsEnvironment.isHeadless()`

  - ### Method Detail

    - #### getName

          public String getName()

      Gets the name of the menu component.
      Returns:
        the name of the menu component
      Since:
        JDK1.1
      See Also:
        `setName(java.lang.String)`

    - #### setName

          public void setName(String name)

      Sets the name of the component to the specified string.
      Parameters:
        `name` - the name of the menu component
      Since:
        JDK1.1
      See Also:
        `getName()`

    - #### getParent

          public MenuContainer getParent()

      Returns the parent container for this menu component.
      Returns:
        the menu component containing this menu component, or `null` if this menu component is the outermost component, the menu bar itself

    - #### getPeer

          @Deprecated
          public java.awt.peer.MenuComponentPeer getPeer()

      Deprecated. As of JDK version 1.1, programs should not directly manipulate peers.

    - #### getFont

          public Font getFont()

      Gets the font used for this menu component.
      Returns:
        the font used in this menu component, if there is one; `null` otherwise
      See Also:
        `setFont(java.awt.Font)`

    - #### setFont

          public void setFont(Font f)

      Sets the font to be used for this menu component to the specified font. This font is also used by all subcomponents of this menu component, unless those subcomponents specify a different font.

      Some platforms may not support setting of all font attributes of a menu component; in such cases, calling `setFont` will have no effect on the unsupported font attributes of this menu component. Unless subcomponents of this menu component specify a different font, this font will be used by those subcomponents if supported by the underlying platform.

      Parameters:
        `f` - the font to be set
      See Also:
        `getFont()`, `Font.getAttributes()`, `TextAttribute`

    - #### removeNotify

          public void removeNotify()

      Removes the menu component's peer. The peer allows us to modify the appearance of the menu component without changing the functionality of the menu component.

    - #### postEvent

          @Deprecated
          public boolean postEvent(Event evt)

      Deprecated. As of JDK version 1.1, replaced by `dispatchEvent`.
      Posts the specified event to the menu. This method is part of the Java 1.0 event system and it is maintained only for backwards compatibility. Its use is discouraged, and it may not be supported in the future.
      Parameters:
        `evt` - the event which is to take place

    - #### dispatchEvent

          public final void dispatchEvent(AWTEvent e)

      Delivers an event to this component or one of its sub components.
      Parameters:
        `e` - the event

    - #### processEvent

          protected void processEvent(AWTEvent e)

      Processes events occurring on this menu component.

      Note that if the event parameter is `null` the behavior is unspecified and may result in an exception.

      Parameters:
        `e` - the event
      Since:
        JDK1.1

    - #### paramString

          protected String paramString()

      Returns a string representing the state of this `MenuComponent`. This method is intended to be used only for debugging purposes, and the content and format of the returned string may vary between implementations. The returned string may be empty but may not be `null`.
      Returns:
        the parameter string of this menu component

    - #### toString

          public String toString()

      Returns a representation of this menu component as a string.
      Overrides:
        `toString` in class `Object`
      Returns:
        a string representation of this menu component

    - #### getTreeLock

          protected final Object getTreeLock()

      Gets this component's locking object (the object that owns the thread synchronization monitor) for AWT component-tree and layout operations.
      Returns:
        this component's locking object

    - #### getAccessibleContext

          public AccessibleContext getAccessibleContext()

      Gets the `AccessibleContext` associated with this `MenuComponent`. The method implemented by this base class returns `null`. Classes that extend `MenuComponent` should implement this method to return the `AccessibleContext` associated with the subclass.
      Returns:
        the `AccessibleContext` of this `MenuComponent`
      Since:
        1.3

Submit a bug or feature
For further API reference and developer documentation, see Java SE Documentation. That documentation contains more detailed, developer-targeted descriptions, with conceptual overviews, definitions of terms, workarounds, and working code examples.
Copyright © 1993, 2026, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Use is subject to license terms. Also see the documentation redistribution policy.