How to add custom menu action and titlebar icon to JFrame

Question

I have a custom JFrame. On the title bar I have an icon in the top left, a title, and then the standard minimize, maximize, and close buttons on the right.

When I click the icon in the title bar I get the standard options: Restore, Move, Size, Minimize, Maximize, Close.

How can I add my own menu option here? I'd like to add and "Always On Top" option here.

Additionally I'd like to add a button next to the max,min,close buttons on the title bar to allow uses to toggle the "Always On Top" state of the JFrame.

Answer 1

You could create your own customized Components. To do that, create a new class which extends JMenuBar for example and override the methods which fit your needs. Very often, for example, one wants to override paintComponent(Graphics) .

That is not what you want, 'though. Customizing the JMenuBar wont work as you expect it to. The "JMenuBar" is another bar below the title bar. I am Mac user, but as far as my knowledge goes, it is not possible to customize the title bar, because that isn't handled by the JVM. The only thing that is modifiable without using native code is the Icon in the top left.

For further information on that, look at this question and the best answer there. This will help you a lot.

Your problem (adding a button at the top for toggling the alwaysOnTop status) is best solved by creating normal instances of a JMenuBar, a JMenu and a JMenuItem. To then add that MenuBar to your Frame, use JFrame.setJMenuBar(JMenuBar) . See also How to use Menus .

I hope this helps!