1. JColorChooser Basics

The simplest use is very simple indeed; call JColorChooser.showDialog, supplying three arguments. The first argument is the parent Component, the second is the title, and the third is the initially selected color. If the user selects "OK," the return value is the Color chosen. If the user cancels, the return value is null.

You can also allocate JColorChooser via a constructor. This is common if you want to display it somewhere other than in a popup dialog, or if you are likely to pop it up many times. In the latter case, pass the JColorChooser instance to JColorChooser.createDialog.

2. JColorChooser Example

The following example creates a small JFrame with a button that pops up a JColorChooser. The background color of the content pane is set to the color selected.

3. JColorChooserTest.java (Download source code)

import java.awt.*;
import java.awt.event.*;
import javax.swing.*;
                
public class JColorChooserTest extends JFrame
                               implements ActionListener {
  public static void main(String[] args) {
    new JColorChooserTest();
  }

  public JColorChooserTest() {
    super("Using JColorChooser");
    WindowUtilities.setNativeLookAndFeel();
    addWindowListener(new ExitListener());
    Container content = getContentPane();
    content.setBackground(Color.white);
    content.setLayout(new FlowLayout());
    JButton colorButton
      = new JButton("Choose Background Color");
    colorButton.addActionListener(this);
    content.add(colorButton);
    setSize(300, 100);
    setVisible(true);
  }

  public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {
    // Args are parent component, title, initial color
    Color bgColor
      = JColorChooser.showDialog(this,
                                 "Choose Background Color",
                                 getBackground());
    if (bgColor != null)
      getContentPane().setBackground(bgColor);
  }
}

4. JColorChooserTest Initial Window

5. JColorChooser Default (Swatches) Window

6. JColorChooser HSB Window

7. JColorChooser RGB Window