public class ChatGui { protected JComboBox box; public void addCom() { original(); String[] colors = { "Black", "Blue", "Red", "Green", "Orange" }; box = new JComboBox(colors); box.setSelectedIndex(0); box.addActionListener(this); panel.add(box); } public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) { original(e); if (e.getSource() == box) { switch (box.getSelectedIndex()) { case 0: currentColor = Color.black; break; case 1: currentColor = Color.blue; break; case 2: currentColor = Color.red; break; case 3: currentColor = Color.green; break; case 4: currentColor = Color.orange; break; default: currentColor = Color.black; break; } } } }