Java JMenuBar : Vertical JSeparator

Question

I'm trying to add a vertical JSeparator in my menu. But it puts margins between my MenuItems. I want my items to stay left instead of left - center - right.

How it looks: What I want:

   JMenu settings = new JMenu("Settings");
    image = ImageIO.read(new File(Constants.IMAGES_DIR + File.separator + "settings.png"));
    settings.setHorizontalTextPosition(SwingConstants.CENTER);
    settings.setVerticalTextPosition(SwingConstants.BOTTOM);
    settings.setIcon(new ImageIcon(image));
    add(settings);

    JMenu build = new JMenu("Builder");
    image = ImageIO.read(new File(Constants.IMAGES_DIR + File.separator + "build.png"));
    build.setHorizontalTextPosition(SwingConstants.CENTER);
    build.setVerticalTextPosition(SwingConstants.BOTTOM);
    build.setIcon(new ImageIcon(image));
    add(build);

    add(new JSeparator(JSeparator.VERTICAL));

    JMenu help = new JMenu("Help");
    image = ImageIO.read(new File(Constants.IMAGES_DIR + File.separator + "help.png"));
    help.setHorizontalTextPosition(SwingConstants.CENTER);
    help.setVerticalTextPosition(SwingConstants.BOTTOM);
    help.setIcon(new ImageIcon(image));
    add(help);

hope you understand what I want.

Answer 1

I suggest doing this by using JToolBar instead of JMenuBar. But in case you must/should/like to do it using JMenuBar here goes an example:

public class Test {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        SwingUtilities.invokeLater(new Runnable() {
            @Override
            public void run() {
                JFrame frame = new JFrame();

                JMenuBar bar = new JMenuBar();
                bar.setLayout(new MigLayout());

                JMenu listSth = new JMenu("A");
                listSth.setHorizontalTextPosition(SwingConstants.CENTER);
                listSth.setVerticalTextPosition(SwingConstants.BOTTOM);
                bar.add(listSth);

                JSeparator sep1 = new JSeparator(JSeparator.VERTICAL);
                bar.add(sep1, "growy");
                JMenu module = new JMenu("B");
                module.setHorizontalTextPosition(SwingConstants.CENTER);
                module.setVerticalTextPosition(SwingConstants.BOTTOM);
                bar.add(module);

                JMenu settings = new JMenu("Settings");
                settings.setHorizontalTextPosition(SwingConstants.CENTER);
                settings.setVerticalTextPosition(SwingConstants.BOTTOM);
                bar.add(settings);

                JMenu build = new JMenu("Builder");
                build.setHorizontalTextPosition(SwingConstants.CENTER);
                build.setVerticalTextPosition(SwingConstants.BOTTOM);
                bar.add(build);

                JSeparator sep2 = new JSeparator(JSeparator.VERTICAL);
                bar.add(sep2, "growy");

                JMenu help = new JMenu("Help");
                help.setHorizontalTextPosition(SwingConstants.CENTER);
                help.setVerticalTextPosition(SwingConstants.BOTTOM);
                bar.add(help);

                frame.setJMenuBar(bar);
                frame.pack();
                frame.setSize(400, 300);
                frame.setLocationRelativeTo(null);

                frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
                frame.setVisible(true);
            }
        });
    }
}

In simple words - you can use MigLayout and set "growy" on your JSeparators. There are many other solutions for this (using different layout).