Hi check the image below thats exaxtly what i want to do just cant figure out how.. /* * To change this template, choose Tools | Templates * and open the template in the editor. */ /* * MenuGUI.java * * Created on 26-Feb-2009, 20:53:14 */ /** * * @author Shubz */ public class MenuGUI extends javax.swing.JFrame { /** Creates new form MenuGUI */ public MenuGUI() { initComponents(); } /** This method is called from within the constructor to * initialize the form. * WARNING: Do NOT modify this code. The content of this method is * always regenerated by the Form Editor. */ @SuppressWarnings("unchecked") // <editor-fold defaultstate="collapsed" desc="Generated Code">//GEN-BEGIN:initComponents private void initComponents() { jTabbedPane1 = new javax.swing.JTabbedPane(); jScrollPane1 = new javax.swing.JScrollPane(); jList1 = new javax.swing.JList(); jScrollPane2 = new javax.swing.JScrollPane(); jList2 = new javax.swing.JList(); jScrollPane3 = new javax.swing.JScrollPane(); jList3 = new javax.swing.JList(); jScrollPane4 = new javax.swing.JScrollPane(); jList4 = new javax.swing.JList(); jScrollPane5 = new javax.swing.JScrollPane(); jList5 = new javax.swing.JList(); jScrollPane6 = new javax.swing.JScrollPane(); jList6 = new javax.swing.JList(); jTextField1 = new javax.swing.JTextField(); jButton1 = new javax.swing.JButton(); jButton2 = new javax.swing.JButton(); jScrollPane7 = new javax.swing.JScrollPane(); jTextPane1 = new javax.swing.JTextPane(); jLabel1 = new javax.swing.JLabel(); setDefaultCloseOperation(javax.swing.WindowConstants.EXIT_ON_CLOSE); setTitle("Restaurant Menu"); jList1.setModel(new javax.swing.AbstractListModel() { String[] strings = { "Poppadoms", "Onion Bajees", "Chicken Sticks", "Salad Tray" }; public int getSize() { return strings.length; } public Object getElementAt(int i) { return strings[i]; } }); jScrollPane1.setViewportView(jList1); jTabbedPane1.addTab("Starters", jScrollPane1); jList2.setModel(new javax.swing.AbstractListModel() { String[] strings = { "Item 1", "Item 2", "Item 3", "Item 4", "Item 5" }; public int getSize() { return strings.length; } public Object getElementAt(int i) { return strings[i]; } }); jScrollPane2.setViewportView(jList2); jTabbedPane1.addTab("Mains", jScrollPane2); jList3.setModel(new javax.swing.AbstractListModel() { String[] strings = { "Item 1", "Item 2", "Item 3", "Item 4", "Item 5" }; public int getSize() { return strings.length; } public Object getElementAt(int i) { return strings[i]; } }); jScrollPane3.setViewportView(jList3); jTabbedPane1.addTab("Desserts", jScrollPane3); jList4.setModel(new javax.swing.AbstractListModel() { String[] strings = { "Item 1", "Item 2", "Item 3", "Item 4", "Item 5" }; public int getSize() { return strings.length; } public Object getElementAt(int i) { return strings[i]; } }); jScrollPane4.setViewportView(jList4); jTabbedPane1.addTab("Alcoholic Drinks", jScrollPane4); jList5.setModel(new javax.swing.AbstractListModel() { String[] strings = { "Item 1", "Item 2", "Item 3", "Item 4", "Item 5" }; public int getSize() { return strings.length; } public Object getElementAt(int i) { return strings[i]; } }); jScrollPane5.setViewportView(jList5); jTabbedPane1.addTab("Non Alcoholic Drinks", jScrollPane5); jScrollPane6.setViewportView(jList6); jTextField1.setText("Quantity"); jButton1.setText("Add To Order"); jButton1.addActionListener(new java.awt.event.ActionListener() { public void actionPerformed(java.awt.event.ActionEvent evt) { jButton1ActionPerformed(evt); } }); jButton2.setText("Delete Selected"); jScrollPane7.setViewportView(jTextPane1); jLabel1.setFont(new java.awt.Font("Tahoma", 1, 18)); // NOI18N jLabel1.setText("Total"); jLabel1.setAutoscrolls(true); org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout layout = new org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout(getContentPane()); getContentPane().setLayout(layout); layout.setHorizontalGroup( layout.createParallelGroup(org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.LEADING) .add(layout.createSequentialGroup() .addContainerGap() .add(layout.createParallelGroup(org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.LEADING) .add(jTabbedPane1, org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE, 338, org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE) .add(layout.createSequentialGroup() .add(jTextField1, org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE, 62, org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE) .addPreferredGap(org.jdesktop.layout.LayoutStyle.RELATED) .add(jButton1))) .addPreferredGap(org.jdesktop.layout.LayoutStyle.RELATED) .add(layout.createParallelGroup(org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.LEADING) .add(org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.TRAILING, layout.createSequentialGroup() .add(jLabel1) .addPreferredGap(org.jdesktop.layout.LayoutStyle.RELATED) .add(jScrollPane7, org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE, 127, org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE)) .add(jButton2) .add(jScrollPane6, org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, 193, Short.MAX_VALUE)) .addContainerGap()) ); layout.setVerticalGroup( layout.createParallelGroup(org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.LEADING) .add(layout.createSequentialGroup() .addContainerGap() .add(layout.createParallelGroup(org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.TRAILING) .add(org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.LEADING, jScrollPane6, org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, 311, Short.MAX_VALUE) .add(org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.LEADING, jTabbedPane1, org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE, 311, org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE)) .addPreferredGap(org.jdesktop.layout.LayoutStyle.RELATED) .add(layout.createParallelGroup(org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.BASELINE) .add(jTextField1, org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE, org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE) .add(jButton1) .add(jButton2)) .add(29, 29, 29) .add(layout.createParallelGroup(org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.LEADING) .add(jScrollPane7, org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE, 34, org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE) .add(jLabel1, org.jdesktop.layout.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, 34, Short.MAX_VALUE)) .addContainerGap()) ); pack(); }// </editor-fold>//GEN-END:initComponents private void jButton1ActionPerformed(java.awt.event.ActionEvent evt) {//GEN-FIRST:event_jButton1ActionPerformed int selectionNumber = jList1.getSelectedIndex(); if(selectionNumber == -1){ javax.swing.JOptionPane.showMessageDialog(this, "Please choose a starter"); }else{ jList6.setText(" " + selectionIndex + " "); } } }//GEN-LAST:event_jButton1ActionPerformed /** * @param args the command line arguments */ public static void main(String args[]) { java.awt.EventQueue.invokeLater(new Runnable() { public void run() { new MenuGUI().setVisible(true); } }); } // Variables declaration - do not modify//GEN-BEGIN:variables private javax.swing.JButton jButton1; private javax.swing.JButton jButton2; private javax.swing.JLabel jLabel1; private javax.swing.JList jList1; private javax.swing.JList jList2; private javax.swing.JList jList3; private javax.swing.JList jList4; private javax.swing.JList jList5; private javax.swing.JList jList6; private javax.swing.JScrollPane jScrollPane1; private javax.swing.JScrollPane jScrollPane2; private javax.swing.JScrollPane jScrollPane3; private javax.swing.JScrollPane jScrollPane4; private javax.swing.JScrollPane jScrollPane5; private javax.swing.JScrollPane jScrollPane6; private javax.swing.JScrollPane jScrollPane7; private javax.swing.JTabbedPane jTabbedPane1; private javax.swing.JTextField jTextField1; private javax.swing.JTextPane jTextPane1; // End of variables declaration//GEN-END:variables } Code (markup):