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| Chapter 18 The java.awt Package |

## 18.45 java.awt.MenuShortcut (JDK 1.1)

###

This class represents a keystroke used to select a `MenuItem` without actually pulling down the menu. A `MenuShortcut` object can be specified for a `MenuItem` when the `MenuItem` is created or by calling the item's `setShortcut()` method. The keystroke sequence for the menu shortcut automatically appears in the label for the menu item, so you need not add this information yourself.

When you create a `MenuShortcut`, you specify the key code of the shortcut--this is one of the `VK_` constants defined by `java.awt.event.KeyEvent`, and is not always the same as a corresponding character code. You may also optionally specify a `boolean` value that, if `true`, indicates that the `MenuShortcut` requires the Shift key to be held down.

Note that menu shortcuts are triggered in a platform-dependent way. When you create a shortcut, you specify only the keycode and an optional Shift modifier. The shortcut is not triggered, however, unless an additional modifier key is held down. On Windows platforms, for example, the Ctrl key is used for menu shortcuts. You can query the platform-specific menu shortcut key with `Toolkit.getMenuShortcutKeyMask()`.

    public class MenuShortcut extends Object implements Serializable {
        // Public Constructors
                public MenuShortcut(int key);
                public MenuShortcut(int key, boolean useShiftModifier);
        // Public Instance Methods
                public boolean equals(MenuShortcut s);
                public int getKey();
                public String toString();  // Overrides Object
                public boolean usesShiftModifier();
        // Protected Instance Methods
                protected String paramString();
    }

### Passed To:

`MenuBar.deleteShortcut(), MenuBar.getShortcutMenuItem(), MenuItem(), MenuItem.setShortcut(), MenuShortcut.equals()`

### Returned By:

`MenuItem.getShortcut()`

java.awt.MenuItem (JDK 1.0) |  | java.awt.Panel (JDK 1.0)