import java.awt.event.ItemEvent; import java.awt.event.ItemListener; import javax.swing.JComboBox; public class Main { public static void main(String[] argv) throws Exception { String[] items = { "item1", "item2" }; JComboBox cb = new JComboBox(items); cb.setEditable(true); MyItemListener actionListener = new MyItemListener(); cb.addItemListener(actionListener); } } class MyItemListener implements ItemListener { // This method is called only if a new item has been selected. public void itemStateChanged(ItemEvent evt) { JComboBox cb = (JComboBox) evt.getSource(); Object item = evt.getItem(); if (evt.getStateChange() == ItemEvent.SELECTED) { // Item was just selected } else if (evt.getStateChange() == ItemEvent.DESELECTED) { // Item is no longer selected } } }