ButtonGroup.getSelection() has the following syntax.
public ButtonModel getSelection()
In the following code shows how to use ButtonGroup.getSelection() method.
// ww w .j a va 2 s . com import java.awt.Container; import java.awt.GridLayout; import java.awt.event.ActionEvent; import java.awt.event.ActionListener; import java.awt.event.ItemEvent; import java.awt.event.ItemListener; import javax.swing.AbstractButton; import javax.swing.ButtonGroup; import javax.swing.JFrame; import javax.swing.JLabel; import javax.swing.JRadioButton; public class Main { public static void main(String[] args) { JRadioButton dem = new JRadioButton("Bill", false); dem.setActionCommand("Bill"); JRadioButton rep = new JRadioButton("Bob", false); rep.setActionCommand("Bob"); JRadioButton ind = new JRadioButton("Ross", false); ind.setActionCommand("Ross"); final ButtonGroup group = new ButtonGroup(); group.add(dem); group.add(rep); group.add(ind); class VoteActionListener implements ActionListener { public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent ex) { String choice = group.getSelection().getActionCommand(); System.out.println("ACTION Candidate Selected: " + choice); } } class VoteItemListener implements ItemListener { public void itemStateChanged(ItemEvent ex) { String item = ((AbstractButton) ex.getItemSelectable()).getActionCommand(); boolean selected = (ex.getStateChange() == ItemEvent.SELECTED); System.out.println("ITEM Candidate Selected: " + selected + " Selection: " + item); } } ActionListener al = new VoteActionListener(); dem.addActionListener(al); rep.addActionListener(al); ind.addActionListener(al); ItemListener il = new VoteItemListener(); dem.addItemListener(il); rep.addItemListener(il); ind.addItemListener(il); JFrame frame = new JFrame(); frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE); Container c = frame.getContentPane(); c.setLayout(new GridLayout(4, 1)); c.add(new JLabel("Please Cast Your Vote")); c.add(dem); c.add(rep); c.add(ind); frame.pack(); frame.setVisible(true); } }